The X-factor: Key players to watch in The Rugby Championship
The Rugby Championship is always a battle of titans, but amid the fierce team rivalries, it's often moments of individual brilliance that tip the scales.
Every squad is brimming with players who can single-handedly alter the course of a match – from powerful ball-carrying forwards and agile wingers to emerging talents eager to leave their mark. Keep an eye on stars like the Wallabies' Rob Valetini, the All Blacks' Wallace Sititi, the Springboks' explosive new generation firepower, and Los Pumas' flamboyant playmakers. These are the X-factor athletes poised to define this year's tournament.
Wallabies
Australian rugby fans will be hoping Rob Valetini regains full fitness – and stays fit – after a recent injury, such is his impact on the Wallabies team.
The burly flank with the atomic bomb hairstyle has won his country's player of the year award back-to-back, something only Michael Hooper and Israel Folau have managed.
His rampaging charges and bump-offs are the stuff of Aussie legend, and they'll need plenty of them to be competitive this year.
* Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i could prove influential on the wing or at fullback. Described as a union-league cross-code gun, he could bring speed and power to the Wallaby backline, especially off the bench.
Pumas
Loose forward Pablo Matera is a key player for the Argentinians and is now the most-capped player, with 111 and counting. He was selected for World Rugby's Dream Team in 2024.
That's all good, but the hard man of Pumas rugby will need to ensure he stays on the field and avoids marching orders from the referee. He picked up a few cards last year and will want to avoid that in 2025.
* Argentinian fans believe Luciano González Rizzoni can create something out of nothing on attack. He's stepped up from Sevens, and his flair out wide could be exciting to watch.
All Blacks
Back-rower Wallace Sititi justified coach Scott Robertson's faith in him with a blockbuster 2024 season. He was the All Blacks' player of the year and colossal in the scrum and loose play, taking pressure off icons like Ardie Savea.
* Caleb Clarke could be an important player on the wing. There's something Jonah Lomu-like about his ability to score tries.
He was in trouble with the law after speeding through a red light and evading police on a motorbike. He described it as the dumbest thing he's ever done.
The big wing has had his licence suspended for a year (until June 21 next year). The Boks won't want him speeding away from them, that's for sure.
* Du'Plessis Kirifi could enjoy a breakthrough season on the flank. Yes, that's his real name. His father, Jack Kirifi, of Samoan descent, named him after Morné du Plessis – the man who captained the Boks to a series win over the All Blacks in 1976.
Springboks
The most important factor this season could be who coach Rassie Erasmus chooses to play – and how – given the vast resource pool at his disposal.
Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the player the Bok fans most want to see unleash his box of tricks, especially on attack.
The same could be said for Canan Moodie, who has excelled on the wing and at outside centre.
Pieter-Steph du Toit is always a huge player for the Boks, but this may be the year to use him cautiously and not drive the relentless beast that he is into the ground.
Coach Rassie Erasmus is too smart to do that, thankfully.
Massive front-row forward Asenathi Ntlabakanye is in the mix – to the delight of scrum lovers.
Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse should set things alight on the wing.
It will be interesting to see how long-time captain Siya Kolisi fares, with injury and age creeping up.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
14 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Team leaders need to take control, says stand-in Bok skipper Kriel
The experienced midfielder will lead the national side against the Wallabies in Cape Town this weekend. After a disastrous start to the Rugby Championship that saw the Springboks thumped 38-22 by the Wallabies at Ellis Park, stalwart centre Jesse Kriel said that the leaders in the team should have stood up, especially during a desperately poor second half. The Boks had blitzed into a 22-0 lead after just 18 minutes, but were unable to capitalise on the great start as they took a 22-5 lead into the halftime break. The second half was then an unmitigated disaster, as the Wallabies ran in a further five tries, and 38 unanswered points in total, to power to a hugely surprising bonus point win on the Highveld. Kriel, who will captain the Boks in the absence of Siya Kolisi Kriel at the Cape Town Stadium this Saturday, in the second Test against the Wallabies, said that the more experienced players in the team, like himself, should have taken ownership of the game last Saturday. 'Control to our game' 'I am one of most experienced players and maybe I could have handled things better, maybe I could have ensured we brought more control to our game. In that time, we should have played it differently and maybe as a leader in the team I should have ensured we did that,' said Kriel. 'It is never down to just the guys kicking the ball or not kicking it but the guys around them. I think it is easy now to put pressure on one guy, but leaders like myself should have come through there and got us doing what we needed to do at that point. 'It is never about one person but about the team and the leaders like myself need to put our hands up and make those calls during games. It is too late to do it after the game is finished.' Energy loss The loss of energy from the Boks in the second half, and the inability of the 'bomb squad' to help pick them up, will be points of concern heading into the second Test in Cape Town, and they will need to sort that out. 'I can't put my finger on why we were so flat (in the second half) and I will need to watch the game (to try work it out). But there were a few incidents that were big momentum changes and, as I have said, we could have controlled it better,' admitted Kriel. 'It felt like every turnover they got they ended up scoring from. Mistakes at this level end up being punished and you need to keep going for the full 80 minutes. 'But you have to give them credit for the way they turned our mistakes into tries. Australia were really good and no-one must take credit away from them. They were energetic and they had a great second half. It was one of the best second halves I have seen them play.'
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
No Maxwell, but Aussies boss the odds ahead of ODI series against Proteas
It's ODI time and SA fans can still turn a good profit. South Africa coming within two balls of winning the T20I series against Australia hasn't stirred the sports book analysts at all. Despite hammering the hosts in the second game last week, and going down fighting in the third and deciding contest, the Proteas remain out of favour with the people who set the betting odds. As the follow-up 50-over series starts in Cairns on Tuesday, the Aussies remain firm favourites to win – at least for the first of the three matches to be played over six days. Australia 1.45, South Africa 2.80: those are the odds on the day/night ODI that starts at 6.30am SA time. Changes to both squads The good news for Temba Bavuma's team is that they won't be facing Aussie matchwinner Glenn Maxwell, who has retired from the ODI format. His brave batting was all that stood between SA and a memorable upset at the weekend. The visitors, on the other hand, can still call on Dewald Brevis, who is in sublime big-hitting form and was their best batter of the T20 series. In addition to Bavuma coming into the side for the 50-over games, veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj is likely to return from a deserved rest, along with batter Mathew Breetzke and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder. Popular bets on Betway Most 4s: Australia 1.55, SA 2.60, draw 15.00 Most 6s: Australia 1.75, SA 2.45, draw 9.25 Team with Top Batter: Australia 1.45, SA 2.55 Team with Top Bowler: Australia 1.47, SA 2.45 All odds are correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Daily Maverick
5 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Injured Kolisi and PSDT force Bok loose forward reshuffle after honest squad meeting
The Springbok squad are in agreement about how to turn their fortunes around after an honest meeting on Sunday. The Springboks could face a loose forward shortage if any more players go down after Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit were ruled out of Saturday's Rugby Championship clash against Australia in Cape Town. Following an uncharacteristic implosion that saw the Boks slump to a 38-22 loss after leading 22-0, these injury setbacks have compounded their problems. Kolisi, who performed well at No 8 last week and whose leadership was missed after halftime when the Boks fell apart, is out for at least four weeks with a knee injury. That means he will probably miss the two Tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand next month — a further blow for the Boks. Du Toit has a concussion and is out of the frame this weekend, but will be ready for the All Blacks. Considering the Boks are already without the suspended Jasper Wiese and the injured Elrigh Louw, who cemented his place in the squad last year, the stocks are thinning rapidly. Cameron Hanekom, who made his Test debut against Wales in the final outing of 2024, was earmarked to kick on this season, but he is also sidelined with a long-term injury. Coach Rassie Erasmus, who said the team for the return clash against the Wallabies was decided on Sunday night, has obviously made a plan for this weekend, but he is one loose forward injury away from a back row crisis. Kwagga Smith could start at No 8, where his breakdown work and link play will give the Boks some grunt. Midway through the first half at Ellis Park last week, the Boks started struggling at the breakdown, which turned the momentum of the clash. Replacing Du Toit could fall to Ruan Nortjé, who has been used in the blindside flank role by the Bulls this season. He is a lock but has the mobility to operate on the side of the scrum. It will also help shore up a misfiring lineout. Another option is to bring in Jean-Luc du Preez or Franco Mostert at No 7. There are all feasible possibilities, but with the Boks likely to revert to a 6-2 split on the bench, all four of those players are likely to be included in some way, alongside Marco van Staden. One left-field option could be to start André Esterhuizen, the 'hybrid' player, at blindside flank. That would be a bold move after such a chastening defeat, but Erasmus has never been shy to do the unexpected. More injuries To add to Erasmus' problems, which are significant after a stuttering season that included mediocre performances against Italy and Georgia, there are even more injury problems. Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse (knee) and Edwill van der Merwe (ankle) are both out. Makazole Mapimpi has been called up, and Arendse has been released, suggesting he won't make the New Zealand tour either. 'They gave us shots there [at the breakdown],' said Erasmus, referring to the Ellis Park debacle. 'Siya hurt his knee about five minutes from halftime, and shortly after that, Marco [van Staden's] mouthguard pinged, which meant he needed to be assessed. [He was cleared.] 'Then Kwagga had to come on, then Pieter-Steph had to go off concussed. The Wallabies were really good at the breakdown — and legally so. They really had our number there.' The Boks were shut out in the second half at Ellis Park, while conceding 38 unanswered points – 33 of them in the second half. For all their superb attacking play in the opening quarter, the Boks fell away alarmingly, as their confidence drained while that of the Wallabies soared. The problems were probably more mental than physical. The Boks showed they could score and dominate, but when Australia metaphorically punched them in the face, the world champions wilted. 'The thing is, if you play beautiful rugby and you lose, you lose. If you play boring rugby and you win, you win, and people are happy,' said Eramus, alluding to the fact that his team lost all defensive composure. 'We were totally on the wrong side of that balance on Saturday. And that's not because of Tony [Brown, the Boks' attack coach]. 'I think it's a trap that we also fell into against Italy in the first match when we were 25 points up [the Boks led 28-3 at halftime]. 'You tend to think things are now easy and there's so much space, and then a proud team like Australia take the opportunity.' The Boks had a 'clear the air meeting' on Sunday and have decided to draw a line under the outcome at Ellis Park, if not the performance. 'Everybody wants to find the solution,' said Erasmus. 'Was the last message in the changing room not good enough? Is it when we were 22-0 up and trying to put them away, yet forgetting how desperate Australia are to be a force at a home World Cup going in two years' time? 'There are so many things that we can find wrong when we spoke about it, but then at the end of the day we must go and look at this move, at that scrum, at that lineout. 'We always want to try to keep the balance between the traditional way we play and some new things we're aiming to get right. I don't think the meeting was bad or tense, because we're all adults. 'Sometimes we get upset with each other, but I think everybody's in agreement [about] what we have to do to rectify it on Saturday.' DM
