Four lessons from Round Two of the Rugby Championship

Here, we look at four takeaways from the weekend's action.

Rugby Championship title race is wide open

With the All Blacks being stunned by the Los Pumas in Buenos Aires and the Springboks exacting revenge against the Wallabies, all teams now have one victory and one loss to their name.

Traditionally the weaker team in the competition, Argentina have shown over the past 18 months that they can beat anyone on their day. The Los Pumas' attritional win over the mighty All Blacks - their first ever on home soil - has truly thrown the 2025 Rugby Championship wide open. 

Added to that, the once floundering Wallabies are struggling no longer. Ranked as low as tenth in the world last year, the gold jerseys have pulled themselves out of the mire with wins over the British and Irish Lions and the breaking of a 63-year Ellis Park curse against the World Champion Boks. Joe Schmidt's men host Argentina next. 

The Springboks now travel to the Land of the Long White Cloud for back-to-back Tests against their greatest rivals. The 6 September fixture is of epic proportions as the Boks will be eager to put an end to the All Blacks' incredible 50-Test unbeaten run at Eden Park. 

Death, taxes and Handre Pollard kicking goals

The Iceman that is Handre Pollard made a return to the Bok starting lineup in Cape Town after what was a game management issue in the historic loss to the Wallabies. As if there was any doubt, the double World Cup winner steadied the ship, kicked 15 points and earned the Man of the Match accolade. 

The vintage performance reminded fans why he is one of the best to ever do it. Pollard became just the second Springbok to move past the 800-point mark after Percy Montgomery.

With a third World Cup loading for the mercurial sharpshooter, Pollard is on track to be South Africa's highest points scorer.

Beastly Pablo Matera

The Los Pumas need a talisman to rally the troops and there are few that can like the no-nonsense Matera. The flanker was in a league of his own on Saturday. Take a look at these numbers: 18 carries, 61 post-contact metres, two turnovers, and four hugely dominant tackles rounded off one of the best performances in his 114 Test career. He also created a crucial try for Gonzalo Garcia off the back of the scrum.

It's an effort such as this that gets the Los Pumas blood up, and when that happens, they are a sight to behold. An inspired Argentina went on to make 388 post-contact metres, reportedly one of the highest ever recorded in Test match rugby and a testament to their powerful running.

Poor discipline costs All Blacks

A team as streetwise as the three-time World Champions should know better. As good as Argentina were on the night, the All Blacks' three yellow cards were costly. 

First, fullback Will Jordan blocked a chaser, then just two minutes later, forward Tupou Vaa'i was given his marching orders after a deliberate knockdown. Now down to 13 men, the depleted visitors conceded a converted try and gave the hosts the ascendancy heading into the break.

With the game in the balance at 26-20 with ten minutes to play, All Blacks winger Sevu Reece's yellow card was the final nail in the coffin. Santiago Carreras slotted the penalty that sealed their fate.