2025 Rugby Championship
The 2025 Rugby Championship was the fourteenth edition of the annual Southern Hemisphere rugby union competition, organised by SANZAAR, featuring the men's national teams of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
South Africa entered the competition as the defending champions, and kicked off the tournament against Australia on 16 August. The three traditional unions, also known as the Tri-Nations, announced their 2025 home fixtures in November and December 2024. A notable fixture is set to be played between Argentina and South Africa in the [|final round] at Twickenham Stadium in London, exactly one week after the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final. It is the second time a Rugby Championship match has been played at Twickenham Stadium, after Argentina played Australia during the 2016 Rugby Championship. It was also the last Rugby Championship before the beginning of the Nations Championship, and its last before its 2026 hiatus.
South Africa won the competition in the final round of the tournament, defeating Argentina 29–27 in London on 4 October, securing their sixth Rugby Championship title.
Fixtures
Round 1
Notes:- Australia won their first test on South African home soil for the first time since their 14–9 victory in the 2011 Tri Nations, and win at Ellis Park for the first time since 1963.
- This was South Africa's first loss at home in The Rugby Championship since losing to New Zealand in 2022.
Notes:
- Argentina's score was the most points they have scored at home against New Zealand, and surpassed their previous high of 21 set in 1985.
- With this win, and the loss for South Africa, New Zealand moved to 1st place on the World Rugby Rankings for the first time since November 2021.
Round 2
Notes:- Corey Toole made his international debut.
- South Africa retained the Mandela Challenge Plate.
Notes:
- Simon Parker made his international debut.
- Codie Taylor earnt his 100th test cap, and became the fourteenth male New Zealand player to do so.
- This was Argentina's first home win over New Zealand, completing the treble of beating New Zealand on neutral ground and in New Zealand. This was New Zealand's first loss to Argentina outside of New Zealand, since their 15–25 loss at Sydney's Western Sydney Stadium in 2020.
- Argentina's score was the most points they have scored at home against New Zealand, and surpassed their previous high of 24 set just a week earlier in the first round of the 2025 Rugby Championship.
Round 3
Notes:- Gerónimo Prisciantelli made his international debut.
Notes:
- Kyle Preston made his international debut.
- Ardie Savea became the 15th New Zealand men's player to earn 100 test caps.
Round 4
Notes:- Argentina retained the Puma Trophy.
Notes:
- Leroy Carter made his international debut.
- This was New Zealand's heaviest defeat, surpassing South Africa's 28-point victory set during the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches.
- The 43 points scored by the Springboks were the most scored by an away team in New Zealand, surpassing the 38 points scored by Argentina in 2024.
- South Africa retained the Freedom Cup for the first time in its 21-year history and won it for only the fourth time in history.
Round 5
Notes:- Ryan Lonergan made his international debut.
- James Slipper earned his 150th test cap, and became the third male and first Australian rugby player to achieve the milestone.
- Tate McDermott earned his 50th test cap.
- New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup and equalled their longest win streak against Australia.
Notes:
- The combined scored of 97 was the highest between the two teams, and set a new The Rugby Championship record. The total surpassed the two teams' previous high of 86 that was achieved in 2013, and broke the previous Rugby Championship record of 94 achieved in 2024 between Argentina and Australia.
- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's 37 points was a South African test record for points scored in a match by a player, surpassing Percy Montgomery's 35 points scored against Namibia in 2007.
Round 6
Notes:- New Zealand set a new record of 11 consecutive wins over Australia, surpassing 10 consecutive wins set between 2008 and 2010.
- Will Jordan earned his 50th test cap.
Notes:
- With this win for South Africa, they retained the Rugby Championship title, the first time they have achieved this in either formats of The Rugby Championship or Tri Nations.
- Tomas Rapetti made his international debut.
Participants
Squads
Note: Ages, caps and clubs/franchises are of 16 August 2025, the starting date of the tournament.Argentina
On 4 August, Argentina named a 34-player squad for the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship.On 18 August, Emiliano Boffelli, Benjamín Grondona and Leonel Oviedo were called up to the squad ahead of the second round.
On 25 August, Argentina named a 32-player touring squad for their round 3 and 4 matches against Australia, which saw the call-ups of Ignacio Calles, Tomas Rapetti and Nicolas Roger.
Australia
On 7 August, Australia named a 35-player squad for the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship.On 28 August, Australia named a 36-player squad for their round 3 and 4 matches against Argentina, which saw the call-ups of Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Filipo Daugunu, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Pete Samu and Hamish Stewart.
New Zealand
On 4 August, New Zealand named a 36-player squad for the Rugby Championship.George Bower, Tevita Mafileo, Josh Lord, Finlay Christie, Kyle Preston, and Leroy Carter were named as injury cover for the start of the Championship.
South Africa
On 23 July, South Africa named a 37-player squad for the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship.On 19 August, Thomas du Toit was re-called to the squad ahead of the second round.
On 25 August, South Africa named a 36-player touring squad for their round 3 and 4 matches against New Zealand, which included the re-call of Jasper Wiese and Makazole Mapimpi.