Four things learned from the Rugby Championship this weekend

The opening weekend of the Rugby Championship had one thing in common – terrible weather. It would have an impact on both games in Sydney and Pretoria, but from these matches here are the four things we have learnt.

1) Australia will rue their missed opportunities
Though the Wallabies managed to break New Zealand’s winning record of 17 games unbeaten, Ewen McKenzie will know his team should have won. Despite suffering a shaky start, the Wallabies managed to battle manfully in less than stellar conditions.

However, Australia had several opportunities to snatch a famous win over the All Blacks. Whenever Australia entered the opposition 22 they failed to show composure, whether it was knocking the ball on or stout defence by the All Blacks. It also didn’t help the Wallabies getting pinged on crooked feeds at the scrum.

Moreover, the decision-making was questionable at times, as on two occasions captain Michael Hooper decided to kick for touch so to go for the try rather than target the goal in positions that were entirely kickable.

But what will really gall the Wallabies is their failure to capitalise on the All Blacks having two players sent to the sin bin. They would only pick up six points overall. On average a team should pick up seven points when a player is binned.

To even have a chance of beating the All Blacks you must take your opportunities. New Zealand would have a high penalty count (14 to Australia’s nine), yet would kick just four penalties at goal. If the Wallabies have any ambition of beating the All Blacks they need to up their game next week in Eden Park and take their chances.

2) New Zealand saved by their solid defence
The All Blacks were not at their fluid best in attack, despite dominating possession and territory for most of the first half. But it would be in defence where New Zealand showed why they are the best team in the world.

Their backs were firmly up against the wall as a result of Wyatt Crockett and Beauden Barrett’s yellow cards. However, their defence was simply awesome, as the black wall held under the Wallabies onslaught. New Zealand would make 146 tackles to Australia’s 80 and conceded no tries whatsoever when down to 14 men twice.

Though Steve Hansen would have been disappointed not to win the game, so to set a marker in the Rugby Championship, he would be pleased at his side’s steadfastness in defence. It took a Herculean effort by the All Blacks to deny the Wallabies any tries and restrict them to penalties.

A world-class team’s foundations start in their defence and the All Blacks showed this. Though New Zealand weren’t able to assert their dominance or show their clinical attacking side they showed that they are a tough nut to crack, even when the chips is stacked heavily against them.

Steve Hansen’s men will certainly look to regroup for the return game at Eden Park next Saturday and hope conditions are far better than they were in Sydney.

3) South Africa battle hard in rain drenched Pretoria
If conditions were bad in Sydney than at Loftus Versfeld it was worse. Torrential rain and hail served to batter the fans that came to watch the Springboks play the Pumas.

The best moments from South Africa came within the first 90 seconds. Scrum half Ruan Pienaar broke from the advancing Springboks’ rolling maul on the right near the touchline, where he would exchange passes with Cornell Hendricks before bursting towards the corner and score.

But as a result of the terrible weather the Springboks spluttered as they got embroiled in an ugly war of attrition with the Argentines. Moreover, they weren’t endearing themselves to the fans, as on several occasions when retrieving possession they decided to kick instead of running it out of their 22. Though the conditions played a factor in employing this tactic, so to force mistakes onto the Pumas, the rain-soaked fans wanted to see Willie Le Roux run at the opposition.

However, at times the Springboks were needless with possession, notably when young debutant fly half Handre Pollard conceded scrums from the restart with his wayward kicks. Morne Steyn would replace him in the second half. Pollard soon learnt that Junior World Championship rugby is different to Test level but his time will come in better conditions.

Head coach Heyneke Meyer will be worried at how the Pumas showed their fearsome reputation at the scrum. Meyer will know his team will need to play much better next week as they make the gruelling journey to deepest northern Argentina in Salta. If not then a shock could be on the cards.

4) Argentina has improved markedly under Hourcade
When Ruan Pienaar scored the game’s opening try after 90 seconds it would be easy to think Argentina would repeat their traumatic defeat against South Africa a year ago in Soccer City when they lost by 50 points. But the Pumas that took to the field in Pretoria are different to the one from 12 months ago.

Under Daniel Hourcade the Pumas utilised their strengths in defence and in the scrum as they fought back after the early blow.

Though the Pumas engaged in a kicking game, like the Springboks, they were able to the break the line on two occasions when fly half Nicolas Sanchez wriggled past Springboks tackles. If it weren’t for unfortunate handling errors or a slip in the case of Manuel Montero, the Springboks would have been in trouble.

In the last 10 minutes Argentina encamped themselves on the South African 22 and forced the Springboks to make more tackles – 88 to 52. If not for handling errors then Argentina could have nicked a draw, which would represent the amount of possession and territory the Pumas enjoyed. However, a losing bonus point will please the Pumas, with Hourcade confident Argentina can get something in Salta next week.

If conditions are better than in Pretoria then the Pumas can implement their attacking philosophy ingrained under Hourcade. Moreover, if things click they could score well worked tries, just like in the June Tests. But they must take their chances when given or they could end up with no victories, just like in the last two editions of the Rugby Championship.