Boks unleash heavy artillery

SPRINGBOK defence coach Jerry Flannery believes this year's Rugby Championship will be wide open and the most competitive for years.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

Flannery, who played 45 times at hooker for Ireland in the Six Nations, reckons the Rugby Championship is "a phenomenal competition."

"If you look back at last year, Argentina were the dark horses. They came out of nowhere and shocked New Zealand, and beat us as well," Flannery said in backing up Rassie Erasmus's contention that the Boks will have to be at their best if they are to defend their title.

Since 1996, the Boks have never won consecutive Championship titles.

"There are no weak teams in the Championship. That is it!" the 46-year-old said. "Looking at last year objectively, Joe Schmidt had only just taken over the Wallabies after the World Cup, where they had looked rudderless.

"So the Wallabies started slowly, and we benefited from that because we played them early in the tournament (and beat them twice in Australia).