With South Africa already almost certainly assured of a Rugby Championship Title, it’s all change in the Springbok camp as they head over to Argentina to take on Los Pumas.

Sydney hosts the Bledisloe Cup as Australia and New Zealand play for pride, we’re joined once more by the great David Campese to look at the potential outcomes of the weekend.

Australia v New Zealand:

“First up, I simply am astounded that the Wallabies have omitted Ben Donaldson, the man that opened up Los Pumas on three occasions in the first half in Round Four. Word is that Joe Schmidt criticised his kicking options – I’m not sure what he was watching, but to overlook the potential of Ben’s handling and vision is, to me, criminal.

“Nevertheless, whilst this is New Zealand’s to lose, I think that the front five of the Wallabies might just test the All Blacks. There’s a bit of power in the pack, a decent back-row, and Australia always raise their game for the oldest of enemies.

“The Kiwis aren’t quite themselves; they look depowered at lock and they certainly have no idea what their best backline is, so I am hopeful rather than confident!”

Head to Head: “Two captains at eight – Harry Wilson v Ardie Savea is the stand out for me. Both high-quality operators, both possibly not in the best form of their lives. If the Wallabies are to win, Wilson needs a big performance.

Players to Watch: “The front-row battle will be awesome; All Blacks have their first choice out, but Angus Bell is a world class loosehead and Taniela Tupou is incredible in the short time he’s generally on. I’m usually not one for worrying about the fat boys but in this case it’s a real high quality match up.

Campo’s Call: “I’m going with the All Blacks but hoping for the Wallabies! It’ll be closer than some predict, but last quarter could be dangerous. 34-29 to New Zealand.”

Argentina v South Africa

“The old quote about France and which version turns up could now equally apply to Argentina! At their best, they have one of the best back-rows in the world, real ambition and pace in the back line and have shown the ability to put away both New Zealand and Australia this season.

“South Africa are much changed – but when you have a squad of 30 world-class players, that’s no biggie. However, changes that wide-ranging can often be disruptive, although the bench assets South Africa have are quite remarkable.

“Los Pumas have responded to that bench threat by putting as much experience as they can on their bench. Juan Martin Gonzalez, Guido Petti, Santi Carreras and Matias Moroni are all top-quality players and it’s clear that Felipe Contempomi is looking to diffuse the bomb squad as best he can with what he has.

“Nevetheless, I can’t see anything other than a South Africa win, but if Los Pumas get onto the front foot, if they prevent getting bullied up front, then they’ve shown they’ve the firepower to take any team apart.”

Head to head: For me, it’s at 10; Pollard versus the superb Tomas Albornoz, one of the emerging players of the season. Albornoz has beautiful hands, great timing and good field kicking ability, but Pollard isn’t a two-time world champion for nothing and it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Players to Watch: Again I’m going up front. Thomas Gallo is a fourth flanker around the pitch but his scrummaging isn’t the best. Thomas du Toit will be expected to put down a marker in the tight and this battle will go a long way to deciding the match as both front-rows go hammer and tongues against each other.

Campo’s Call: “You have to say South Africa by eight or so – 27-18 or thereabouts, but there’s something about this Los Pumas team that makes me think if they get it right they might just pull off the shock of the tournament.”

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Matt Williams: Talk of fading All Blacks is disrespectful and ridiculous

In advance of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash, claims that New Zealand are a spent rugby force could not have come at a worse time for Australia

There is a ridiculous conspiracy theory doing the rounds that the once-great national rugby team of New Zealand, those black clad warriors that have terrorised their opponents for over a century, are finished. Washed-up. Kaput.

A cabal of rugby’s Illuminati-believing scribes are saying that four consecutive defeats at the hands of the Springboks is living proof that the Kiwis are in as much mortal danger as some would have you believe a stray puppy is in Springfield, Ohio.

The Kiwi rugby media live in a binary system. Either their national team dominates the globe or they are a complete shambles.

The learnings we can take from this false theory that New Zealand are no longer a rugby world superpower is that opinions are like backsides.

Everybody has one.

The truth is that New Zealand rugby is not in a state of devastation. It is just that the Springboks are the best team in the world and New Zealand are now number two.

With Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup test being played in the sunshine of a Spring afternoon at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, the conspiracy theory that New Zealand are wounded, weak and deeply vulnerable could not have come at a worse time for Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies.

The last thing the Australians need is for the Kiwis to get worked up that somehow they have to prove they are not has-beens.

In a situation drowning in irony at the Wallabies prematch press conference, days after suffering their greatest defeat at the hands of the Pumas, the confused Australians were peppered with questions about the weakness of this Kiwi team.

Tom Wright, the Australian fullback, had the misfortune to pull the short straw and be the Wallaby player at the press conference.

A journalist asked Wright about how Australia must be seeing the obvious weaknesses in the Kiwis.

Wright’s facial expression resembled that of Kamala Harris as she listened to “The Donald” explaining his relationship with the leader of the Taliban.

Like the American vice-president, Tom’s face expressed the question, “What planet are you living on?”

“Ahh … well …” stumbled Wright, “They are the second best team in the world.” And of course, Tom is correct. The World Cup is the only true measure of the global rugby market. All other metrics are meaningless.

The Springboks are back-to-back world champions because their team is packed with a collection of superior athletes, with almost zero weaknesses, led by a brilliant coach who has created a culture that has maximised their collective talent.

That said, their World Cup final victory was by a single point, against a 14-man New Zealand team. Hardly an obliteration. Then, in the first test in Johannesburg, the margin was the awarding of a highly-controversial Springbok try. New Zealand are behind the Boks – but not by much.

What the Kiwi doomsayers are not admitting is that all four games were sensational contests. Dramatically close, full of skill, passion and entertainment.

If we twist the New Zealand rugby media’s logic on its head and consider that in their last five meetings Ireland have defeated South Africa four times, only a fool would suggest that the Springboks are in deep trouble.

Here is the truth. The margins between the top five teams across the globe are paper-thin. Which is great for our game.

The other lie surrounding the non-demise of New Zealand rugby is that at the Super Rugby level, the Kiwis are only playing against the weakness of Australian rugby, while the South Africans are benefiting from the joys of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Firstly many of the current Springbok squad play in Japan, England and France, so they do not play in the URC.

However, unlike the Kiwis and the Australians, South Africa selects their team from all competitions.

Australia and New Zealand only select players from their Super Rugby franchises.

All four Australian Super Rugby teams defeated a New Zealand team in this year’s Super competition. So, to suggest the Kiwis are not getting competition from the Australian teams is false.

Those telling us about the dominance of the South African provincial teams should be reminded that both Munster and Glasgow have defeated South African teams in South Africa in successive years to win the URC.

The simplified explanation that New Zealand is in decline does not take into account that this group of Springboks have a deep relationship with their coach, stretching back nine seasons.

Just as the fabulous New Zealand World Cup-winning teams of the past had a powerful relationship with their long-term coaches Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, so do the Boks believe in the leadership of Rassie Erasmus, who has been at the helm of the Springboks since February 2018, winning two World Cups and a Lions series.

New Zealand’s Scot Robinson, Australia’s Schmidt and the Pumas’ Felipe Contepomi have each been the head coach of their national team for only six matches.

This Saturday at the Sydney Olympic Stadium black will meet gold, as it has done since 1903.

The men in gold scrapping and fighting to stay in touch with their stronger opponents. The black team will emerge from the ritual of their haka, brimming with aggression and confidence. Believing, as they have always done, that New Zealand is superior.

Across this long and at times deeply bitter rivalry, Australians have never taken the knee before the altar of the black jersey. Yet more than any other team in the world the Wallabies understand that if you disrespect the New Zealanders, then you will pay a high price for that folly.

While this struggling Wallaby team acknowledges that the Springboks are worthy world champions, they understand that New Zealand were only a single point away from lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy.

That is a fact that the Wallabies respect. So too should the rest of the rugby world.