Round Four of The Rugby Championship served up drama, but not everyone delivered.
Argentina edged Australia 28-26 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, with Santiago Carreras kicking seven penalties and a conversion to rack up 23 points, keeping Los Pumas in control as the Sydney crowd roared.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks hit rock bottom, suffering their heaviest-ever Test defeat as South Africa stormed to a 43-10 win in Wellington. Cheslin Kolbe grabbed a try in each half, with Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, and André Esterhuizen adding the rest in a masterclass of clinical attack.
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But while some shone, others stumbled. Round Four’s list of flops is dominated by an unexpected culprit: New Zealand’s All Blacks.
#1. Tane Edmed (Australia)
The fly-half had a challenging debut Test start, marked by costly errors including a charged-down clearance leading to a try and a miscommunication that gave Argentina advantageous field position. Despite these struggles, he showed glimpses of promise with a precise 50:22 kick and some effective carries, but overall his performance was inconsistent, leading to him being substituted before full time.
Planet Rugby 3/10: “A stunning 50:22 was one of the few highlights for the young pivot in a frankly nightmarish performance. He was punished for taking his sweet time with his free-kick as Julian Montoya charged down the kick and scored. He also had a mix-up with White in receiving a goal-line dropout, giving the Argentines field position. Throw in a few below-par up-and-unders and clearances, and it was really a game to forget for the fly-half.”
FloRugby 5/10: “A tough learning experience on his first Test start. His clearance was charged down for Montoya’s try, and a miscommunication with White caused a costly knock-on. Showed composure with a pinpoint 50-22 and two defenders beaten on carries, but replaced after 55 minutes.”
