Rugby Championship Finds Form Before Hiatus. Image-Alastair Telfer.
(The Post News)- The 2025 Rugby Championship fulfilled its ambition after over ten years of expectation, presenting a contested competition that was open until the very end.
The entire four-nation format, however, is about to go extinct for not more than two years, precisely when it was getting into its groove.
Champions South Africa and New Zealand will resume their customary year-end tours in 2026, excluding Argentina and Australia. Interestingly, or perhaps appropriately, the main rugby championship in the Southern Hemisphere’s pivotal match was played in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Springboks defeated Argentina by a slim margin of 29–27 at Twickenham to secure their second straight championship. The setting was a clear reminder of the commercial demands that continue to push the competition into strange locations and awkward positions on the rugby calendar across the world.
There were also significant off-field obstacles. All coaches lost conflicts with clubs in the Northern Hemisphere regarding player accession and attempted, and frequently failed, to preserve their most talented athletes in training.
For instance, Australian supporters may still wonder if Will Skelton’s presence may have improved the Wallabies’ chances of winning the game and why the powerful lock missed half of it because of club obligations in France. Without him, Australia lost to the All Blacks 28–14 in Perth to end the season after suffering a run of close losses and finishing third.
Australia maintained great support and drew huge audiences at home while finishing with just two victories from six games. The Wallabies had signs of genuine promise under head coach Joe Schmidt, in particular when they defeated South Africa in a crucial match at Ellis Park for the first time since the 1960s.
Argentina showed tenacity and competition throughout, finishing last despite having an equivalent record of two triumphs and four losses. In Durban, they suffered their lone significant defeat at the hands of the Springboks, 67–30. Nevertheless, they recovered well for the tournament final at Twickenham, coming within two points of depriving South Africa of the title, despite that setback.
After a season filled with upheaval and confusion, the Rugby Championship seemed like the exciting match that supporters had been hoping for. However, just as it appeared to pick up steam again, the competition’s entire form will once more fade into the past, with its future as uncertain as the battles it produced this year.
About the Author
