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Rugby Championship and Tri-Nations classic encounters

rugby champ classics

Ahead of the start of this year's Rugby Championship, we take a look at some classic encounters from the competition as well as its predecessor, the Tri-Nations.

There's classic games involving all four sides within our five featured games, which include some of the best rugby matches ever played.

So ahead of the Rugby Championship kicking off on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, get yourself in the mood with a look back at these crackers...

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Australia 35-39 New Zealand - Tri-Nations - July 2000

This was a titanic tussle between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, watched by 109,874 fans, in a match which has been described as the greatest game of rugby ever.

It's a bold statemen,t but the sensational encounter had everything as the All Blacks snatched victory in a thrilling finale.

Tries from Tanu Umaga, Pita Alatini and Christian Cullen fired the visitors into a commanding 24-0 lead after just nine frantic first-half minutes.

Jonah Lomu attacks for New Zealand
Image: Jonah Lomu scored the decisive try in New Zealand's thrilling win over Australia in 2000

But the Wallabies launched a mesmerising comeback to level the game at 24-24 with Stirling Mortlock scoring twice before Chris Latham and Joe Roff crossed the line.

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Justin Marshall's score restored New Zealand's lead but Jeremy Paul's try edged Australia into a 35-34 lead with only minutes remaining.

Step forward the great Jonah Lomu as the winger picked up Taine Randall's pass and surged past Stephen Larkham to score the winning try in injury time.

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The 2000 Bledisloe Cup clash between then reigning world champions Australia and New Zealand in Sydney is regarded by some as the best rugby match ever

South Africa 30-32 New Zealand - Rugby Championship - October 2018

From a classic almost 20 years ago, to one just last year, as an Ardie Savea try in the 79th minute gave New Zealand a dramatic 32-30 win over South Africa in Pretoria.

With the Boks having defeated the All Blacks 36-34 in Wellington three weeks previous, Steve Hansen's men had revenge on their minds, yet a magnificent South Africa performance saw them race into a 30-13 lead.

Indeed, the Boks looked certain to record their first back-to-back wins against the All Blacks in nine years after Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe scored, along with Handre Pollard adding three conversions and three penalties, only for Savea to steal the game in the final play.

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Last year, Ardie Savea scored a try in the 79th minute to give New Zealand a 32-30 win over South Africa in Pretoria

Aaron Smith, Rieko Ioane and Scott Barrett went over for New Zealand - the latter with just four minutes to play - while Beauden Barrett added a conversion and two penalties.

That was all before the visitors earned one more chance to snatch the Test in a nail-biting finish when Savea won a penalty at the breakdown, and that was all the All Blacks needed with the 52,000-capacity crowd left stunned as Savea powered over from short range and Richie Mo'unga held his nerve with the conversion for the win.

The Boks had suffered defeat seemingly from the jaws of victory.

South Africa 22-29 New Zealand - Tri-Nations - August 2010

Back in 2010, the All Blacks pulled off a dramatic win over a South Africa team which had won a British and Irish Lions series the previous year - and were the reigning world champions.

New Zealand left it late in Johannesburg with two tries in the final two minutes giving them the victory, which secured the Tri Nations title.

Schalk Burger's try and the boot of Morne Steyn gave the hosts a 16-14 lead at half-time.

Israel Dagg celebrates scoring the winning try for New Zealand in South Africa
Image: Israel Dagg celebrates scoring for New Zealand in South Africa in 2010

The Springboks were 22-17 in front up until the 78th minute when Richie McCaw levelled the match with a disputed try, which the hosts claimed had featured a forward pass.

The drama was not finished though as Israel Dagg latched onto Ma'a Nonu's delivery and went over for the decisive score, which sparked wild celebrations from the New Zealand players.

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Highlights of New Zealand's dramatic victory in 2010 as they scored two tries in the final two minutes

South Africa 39-41 Australia - Tri-Nations - September 2010

A month after that, a late penalty from Kurtley Beale snatched the win for Australia in a pulsating clash in Bloemfontein.

Australia led 31-13 at the break, before the Springboks fought back to claim the lead heading into the final quarter of the match.

Beale scored the opening try for the Wallabies before James O'Connor profited from a misplaced lineout throw. Hooker Stephen Moore added their third try and the visitors wrapped up the bonus point when captain Rocky Elsom crossed the line.

Kurtley Beale kicked the decisive penalty for the Wallabies
Image: Kurtley Beale kicked the winning penalty for the Wallabies in 2010

Victor Matfield set up Jaque Fourie for a much-needed score for South Africa to give them hope for the second half.

Prop Gurthro Steenkamp scored a try after the break and De Villiers' finish, coupled with Morne Steyn's penalty, handed the Springboks an unlikely and scarcely-believable lead.

A Drew Mitchell try and O'Connor conversion made it 38-36 to Australia before Steyn's penalty restored the hosts' lead by the slenderest margin. However, the last word went to Beale as his kick settled this engrossing contest and handed South Africa the wooden spoon.

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Highlights of a wonderfully entertaining clash between South Africa and Australia in 2010

South Africa 25-37 Argentina - Rugby Championship - August 2015

Argentina clinched their first win over South Africa at the 20th attempt after a superb performance in Durban.

The Pumas had lost 18 of their 19 previous meetings but their victory over the Springboks ensured they finished off the bottom of the Championship for the first time.

Juan Imhoff scored three tries in Argentina's momentous win
Image: Juan Imhoff scored three tries in Argentina's momentous win in 2015

Winger Juan Imhoff scored a 19-minute hat-trick for Argentina, which made the difference, and helped them create history.

Centre Marcelo Bosch gave the Pumas the perfect start by scoring the opening try within one minute's play at King's Park. Two scores from Imhoff gave the visitors a 27-13 half-time lead.

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Highlights of Argentina's historic win over South Africa in the Rugby Championship

Winger Imhoff's third try, shortly after the restart, extended Argentina's lead, which meant efforts from South Africa's Bryan Habana, Lood de Jager and Willie le Roux could not prevent a third successive defeat in the Championship.

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