Championship heads for its wildest finish

Wallabies are leaders with two games left

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An extraordinary 2025 Rugby Championship is heading for a thrilling climax with just two points separating surprise leaders Australia from last-placed Argentina with two rounds remaining.

New Zealand face Australia in Auckland and defending champions South Africa meet Argentina in Durban today in the penultimate round. The All Blacks and Springboks trail the Wallabies by just one point.

The annual six-round southern hemisphere championship concludes next weekend with the same pairings, this time in Perth and London.

Hosts Argentina opted to play in the English capital for commercial reasons. It is the second time they have staged a Championship match at Twickenham after losing there in 2016 to Australia.

Since Argentina became the fourth participant in 2012 and the competition changed from the Tri Nations Series to the Rugby Championship, New Zealand have been the dominant nation.

The All Blacks won nine of the 12 previous editions, with the Springboks successful twice and the Wallabies once. The Pumas have never finished higher than third.

But while the Championship includes Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - winners of nine of the 10 Rugby World Cup tournaments - it has often failed to excite.