For some players, it came easy in this summer’s set of mid-year tests. There were breakout campaigns and young players who emerged as key contributors.

Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?

Wales hadn't beaten the Springboks since 2018 until the July 8 win in Bloemfontein. It was just their seventh win all-time against South Africa, and no doubt a surprising result for the home team. Now, the teams head to Cape Town to round out the July tests, with another hard-fought match surely to come.

With two rugged matches under the belt, it should be another turbulent affair when Scotland takes on Argentina for the third and final test of the summer series.

In a rivalry going back over a hundred years, the tally between Australia and England over 54 matches is 26 to 27 (with one draw) in favor of the English. The Wallabies will undoubtedly do their best to tie that up as they head to Sydney for the third and final test match of the series.

New Zealand took the first match, but Ireland took the second. The stakes are high for the all-important third test, as Ireland's tour comes to an end in Wellington. Can the Irish defeat the All Blacks in two consecutive matches?

For the SANZAAR tests that took place July 2, the Southern Hemisphere dominated.

Argentina was part of a SANZAAR contingency that beat their Northern Hemisphere counterparts across the board. In the second test match, Argentina will look to double-up on the Scottish side.

South Africa prevailed in the first of three test matches against Wales, but the score indicates it was a close call. The Springboks will look to keep a feisty Welsh team at bay heading in the second match.

In the first match of the three-match test series, Australia thwarted an English comeback attempt. In match two, England will do their best to take one back from the Wallabies.

The All Blacks put up quite a run against Ireland in the July 2 match. Now heading in the second match of three test matches, Ireland would like to show their grit against some of the world's best.

European rugby's top sides were not welcome in the Southern Hemisphere this weekend.

Wales is feeling the heat.

South African rugby often is a thing of beauty.

Australia may have a deserved place among the most successful rugby nations on the planet, but that doesn't mean the team hasn't gone through some strife.