If bookies are to be believed, this weekend will bring the Springboks and their supporters happiness, but eventually heartache as well.
The Springboks are the overwhelming 1/14 favourites to defeat Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, according to the top South African bookmakers Hollywoodbets.
The Pumas are available at 13/2, while the 80-minute draw is available at 33/1.
The Springboks are 17.5-point favourites in the handicap.
Jacques Nienaber’s team will likely finish agonisingly short of the All Blacks in the final rankings, even though the Springboks are expected to win and earn a full-house of five log points.
New Zealand is the 1/10 favourite to win the day’s first Rugby Championship match at Eden Park in Auckland (09:05 SA time), while Australia is available at 11/2.
You can bet 33/1 on the draw.
The All Blacks are 15.5-point underdogs, indicating that they will also win by bonus points.
With a better points difference than the Springboks of +13 going into the final round of matches, New Zealand is now leading the rankings.
The Springboks have only ever won one Rugby Championship.
Even if the All Blacks and Springboks win by the previously expected margins, it won’t be enough for the later team to claim the championship.
The fact that the Springboks will, of course, know precisely what they must do to win come kickoff at 17:05 will work in their favour.
The Rugby Championship, formerly known as the Tri-Nations, has not existed for ten years due to Argentina’s entry into the competition.
The All Blacks have won the trophy seven times in the nine tournaments to far, while the Wallabies (2015) and Springboks (2019) have each experienced victory once.
It’s interesting to note that the All Blacks have only lost the Rugby Championship in years when the Rugby World Cup featured just one round of games.