The 2015 Rugby Championship was the fourth edition of the expanded annual southern hemisphere Rugby Championship consisting ofArgentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The 2015 Championship was a shorter competition than normal, with each team playing each other once, rather than twice. This was so that teams had a longer preparation time ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup which started on 18 September. However, New Zealand hosted an additional match against Australia in Auckland on 15 August which acted as the second Bledisloe Cup test and as a World Cup warm-up. Argentina hosted a second match against South Africa on the same date. The tournament was known for sponsorship reasons as The Castle Rugby Championship in South Africa, The Investec Rugby Championship in New Zealand, The Castrol Edge Rugby Championship in Australia and The Personal Rugby Championship in Argentina. Australia won the Championship, becoming just the second team to win the tournament since 2012. However, including the previous format of the Championship, Australia claimed the title for the first time since 2011, and achieved a 100% win rate for the first time ever in either format. South Africa finished bottom of the table. This was also the first ever year that South Africa failed to record a single win in either the Rugby Championship or Tri Nations Series.
Jesse Kriel made his international debut for South Africa.
Matt Giteau, being named in the starting XV, became the first overseas based player to play for the Wallabies, by virtue of their new selection policy. Drew Mitchell also based overseas, played off the bench.
Richie McCaw equaled Brian O'Driscoll's 141-cap record, as the most capped rugby player ever.
Australia beat New Zealand for the first time since their 25–20 win in 2011, while earning their first win at ANZ Stadium since 2011.
New Zealand lose their first ever match in the Rugby Championship without claiming a losing bonus point; their last was during the 2011 Tri Nations Series.
---- Notes:
This was Argentina's first ever win over South Africa.
Argentina claim their first ever bonus point victory, and their first away victory, since joining the Rugby Championship in 2012.
With this loss, South Africa lost consecutive home Test matches for the first time since 2010/11; and lost four consecutive Test matches for the first time since 2010.
Juan Imhoff scored Argentina's first hat-trick of tries in the Rugby Championship; and the first hat-trick by any player in the tournament since Israel Folau scored three for Australia against Argentina in 2013.
Squads
Summary
Note: Ages, caps and domestic side are of 17 July 2015 – the starting date of the tournament.
Argentina
Argentina's 36-man squad for the Championship, was announced on 26 June 2015. On 29 March, Juan Pablo Orlandi was called up to the squad to replace the injured Ramiro Herrera.
Australia
On 2 July 2015, Michael Cheika named an extended 40-man squad for the 2015 Rugby Championship. The squad included newly eligible players Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchel, both based at Toulon, France, and uncapped Fijian duo Samu Kerevi and Taqele Naiyaravoro who are eligible through residency. On 5 July, Henry Speight withdrew from the squad due to compassionate leave, and he was replaced with Nick Cummins.
New Zealand
On 21 June 2015, New Zealand named a 41-man squad for the July 8 clash with Samoa, won by the All Blacks 25–16, the 2015 Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe Cup test on 15 August. Nepo Laulala and Andrew Ellis are included in the squad as injury cover for Charlie Faumuina and Tawera Kerr-Barlow. On 2 August, Patrick Osborne |Patrick Osborne was added to the squad ahead the back to back clashes against Australia.
