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The Breakdown: A statistical look at Saturday's rugby internationals
Saturday offers another feast of international rugby, with Ireland’s clash against New Zealand in Dublin taking centre stage.
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Scotland welcome South Africa to Murrayfield, while England and Wales will use their fixtures against Japan and Tonga respectively to experiment with some fringe players.
France host Argentina and Australia visit Italy in the day’s remaining two games.
With the help of Opta, we take a statistical look at this weekend’s matches.
England v Japan
These two sides are meeting for only the second time, having last faced off at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 in a match England won 60-7.
Saturday’s hosts have never lost against a non-Tier One nation, winning all 39 matches, but the visitors won four of their five outings in England during the 2015 World Cup, including a memorable 34-32 victory over South Africa in Brighton.
Eddie Jones will be keen to see his much-changed side put on a show, with England on a run of four home matches without reaching 20 points (W2, L2) – their worst such run at Twickenham since a stretch of 10 games between 1981 and 1984.
George Ford starts at fly-half and will collect his 50th cap but has been on the losing side in six of his last seven games for his country.
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Watch: Eddie Jones and George Ford on Japan Test
France v Argentina
France were 27-0 victors the last time these sides met in 2016, marking the first time since 1952 that Argentina had failed to score a point in a match in their own country.
Les Bleus have won all four fixtures they have played in Lille, twice beating Argentina and recording victories over Australia and Romania in the city.
Two tries on Saturday would see France register their 150th against the Pumas, having already reached the milestone against six other sides.
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Argentina have picked up just two wins in 2018 so far (L8). Only once before in the previous 12 calendar years that have they played 10 or more games have they notched up as few victories (2017, W2, L10).
Ireland v New Zealand
Ireland have won just one of their last 30 games against the All Blacks, although that victory did come in their second to last meeting in Chicago in 2016.
New Zealand are unbeaten in their last 15 visits to Dublin to face Ireland, who have won their last 10 matches on the bounce at the Aviva Stadium – their longest ever winning streak at home.
Watch: Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick on lineout battle with Ireland
The All Blacks have not lost in Europe since a 38-21 defeat to England at Twickenham in December 2012.
Johnny Sexton (383) is just 14 points shy of surpassing Ronan O’Gara (396) as the most prolific point scorer at the Aviva Stadium or Lansdowne Road.
Watch: Joe Schmidt and Garry Ringrose on trying to down the All Blacks
Italy v Australia
Australia have won each of their 17 meetings with Italy but the teams have faced each other just once since 2013, with the Wallabies winning 40-27 last year.
Italy, meanwhile, have beaten a Tier One nation at home just once since 2013 – a 20-18 victory over South Africa in 2016.
Despite losing 9-6 to Wales last weekend, the match represented the first time since November 2016 that the Wallabies have restricted a team to fewer than 10 points away from home.
They have not done so in consecutive away fixtures since September 2011.
Scotland v South Africa
Scotland have not beaten South Africa since November 2010, with Greig Laidlaw the only survivor from that match in the current squad, although he was an unused substitute on that occasion.
The hosts are in a rich vein of form at Murrayfield, having won 10 of their last 11 matches at the national stadium, with the All Blacks the only side to beat them during that period.
The Springboks have been involved in some tight affairs in 2018 – seven of their 12 matches have been decided by a margin of five points or fewer.
Only New Zealand (68) have scored more tries than Scotland (37) among Tier One nations this year.
Watch: Gregor Townsend ahead of the Test against South Africa.
Wales v Tonga
Liam Williams returns to the Welsh starting XV to win his 50th cap, but the Saracens back has scored just one try in his last 10 Test matches (including British and Irish Lions appearances).
Wales have won all eight of their meetings with Tonga, whose only victory on Welsh soil came against USA in Colwyn Bay in November 2012.
Warren Gatland’s men are on a six-game winning run at home. Only once since 1978 have Wales enjoyed a longer such run – nine games between 1997 and 1999.
Wales’ Nicky Smith has made 44 out of 44 tackles in 2018, the most of any Tier One player yet to miss one this calendar year.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments