TEST RUGBY THIS WEEKEND: 8-9 September

08.09.2012
South Africa v Australia in Perth (Rugby Championship)
Argentina v New Zealand in Wellington (Rugby Championship)
Norway v Denmark in London (Viking Cup Preliminary)

09.09.2012
Paraguay v Colombia in Valencia (WCQ Americas; CONSUR B)
Venezuela v Peru in Valencia (WCQ Americas; CONSUR B)

Briefly
The Rugby Championship enters Round three this weekend. New Zealand hosts Argentina whilst Australia hosts South Africa.

Argentina showed against South Africa that they are a handful playing at home. But how will they handle playing against New Zealand in New Zealand. It will surely be a stern test of their away match stamina and presence of mind. To do well in this competition they will need to play as well away as they do at home.

Australia will be desperate for a home win against the Springbox. They are stuck at the bottom of the Rugby Championship points table and frankly at the moment that looks about right. Can they lift against South Africa as they did in the 2011 Rugby World Cup?

And for something completely different two European rugby nations will play on neutral territory. Denmark and Norway square off in the Viking Cup Preliminary match at Roslyn Park RFU club grounds in London.This sounds like a good initiative. The winner will face Sweden in Sweden at the end of September.

Sunday heralds in the first round of the CONSUR B competition being played in Valencia in Venezuela. This is part of the Rugby World Cup Americas qualification process. The winner of this tournament will play the NACRA winner (Bermuda) and that winner plays Brazil, both games probably in October.

There is plenty to look forwards to this weekend in the world of test rugby.