One eye on the prize

While winning the championship remains at the forefront of weekly training, all four coaches also have an eye on the 2019 World Cup and fine-tuning an array of combinations will rank high in their planning.

The All Blacks and Springboks are in the same pool and meet first up in Japan next year. Australia want to go one better than being beaten finalists in 2015, while Argentina need to show they are closing in on at least a top-six ranking.