Early Predictions for 2015 Rugby Championship

Less than a month remains until New Zealand open the defence of their Rugby Championship title, looking to once again be crowned kings of the Southern Hemisphere ahead of South Africa, Australia and Argentina.

Preparations for the World Cup mean each team will play just the single round of fixtures against one another as this year's Rugby Championship welcomes a more condensed format.

With the Super Rugby campaign coming to an end barely a fortnight prior to the Rugby Championship getting underway, rugby fans the world over don't have long to cast their bets on who will dominate the four-team contest.

Read on for a selection of early predictions on how the 2015 Rugby Championship will pan out, with each side keeping one eye fixed firmly on the much greater prizes at hand later this year.

1. Mendoza Bears Witness to Argentina's Second Championship Win

October 4, 2014 is a date every Argentinian rugby fan will remember as one where the Pumas made history, beating Australia 21-17 in Mendoza to claim their first-ever Rugby Championship victory.

It was Argentina's first win in the competition after two fruitless attempts in 2012 and 2013; one that sat a portion of their critics down and showed the South Americans perhaps do deserve their place in the contest.

Unfortunately for Daniel Hourcade's men, they're one of the two teams (alongside New Zealand) who face two of their three Rugby Championship fixtures in away territory this year. Fortunately, however, their sole home game comes against Australia on July 25.

The last two Rugby Championships have seen New Zealand and South Africa claim the top two places by some distance, with the Springboks 10 points clear of the Wallabies in 2013, before ending up nine points clear in 2014.

Since being appointed the Pumas' head coach, Hourcade has taken a very promising group of native-based Argentinian talents, combined with the nation's European-based stars, to amass a burgeoning pool of resources.

One year prior to Argentina debuting its Super Rugby franchise in 2016, we predict the Pumas will claim a Rugby Championship win for the second year in succession, with an out-of-shape Australia succumbing in Week 2.

2. Julian Savea Staves off New Competition to Revive Best of 'The Bus'

Argentina can perhaps be thanked and blamed at the same time for making the 2014 Rugby Championship a tighter tournament across the board, where Julian Savea's four tries were enough to see him finish as top try scorer.

That tally compared to the eight tries mustered by team-mate Ben Smith in 2013 and the seven scored by South Africa's Bryan Habana in 2012, where New Zealand and the Boks were far separated from the rest of the table.

Whatever the case may be, the Hurricanes' vehicle on legs is once again in place to dazzle at this year's Rugby Championship, despite the pressure of newcomers Waisake Naholo and Nehe Milner-Skudder.

Both the Highlanders' Naholo and Savea's 'Canes team-mate Milner-Skudder have been named in coach Steve Hansen's 41-man training squad after superb Super Rugby campaigns, putting Savea somewhat in the shade.

However, when all assembled in the same team, Hansen is likely to trust in his known asset and "The Bus" should find little trouble in finishing off the factory line of supply coming in his direction.

3. Wallabies' Foreign Policy Change Bears Fruit Early On

Due to the involvements of the Waratahs and Brumbies in the 2015 Super Rugby semi-finals, Australia coach Michael Cheika has limited his selection to just the Reds, Western Force and Rebels as things stand.

However, thanks to this year's change in overseas-based player selection, certain experienced members of the Wallabies fraternity will be eligible for the squad later this summer, namely Matt Giteau (Toulon), Drew Mitchell (Toulon) and George Smith (Wasps).

All three meet the requirements for selection and have shown an interest in featuring for the Wallabies this year, with Cheika quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying:

"

They've all shown their interest in playing, so it all comes down to the selection table like everyone else. I think they've played well, all of them. Matt and Drew in a team that's gone well and George in a team that's been struggling in Lyon.

It's my first experience with [the Bledisloe Cup] and I'm going to be extremely eager to try and do our best against the best team in the world.

"

There isn't long for preparation to get underway, but after long European campaigns in France, Giteau, Mitchell and Smith should all come to play a part in the Wallabies' Rugby Championship campaign.

The former pair in particular will be of major use to Cheika. Giteau is a hugely experienced and valuable utility capable of starting in the No. 10 or No. 12 jersey, while Mitchell brings some very welcome depth out wide.

Not only will they come to make the squad in time for the first tournament of the summer, but both could find their places in the starting lineup cemented by the time flights are being booked for England.

4. Australia Finish Bottom for First Time Since Re-Formatting

Ian Walton/Getty Images

Okay, this year's shortened tournament makes the 2015 Rugby Championship something of an anomaly as far as the record books will show, but Australia are nevertheless at huge risk of a last-place finish.

As aforementioned, we propose Argentina will triumph over the Wallabies come July 25, so for the men from Oz to land anywhere but last, it would require a victory over either South Africa or New Zealand.

A 12-12 draw against the All Blacks in August 2014 might suggest the Wallabies can claim a result, but it's worth noting the conditions that day were disastrous, as well as it being the first round of the competition.

They may not be as fortunate coming up against a well warmed-up New Zealand outfit in the last week of this year's contest, leaving their Week 1 fixture against the Springboks as a must-win encounter.

Cheika will feel his team may have a lifeline based on the fact South Africa's Super Rugby teams, bar the Lions and Stormers, were largely disappointing in 2015, but Heyneke Meyer's men should still succeed in Brisbane.

5. All Blacks Make It Four in a Row

Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

"New Zealand" and "world domination" are two topics that seem intertwined by fate-like intervention, and the last three years of Rugby Championship glory have seen the All Blacks reign as rulers south of the equator.

Deservedly so, considering that rise to prominence also came on the back of success at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, not to mention becoming the first national team to enjoy a perfect calendar year in 2013.

For their progress to be stunted or derailed at this point, it would require a dramatic shift in circumstance, perhaps an exodus of superstars without replacements or a flood of injuries—their enemies have seen no such luck.

It's no coincidence the Hurricanes ran away with the 2015 Super Rugby regular-season title and were one of three New Zealand franchises to make the playoffs, buoyed every bit by a lengthy line of internationals stars.

Not only that, many of those yet to make their professional bow, the aforementioned Naholo and Milner-Skudder included, can be considered stars in their own right, yet are only now treading All Blacks waters.

Hansen is lucky to be blessed with his current crop, perhaps, but yet again, maybe this is New Zealand merely reaping the benefits of a terrifically run rugby foundation from grassroots level up.

Their success will go uninterrupted in 2015 and even two away fixtures from three—one of which comes at Ellis Park—won't be enough to prevent them emerging with a perfect record.

All statistics come courtesy of Statbunker.