Quote Me On That

The Rugby Championship ramped up the drama on round two with victories for Argentina and South Africa that means that all teams have a win and a loss as the action moves to Australia and New Zealand for rounds three and four.

Elsewhere, the build up to the European season continues with Newcastle Red Bulls desperately racing to sign players before the start of the campaign.

We also heard from a superstar player after his return to the Gallagher Prem and hear the thoughts of a couple of World Cup winners.

Then there was huge news from Wales as the professional shake-up hit new levels of drama.

Here’s our favourite soundbites of the week…

“We are a connecting thread in the great history of Los Pumas. As a player, you live rugby to the fullest; as a coach, you try to live it in the best way possible. But this is theirs, Los Pumas 2025. Beating them for the first time here, I think it's great.”

Argentina coach Felipe Contempomi sums up a maiden home victory over the All Blacks:

“That hurts; it’s tough. This competition is tough; anyone can win on the day, and you have to be at your best. We have to be better.”

New Zealand coach Scott Roberston doesn’t sugar coat defeat:

“A win can be a six or seven out of 10; we know it was a far from a perfect performance, but sometimes just getting back on the horse. When we lose a match, people can think there are these massive problems and everyone starts analysing the squad, which is just passionate South African supporters. So, I think with the kind of pressure that we were under this week, for that, I’ll give the team a seven.”

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus is happy, but not too happy, with beating Australia:

“I think Eben will also be very unhappy if he heard what you say now – that we’ve got to play him off the bench.”

Rassie gives journalists fair warning not to poke the Eben Etzebeth shaped bear:

“I know they’ve had some wonderful 10s in this country. (Felipe) Contepomi, Juan Martin (Hernandez) and the likes. And they always talk about (Hugo) Porta, historically, as the greatest Argentinian 10. I reckon we might have seen a superstar for the first time in the Los Pumas number 10 jersey. He was mightily impressive.”

World Cup-winning All Black Stephen Donald hits Tomas Albornoz with the commentators curse:

“We are becoming like football where guys are rolling and going down because they are trying to milk a penalty. That behaviour needs to get out of rugby and if we don’t do that then unfortunately the culture we are creating is not the one, we want for rugby.”

Ex-Springbok Jean de Villiers has no truck for simulation:

“With everything that happened last year, we’re a bit vengeful and spiteful about it. It was frustration mixed with anger and definite disappointment. This time last year, when pre-season ended, we thought things were going to go entirely different, and then they just went so horribly wrong.”

Exeter Chiefs’ Paul Brown-Bampoe explains what has been driving them in pre-season:

“I just felt that I was wasting my talent out there. You just don’t get the same opportunities as those boys. I wasn’t getting many reps, and I was fed up when I was practising there.”

Louis Rees Zammit is blunt about why his American dream ended:

“I can’t wait to get stuck in with the fellas, work hard and soak up as much as I can when I arrive. With the quality squad that Dimes (Steve Diamond) is putting together, I feel truly fortunate to be a part of it.”

Fergus Lee-Warner is happy to be swapping Sydney for Newcastle and life with the Red Bulls:

“This is unashamedly about trying to take Welsh rugby back to the top of international rugby and club rugby. It's about trying to win. In that acknowledgement, it's possible to think short-term and throw all our resources into one thing. What we've tried to put together is something that is coherent and comprehensive.”

Wales Rugby Union (WRU) Director of Rugby Dave Reddin goes on the hard sell: