The 2022 Rugby Championship was the tenth edition of the annual southern hemisphere competition, involving Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tournament returned to being staged across all competing nations after the disruption from COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
The competition is operated by SANZAAR, a joint venture of the four countries' national unions, and known for sponsorship reasons as The Castle Rugby Championship in South Africa, The Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship in New Zealand,[1]The eToro Rugby Championship in Australia, and The Zurich Rugby Championship in Argentina.[2]
The tournament was restructured for the first time since Argentina joined the competition, with each team playing their games both home and away. Each country hosted three games, but not evenly across the competing nations.[3] Argentina hosted Australia twice and South Africa once; Australia hosted South Africa twice and New Zealand once; New Zealand hosted Argentina twice and Australia once; and South Africa hosted New Zealand twice and Argentina once.
Michael Hooper (Australia) had been named to start and captain, but withdrew from the team the day before the game and returned to Australia for personal reasons. Fraser McReight replaced him in the starting XV with James Slipper becoming captain.
Folau Fainga'a (Australia) had been named to start but withdraw a day before the test due to injury. Lachlan Lonergan replaced him in the starting XV, with Billy Pollard joining on the bench.
It was the first international rugby match at the Estadio Libertadores de América. The game was originally scheduled for the Estadio José Amalfitani, Argentina's usual Buenos Aires ground, but a failed pitch inspection forced a move to la Doble Visera, the home of soccer giants Club Atlético Independiente.
^ abMichael Hooper was selected and named captain of the Wallabies in the initial squad for the first test against Argentina in round one,[5] however less than forty-eight hours before kick-off, Hooper withdrew from the squad, citing personal reasons.[6][7]James Slipper was named captain for the remainder of Hooper's sabbatical.[6][8]