After a entree serving of Test rugby at the weekend, we’re set for the main course over three delicious sittings in November.
From Edinburgh to Cardiff, London to Paris, and a few other cities in between, it really is smorgasbord of rugby action over the next few weeks.
Read on for all the line-ups and key team news as it comes to hand, plus our match previews and odds.
Scotland vs. Fiji | Wales vs. New Zealand | Ireland vs. South Africa | France vs. Australia | England vs. Argentina
Saturday, November 5
Scotland vs. Fiji, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, 1pm GMT [12am Sun, AEDT]
Scotland:
Fiji:
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] N/A
Preview:
Wales vs. New Zealand, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 3.15pm GMT [2am Sun, AEDT]
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny,Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams, Gareth Thomas, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Justin Tipuric (captain), Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lews, Alun Wyn Jones, Christ Tshiunza, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Priestland, Owen Watkin.
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ione, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Dalton Papali’i, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock (captain), Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tuou Vaa’i, Akira Ioane, Brad Weber, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] Wales $4.60, +12.5 $1.87; New Zealand $1.17, -12.5 $1.85
Preview: New Zealand have made extensive changes to their lineup as they revert to a strong selection for Saturday’s Test against Wales after fielding an experimental team last week in Japan.
The All Blacks make 11 changes to the makeshift side that were given a mighty scare at Tokyo’s National Stadium last Saturday in a 38-31 win over Japan.
Aaron Smith is set to pass Dan Carter as the most capped back in All Blacks history, playing his 113th Test as he returns to the team, along with a trio of Barrett brothers, while Shannon Frizell is the only player retained in the pack.
Sam Whitelock takes over as a skipper in Cardiff, as he will for clashes with Scotland on Nov. 13 and England on Nov. 19.
“Playing Wales on the road always represents an exciting challenge,” head coach Ian Foster said in a statement naming the team.
“We have a number of players returning to the side and we know we will need to play with a high intensity against this physical Welsh team.”
Wales have handed a first cap to wing Rio Dyer and recalled three stalwarts for their opening autumn international clash with New Zealand at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Dyer, 22, comes in for the injured Josh Adams, while coach Wayne Pivac has been boosted by the return of fullback Leigh Halfpenny, hooker Ken Owens and flanker Justin Tipuric, all of whom have faced long spells on the sidelines through injury.
Tipuric takes over as captain from injured fly-half Dan Biggar, who is replaced by Gareth Anscombe at No.10.
“It’s great having Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny back. They bring a lot of experience and they are big game players,” Pivac said in a media release from Welsh Rugby on Thursday.
“New Zealand is going to play with speed, we know that. The roof is closed so we’re looking forward to a fast, open game and I think Justin [Tipuric] brings that extra bit of speed to the number six jersey. So the combination [of Tipuric, Reffell and Faletau] we think will work well.”
Ireland vs. South Africa, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 5:05pm GMT [4.05am Sun AEDT]
Ireland:
South Africa: Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Damian Willemse, Jaden Hendrikse, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Deon Fourie, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Willie le Roux.
Odds: [tab.com.au, Aus only] Ireland $1.60, -3.5 $1.87; South Africa $2.25, +3.5 $1.87
Preview: Cheslin Kolbe will play his first test at fullback when he makes a return to the South Africa team against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, coach Jacques Nienaber has announced.
Damian Willemse will play at fly-half after missing the last Test, replacing veteran Frans Steyn, while Kurt-Lee Arendse is on the wing for the injured Canan Moodie.
“Damian has done well for us at fly-half, and he is continuing to grow as a player in that role, while we think Cheslin has the potential to add a new dimension to our game at fullback,” Nienaber told a news conference.
Nienaber said he expected Ireland to be a major challenge, particularly at home.
“Ireland are the top ranked team in the world currently and they’ve shown in the past that they can be a force to be reckoned with in Dublin,” he said.
“Obviously we are a long way out from the World Cup, but we have a limited number of matches left before the competition and the preparation doesn’t get better than playing a side we will face in the World Cup and the number one side in the world.”
France vs. Australia, Stade de France, Paris, 9pm [8pm GMT, 7am AEDT]
France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki, Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille. Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Dany Priso, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Kilian Geraci, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert.
Australia: Jock Campbell, Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Lalakai Foketi, Tom Wright, Bernard Foley, Nic White, Rob Valetini, Michael Hooper, Jed Holloway, Cadeyrn Neville, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou, Dave Porecki, James Slipper (captain). Replacements: Folau Fainga’a, Matt Gibbon, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Pete Samu, Jake Gordon, Hunter Paisami, Reece Hodge
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] France $1.17, -12.5 $1.87; Australia $4.60, +12.5 $1.87
Preview: Toulouse duo Romain Ntamack and Cyril Baille will start for France against Australia in Paris on Saturday despite recent injury troubles that have restricted their playing time at club level, while Jock Campbell will make his first start for Australia amid four changes to their side.
France fly-half Ntamack was named by coach Fabien Galthie, who made 11 changes to the side that started July’s second test win in Japan.
Ntamack, 23, will partner captain and Toulouse team mate Antoine Dupont while Baille, who played his first game of the season last weekend after returning from a groin problem, Julien Marchand and Uini Atonio are in the front row.
Meanwhile Australia’s front row see Taniela Tupou replace Allan Alaalatoa, who was ruled out after suffering concussion last weekend.
“I just know I haven’t been up to it in some of the games, especially the last three games I’ve played,” Tupou told reporters this week.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said: “To play France in Paris less than one year out from a Rugby World Cup here is an incredible opportunity and one we’re all excited by.”
Sunday, November 6
England vs. Argentina, Twickenham, London, 2.15pm GMT [1.15am Mon, AEDT]
England:
Argentina:
Odds: [tab.com.au Australia only] England $1.14, -14.5 $1.85; Argentina $5.20, +14.5 $1.90
Preview: