Round 3 and 4 of TRC 2024 will see Australia play two tests in Argentina, whilst South Africa will host New Zealand for two Tests.
New Zealand
Calf injuries will prevent lock Patrick Tuipulotu and outside back Stephen Perofeta from travelling with the All Blacks Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship squad to South Africa. Both players missed the All Blacks two Tests against Argentina due to their injuries and will remain in New Zealand to continue their rehabilitation.
Lock Josh Lord and utility back Harry Plummer who joined the squad as injury cover for the two Argentina Tests, will remain with the squad for two Tests against South Africa in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Hookers: Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes / Wellington), Codie Taylor (Crusaders / Canterbury), George Bell (Crusaders / Canterbury)
Props: Ethan De Groot (Highlanders / Southland), Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes / Tasman), Fletcher Newell (Crusaders / Canterbury), Pasilio Tosi (Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Blues / Northland), Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders / Canterbury)
Locks: Scott Barrett (Crusaders / Taranaki) (Captain), Sam Darry (Blues / Canterbury), Josh Lord (Chiefs / Taranaki), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs / Taranaki)
Loose Forwards: Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders / Tasman), Sam Cane (Chiefs / Bay of Plenty), Samipeni Finau (Chiefs / Waikato) , Luke Jacobson (Chiefs / Waikato), Dalton Papali’i (Blues / Counties Manukau), Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika / Wellington) (Vice Captain), Wallace Sititi (Chiefs / North Harbour)
Halfbacks: Noah Hotham (Crusaders / Tasman), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes / Wellington), Cortez Ratima (Chiefs / Waikato)
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett (Blues / Taranaki), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs / Waikato)
Mid-fielders: Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes / Taranaki) (Vice Captain), David Havili (Crusaders / Tasman), Rieko Ioane (Blues / Auckland), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs / Waikato), Billy Proctor (Hurricanes / Wellington)
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke (Blues / Auckland), Will Jordan (Crusaders / Tasman), Ruben Love (Hurricanes / Wellington), Harry Plummer (Blues/Auckland), Sevu Reece (Crusaders / Southland), Mark Tele’a (Blues / North Harbour)
UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY: Patrick Tuipulotu (calf), Stephen Perofeta (calf)
South Africa
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has included three Rugby World Cup winners in the national squad for the first time this year as he welcomes back Steven Kitshoff (prop), Jaden Hendrikse (scrumhalf) and Canan Moodie (utility back) from injury for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand.
Erasmus has also recalled Jasper Wiese (No 8), Andre Esterhuizen (centre) – both RWC winners in 2023 – and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (lock) when the 37-man squad assemble in Johannesburg on Thursday. The Bok coach has opted to increase the squad from 33 players to 37 for the two sold out Tests against their archrivals, at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg (31 August) and the DHL Stadium in Cape Town a week later (7 September).
With locks Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn still on the injured list, Janse van Rensburg, who played his first and only Test match against Argentina in Port Elizabeth in 2021, earned his first call-up back to the national squad. Erasmus’ squad features 31 of the 33 players who travelled to Australia for their two opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests against the Wallabies in Brisbane and Perth, where they collected a full house of points for the first time in history on tour. Those results also marked the first time since 1998 that the Boks registered back-to-back victories on a tour to Australasia.
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), RG Snyman (Leinster), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier).
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (captain, Racing 92), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Flyhalves: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls).
Argentina
Argentina have called up experienced lock Guido Petti for the first time since last year's World Cup as coach Felipe Contepomi named a 34-man squad for their home Rugby Championship matches against Australia. Also returning to the squad is loose forward Santiago Grondona, who was injured in Argentina's final warm-up game ahead of the World Cup in France. Petti's return means 20-year-old Efrain Elias, who won his first cap in the surprise 38-20 win over New Zealand in Wellington two weeks ago, drops out of the squad.
Among the backs, Rodrigo Isgro returns after competing for Argentina's sevens at the Olympic Games in Paris, while Ignacio Mendy and Justo Piccardo are recalled after being in the squad in July for Tests against France and Uruguay. Mendy scored three tries against Uruguay in a 79-5 win in Montevideo.
Lock Luciano Asevedo moves up from Argentina's U20 team and is included in the squad as a development player. Matias Moroni tore a muscle in his left hip region against the All Blacks in Auckland last Saturday and misses out while back-up fullback Martin Bogado has been dropped.
Backs: Tomas Albornoz, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Bautista Delguy, Gonzalo Garcia, Rodrigo Isgro, Juan Cruz Mallia, Ignacio Mendy, Matias Orlando, Justo Piccardo
Forwards: Luciano Asevedo, Eduardo Bello, Agustin Creevy, Thomas Gallo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer, Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Bautista Pedemonte, Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo, Ignacio Ruiz, Joel Sclavi, Lucio Sordoni, Mayco Vivas.
Australia
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has recalled hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa [pictured above] for their two-Test tour to Argentina. Paenga-Amosa returned to Australia last month after signing a deal with the Western Force for the 2025 season and beyond. The hooker last pulled on the gold jersey in 2021 before moving to French club Montpellier.
Schmidt has also called Force teammate and prop Tom Robertson into the squad after the 31-Test cap front-rower linked up with the side as an extra squad member. Reds second-rower Josh Canham also remains with the squad following his call-up last week whilst there are recalls for Langi Gleeson and David Feliuai.
Gleeson has overcome an ankle injury whilst Feliuai comes in following a knee injury to Hunter Paisami that will keep him out of the pair of Tests commencing September 1. Taniela Tupou returns after missing the matches against South Africa due to family bereavement.
Forwards (19): Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors), Angus Bell (#940, Hunters Hill Rugby Club), Angus Blyth (#974, Casuarina Beach Rugby Club), Josh Canham (uncapped, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club), Matt Faessler (#969, USQ Saints), Nick Frost (#953, Hornsby Lions), Langi Gleeson (#960, Harbord Harlequins), Tom Hooper (#964, Bathurst Bulldogs), Isaac Kailea (#975, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club), Josh Nasser (#979, Easts Rugby (Brisbane)), Brandon Paenga-Amosa (#918, Southern Districts), Tom Robertson (#898, Dubbo Kangaroos), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (#914, Randwick), James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates), Carlo Tizzano (#982, University of Western Australia), Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby), Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club), Jeremy Williams (#973, Wahroonga Tigers), Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils)
Backs (16): Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles), David Feliuai (uncapped, Sunnybank Dragons), Josh Flook (#972, Brothers Rugby), Jake Gordon (#925, Canterbury Juniors), Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings), Max Jorgensen (#984, Balmain Wolves), Andrew Kellaway (#943, Hunters Hill Rugby Club), Marika Koroibete (#913, Nasinu Secondary School, Fiji), Noah Lolesio (#934, Tuggeranong Vikings), Tom Lynagh (#977, University of Queensland), Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club), Dylan Pietsch (#978, Leeton Phantoms), Hamish Stewart (uncapped, Toowoomba Bears), Corey Toole (uncapped, Wagga Waratahs), Nic White (#875, Maitland Blacks), Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles)
Unavailable for selection: Kurtley Beale, Charlie Cale, Filipo Daugunu, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Bayley Kuenzle, Rob Leota, Lachlan Lonergan, Fraser McReight, Hunter Paisami, David Porecki, Blake Schoupp, Liam Wright
