The autumn internationals, or Autumn Nations Series to give it its official title, sees the best of northern and southern hemisphere rugby come together for a month of mouth-watering matches.
England fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Eddie Jones’ Japan arriving at Twickenham, now controversially renamed Allianz Stadium after a sponsorship deal with the German insurance giant that is said to be worth up to £100 million to the RFU.
Ireland, the world’s No 1 team, also take on New Zealand, as well as Argentina, Fiji and Australia. Rugby fans will be disappointed that they are not tackling world champions South Africa again after their epic two-Test series in the summer ended in a draw.
Wales do get to take on the Boks, likewise Scotland. France will not, but November 16 is a date to circle in your diary because the All Blacks will be in Paris for what could be the match of the series.
Full Autumn Nations Series fixtures
(All times GMT)
Week one
Saturday, November 2
Week two
Friday, November 8
- Ireland v New Zealand, Aviva Stadium, 8.10pm
Saturday, November 9
Sunday, November 10
- Wales v Fiji, Principality Stadium, 1.40pm
- Scotland v South Africa, Murrayfield, 4.10pm
Week three
Friday, November 15
- Ireland v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, 8.10pm
Saturday, November 16
Sunday, November 17
- Italy v Georgia, Stadio Luigi Ferraris (Genoa), 1.40pm
- Wales v Australia, Principality Stadium, 4.10pm
Week four
Friday, November 22
- France v Argentina, Stade de France, 8.10pm
Saturday, November 23
- Ireland v Fiji, Aviva Stadium, 3.10pm
- Wales v South Africa, Principality Stadium, 5.40pm
- Italy v New Zealand, Allianz Stadium (Turin), 8.10pm
Sunday, November 24
Week five
Saturday, November 30
- Ireland v Australia, Aviva Stadium, 3.10pm
What TV channel are matches on?
In the UK and Ireland, each game is shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+. There is no free-to-air television coverage. The radio rights are held by the BBC, where coverage will be on BBC Radio 5 Live.
In France, TF1 will be covering Les Bleus’ fixtures, with beIN SPORT offering every other match.
In Italy, Sky Italia will continue to show every game.
What is the latest news?
A 20-minute red card will be in play for the Autumn Nations Series as part of a series of law trials.
Games will also feature countdown clocks for scrums and line-outs as well as referees explaining key decisions to the crowd via a microphone.
The 20-minute red card, which is said to be designed for “technical offences”, will allow offending players to be replaced after that period. Crucially, though, officials will retain the ability to send players off permanently for foul play that is deemed to be deliberate and dangerous.
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England fixtures and predictions
England tackle the powerhouses of southern hemisphere rugby this November in the Autumn Nations Series when New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan come to Twickenham (or Allianz Stadium as the RFU now wants it to be called).
England’s fixtures against the All Blacks and Springboks are particularly enticing and will be an opportunity for revenge. Steve Borthwick’s men lost a tight summer series in New Zealand this year 2-0. And last year suffered an agonising 16-15 World Cup semi-final defeat against South Africa, which was the last time these two teams played.
Full England fixtures
(All times GMT)
Saturday, November 2
Saturday, November 9
Saturday, November 16
Sunday, November 24
What TV channel are matches on?
All England’s games will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
What is the latest England news?
Henry Slade has convinced England boss Steve Borthwick he is ready to take on New Zealand after being picked at outside centre for Saturday’s clash at the Allianz Stadium.
Slade made his first appearance of the season in Exeter’s defeat by Harlequins on Sunday having undergone shoulder surgery, completing 55 minutes before being withdrawn.
That run out is deemed enough to give him the nod ahead of the in-form Alex Lozowski, with the Chiefs playmaker an influential figure in the team’s aggressive ‘blitz’ defensive system.
The three-way battle at scrum-half has been won by Ben Spencer, who will make his first start for England having won all six previous caps in a five-year Test career off the bench.
Harry Randall edges Jack van Poortvliet as back-up cover on a bench that features a six-two split between forwards and backs, with George Ford the replacement fly-half.
Chandler Cunningham-South is present at blindside flanker after Ollie Chessum was ruled out against the All Blacks – and most likely the entire autumn programme – because of a knee problem.
Cunningham-South has enjoyed a stellar debut year for England and is preferred for the back row vacancy ahead of the more experienced Sam Underhill, who is also overlooked for a substitute role.
Ellis Genge and Will Stuart are the starting props who will be rotated out for Fin Baxter and Dan Cole early in the second half.
Nick Isiekwe, Ben Curry and Alex Dombrandt are the replacement back five forwards.
England XV: G Furbank (Northampton Saints); I Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), O Lawrence (Bath Rugby), T Freeman (Northampton Saints); M Smith (Harlequins), B Spencer (Bath Rugby); E Genge (Bristol Bears), J George (Saracens, capt), W Stuart (Bath Rugby), M Itoje (Saracens), G Martin (Leicester Tigers), C Cunningham-South (Harlequins), T Curry (Sale Sharks), B Earl (Saracens).
Replacements: T Dan (Saracens), F Baxter (Harlequins), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), N Isiekwe (Saracens), B Curry (Sale Sharks), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol Bears), G Ford (Sale Sharks).
What are our England predictions?
England v New Zealand: England went down to a 2-0 series defeat on their summer tour to New Zealand, losing the first Test 16-15 and the second 24-17, but both matches could have gone either way. So with home advantage this time, Borthwick’s men have a fabulous opportunity to claim victory on home turf.
Predicted score: England 23 New Zealand 19
England v Australia: The Wallabies are a team in transition under new coach Joe Schmidt and have suffered some eyebrow-raising defeats, most notably a 67-27 thrashing by Argentina. But they are showing signs of improvement and gave the All Blacks are real scare in the Rugby Championship.
Predicted score: England 34 Australia 14
England v South Africa: France may argue differently, but at the top of the rugby table two teams currently stand above the rest – Ireland and South Africa. The Boks are world class from 1 to 15 and even home advantage is unlikely to be enough for England to stop the Springbok juggernaut.
Predicted score: England 15 South Africa 21
England v Japan: Any time Eddie Jones returns to Twickenham, expect fireworks. And his Japan play a brand of attacking rugby that is a joy to watch. Expect the Brave Blossoms to take an early lead and hold their own in the first half before fatigue and indiscipline creep in and allow England to pull away and seal – on the scoreboard at least – a comfortable victory.
Predicted score: England 45 Japan 23
Source: telegraph.co.uk