Paris (AFP)

This would be a strong signal to one month of the World Cup: South Africa, which found colors with Rassie Erasmus, can win its first Rugby Championship since 2009 in case of victory Saturday in Argentina (19:40) in the 3rd and last day.

New Zealand and Australia, who face off earlier (9:45 am) in Perth in what is also the first leg of the Bledisloe Cup, their traditional annual game, are in ambush and can also win the bet. But the Springboks will be assured of a first title in the "Four Nations" - they have won the Tri-Nations three times before the integration of Argentina in 2012 - if they win with bonus in Salta.

In appearance, Argentina, who remains on 7 defeats of rank, is an ideal opponent to pocket the nest egg. But Erasmus is suspicious. "Take their home game against New Zealand (20-16 defeat), Argentina was in a hurry at the end of the match and almost received a penalty on the last balloon carried," said South coach -africain, whose team lost a lot (31-19) last year in Mendoza.

"Their scrum may not be as powerful, but it's a very creative team and Mario Ledesma (the Argentinean coach) is bringing a lot of depth to his squad," added Erasmus about the first France's opponent in Japan on 21 September.

- Hansen persists -

Hanging New Zealanders in Wellington (16-16) South Africans sowed doubt among the All Blacks, they will also find the 21 September in Japan.

That the reigning doubles world champions miss the Rugby Championship will be good news for their superstitious supporters: the only two times of the decade in which this happened, they won the title of the world in the wake (2011, 2015 ). On the other hand, they had failed at the previous World Cups (1999, 2003, 2007) after winning the Tri-Nations.

What questions more New Zealanders is the vagueness that has just introduced the coach Steve Hansen in the hierarchy of its openers. The test against the Boks, with Beauden Barrett, previously undeterred, shifted to the back and Richie Mo'unga, his new competitor, in the shirt N.10 has had mixed success. But Hansen renews the experience against the Wallabies, believing that his two nuggets had learned a lot from each other during the first test and that "the roles were clarified" in training since.

Opposite, Michael Cheika's Australia, in serious decline for several years, seeks solutions, even reminding veterans: after Christian Lealiifano, cured of leukemia, James O'Connor will make a reappearance noticed in the XV departure, in the center. The versatile three-quarter had not been to the selection since 2013 and his eviction of a plane drunk in the aftermath of a victory over Argentina.

It was in Perth, where the brat of Australian rugby can chase his demons for good face the Blacks. "I think James will bring something a little bit different from what we've seen so far, and our opponents will not have seen it either," Cheika said.

The coach, in addition to the two trophies at stake and the World in approach, will surely have in a corner of the head the unspecified nickname, "Mickey Mouse", that Hansen would have attributed to him in February. Between the two rivals, there will be no question of regional supremacy.

Program of the 3rd and last day Saturday

In Perth (Optus stadium):

(09:45 GMT) Australia - New Zealand

In Salta (stage of Father Ernesto-Martearena):

(19:40 GMT) Argentina - South Africa

Editor's note: 4 pts for a match won, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss of less than 8 pts or for having scored three more tries than the opponent.

The Rugby Championship has been reduced to three days this year, because of the Rugby World Cup starting September 20 in Japan.

© 2019 AFP