Richie McCaw and five All Blacks team-mates enjoyed the perfect end to their home test careers as they celebrated the captain’s world-record test appearance with an emphatic second-half performance to retain the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday.

Twice world champions South Africa hope a tactical U-turn and the recalling of "bone collector" Willem Alberts will prevent a second humiliating defeat at the hands of Argentina when the teams meet in a Rugby World Cup warm-up game this weekend.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has downplayed his own personal milestone ahead of the Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia on Saturday and wants his side just to win the game.

Juan Imhoff scored a hat-trick of tries as Argentina upset South Africa 37-25 in Durban on Saturday in the final match of this year's Rugby Championship.

Scrum-half Nic White came off the bench and scored 10 points in the last 11 minutes on Saturday to give Australia a 27-19 victory over New Zealand and their first Rugby Championship title.

Facts and teams for this weekend’s third-round matches in the 2015 Rugby Championship when Australia host New Zealand in Sydney and South Africa host Argentina in Durban.

Despite achieving almost everything possible to achieve in rugby, the Bledisloe Cup still holds a special place in the heart of New Zealand's Richie McCaw and he is not about to give it up lightly in what looks like being his final season.

A Rugby Championship campaign that has gone pear-shaped for South Africa means great significance is being attached to the final-round clash with Argentina in Durban on Saturday.

The All Blacks upped the psychological pressure on the Wallabies on Friday ahead of this weekend’s Rugby Championship decider, warning the tandem attack of Michael Hooper and David Pocock could backfire.

Nehe Milner-Skudder will on Saturday become the ninth new All Black in four games after being included in mass changes in the backs for this weekend’s Rugby Championship decider against Australia.

Back-row forwards Michael Hooper and David Pocock have both been named in Australia’s starting line-up for the Rugby Championship decider against New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday.

Uncapped winger Patrick Osborne has been called into the extended All Blacks squad for this weekend's Rugby Championship decider against Australia in Sydney and the second Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies in Auckland the following week.

Wycliff Palu and Matt Giteau were recalled to the Wallabies’ 31-man squad announced Friday for next week’s Rugby Championship decider against the All Blacks, with uncapped prop Toby Smith also drafted in.

Australia flanker Michael Hooper has been handed just a one-week ban for slapping Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez in the head in last weekend’s Rugby Championship test and will be free to face the All Blacks in back-to-back tests.

Australia flanker David Pocock is relishing the prospect of facing All Blacks captain Richie McCaw again after two seasons wiped out by knee injuries.

Australia fly-half Quade Cooper has apologised for lashing out at media criticism with an expletive-riddled post on his Twitter feed.

Australia coach Michael Cheika has moved to dampen expectations of a long-awaited upset of the All Blacks, saying the world champions are well in front of the chasing pack.

Australia crushed Argentina 34-9 in Mendoza on Saturday, scoring four tries to earn a bonus point and set up a Rugby Championship decider against New Zealand.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw grabbed a late winning try as the All Blacks edged South Africa 27-20 in a gripping Rugby Championship test match in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Australia hope to build on the momentum created by a dramatic triumph over South Africa when they meet Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday in the second round of The Rugby Championship.

Facts and teams for this weekend’s second-round matches in the 2015 Rugby Championship when Argentina host Australia in Mendoza and South Africa host New Zealand in Johannesburg.

Any test match between South Africa and world champions New Zealand is guaranteed to be full of drama, and Saturday's Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park in Johannesburg promises to be no different.

Watch highlights, previews and post-match reaction from all three rounds of the 2015 Rugby Championship, which was held July 17 to August 8 and featured test matches involving Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Australia coach Michael Cheika has made seven changes to his team for this weekend’s test against Argentina, bringing Bernard Foley back at fly-half and giving David Pocock the start at openside flanker

Australia's Wallabies have turned to Argentina's scrum doctor Mario Ledesma to change the perception that they are pushovers in the countdown to September's Rugby World Cup.

Schalk Burger will captain South Africa against New Zealand in a Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg this weekend, coach Heyneke Meyer said on Tuesday.

Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper has pulled out of a big-money move to France to remain in Australian rugby, a report said on Sunday.

Tevita Kuridrani scored a last-gasp try to give Australia a dramatic 24-20 victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener in Brisbane on Saturday.    

All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo suffered a broken leg during his test debut against Argentina on Friday and has been ruled out of contention for this year’s Rugby World Cup.