Fixtures finally confirmed for November's one-off eight-team Nations Cup
Ireland and Wales will kick-off the new Autumn Nations Cup on November 13 in Dublin after Six Nations officials finally confirmed plans for the one-off eight-team tournament featuring Georgia and Fiji in competition along with the half-dozen Six Nations countries, including Eddie Jones’ England.
Recent World Cup quarter-finalists Japan were invited to take part in the four-round event but they pulled out last month, paving the way for the inclusion of Georgia who have been touted for years as a better bet to play in the Six Nations than misfiring Italy.
A statement released on Thursday read: “Six Nations Rugby together with its constituent unions and federations is extremely pleased to announce details of the Autumn Nations Cup – a completely new and innovative tournament that will take place over four weekends between November 13 and December 6.
“The Autumn Nations Cup 2020 will be a unique eight-team competition, involving the Six Nations as well as the rugby unions of Georgia and Fiji.
“In recent months as the scale of the challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, it became apparent that fulfilling the traditional autumn international fixtures would not be possible particularly as a result of travel restrictions preventing certain international teams from competing in scheduled fixtures.
England will play four matches including three @Quilter Internationals at Twickenham as part of a new Autumn Nations Cup from 14 November 🏆
The Cup will feature all @SixNationsRugby teams as well as Georgia and Fiji.
For fixtures, format and more follow the link ⬇️
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) September 10, 2020
“This newly created tournament will replace the traditional autumn international window for 2020 and ensures rugby fans all over the world will be treated to top-class international rugby this autumn. The format for the Autumn Nations Cup will be two pools of four – Group A will include England, Ireland, Wales and Georgia with Group B comprising of France, Scotland, Italy and Fiji.
“The action gets underway over the weekend of November 13/14/15, kicking off with the mouth-watering clash of Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium on the Friday. This will be followed on Saturday by England v Georgia and Italy v Scotland, while on Sunday France will entertain Fiji.
“The Autumn Nations Cup will conclude on the weekend of December 5 and 6 with a special final round of matches. Based on the pool rankings coming into the final weekend, each team will face off against the team ranked in their same position in the opposite pool, a format which promises some intriguing and unexpected clashes e.g. 1st place Group A v 1st place Group B, 2nd place Group A v 2nd place Group B.
“In the coming weeks, as detailed planning continues ahead of the opening round of the Autumn Nations Cup 2020, the health and safety of players, associated staff and supporters will continue to be a key focus.
“Six Nations remains in close contact with all relevant authorities across the respective jurisdictions to ensure these matches take place in a safe environment and we will announce further details of health and safety protocols and guidance on spectator attendance in due course.”
England will host three games at Twickenham, with a venue still to be decided for their away game versus Wales.
AUTUMN NATIONS CUP FIXTURES
ROUND ONE
Nov 13: Ireland v Wales (Aviva Stadium, 7pm)
Nov 14: Italy v Scotland (TBC, 12.45pm), England v Georgia (Twickenham, 3pm)
Nov 15: France v Fiji (TBC)
ROUND TWO
Nov 21: Italy v Fiji (TBC, 12.45pm), England v Ireland (Twickenham, 3.0pm), Wales v Georgia (TBC, 5.15pm)
Nov 22: Scotland v France (Murrayfield, 3pm)
ROUND THREE
Nov 28: Scotland v Fiji (Murrayfield, 1.45pm), Wales v England (TBC, 4pm), France v Italy (TBC, 8pm)
Nov 29: Ireland v Georgia (Aviva Stadium, 2pm)
ROUND FOUR FINALS WEEKEND
Dec 5: Georgia v TBD (Murrayfield, 12pm), Ireland v TBD (Aviva Stadium, 2.15pm), Wales v TBD (TBC, 4.45pm)
Dec 6: England v TBD (Twickenham, 2pm)
He faced a 10-game ban before off-field mitigation factors were taken into accounthttps://t.co/lz6AUdyenw
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 8, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to comments