British view on Bledisloe Cup 2018: The Rugby Championship is inferior because we already know the All Blacks will win

The All Blacks' dominance of the Rugby Championship has become total and predictable, writes Ben Coles of the Telegraph.

The Rugby Championship, or "New Zealand's procession towards another trophy", starts tonight.

The artist formerly known as the Tri-Nations set a high standard for the rest of rugby union to follow during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with extraordinary games and a collection of megastars far superior to the Six Nations.

Between 1998 and 2004, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa each won the title twice.

Perhaps it actually peaked in 2000, when just shy of 110,000 spectators crammed into Stadium Australia in Sydney to watch the All Blacks snatch a 39-35 victory thanks to the late Jonah Lomu.

Some in that part of the world still bill it as the greatest game ever played.

Australia had been World Cup winners in 1999, built around icons in George Gregan, Stephen Larkham and John Eales. New Zealand had Christian Cullen, Lomu, Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens. South Africa cleared all before them with an unbeaten tournament in 1998, part of a 17-game win streak.

The three teams were giants, their match-ups all essential viewing. And yet since 2005, a year after Graham Henry took over as All Blacks head coach, New Zealand have won 10 of the 12 tournaments.

Even in the two years when New Zealand failed, the tournament was played out in a truncated format ahead of the World Cups in 2011 and 2015, with Australia named champions both times.Watching the All Blacks go about their business remains a delight.

The anticipated drop-off after 2015 when Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu all moved on has never arrived.

But the build-up to this year's tournament has felt more subdued than I can remember.

There are interesting sub-plots: Mario Ledesma's first games in charge of Argentina. Rassie Erasmus continuing to put his stamp on a Springbok squad who were convincing winners against England in the summer, and are now strengthened by the return of Malcolm Marx.

David Pocock and Michael Hooper will combine again in the Wallabies back row.

Except there is no real buzz. Everyone knows where the title is ending up.

Australia and South Africa can threaten to an extent, but Erasmus has had only three Tests in charge. It has been 16 years since Australia last held the Bledisloe Cup.

And although there is much to admire about Argentina, they are only marginally closer to winning a Rugby Championship than when they joined the competition in 2012.

The quality of the Six Nations might not always match the Rugby Championship, but on current results it ranks as a better competition given that the teams involved are actually capable of battling for the title, Italy aside.

So, by all means admire the games today and beyond, but do not kid yourself. You know who will be lifting the trophy at the end. And if somehow it is not the All Blacks, then thank goodness for a bit of variety.