Without fuss or fanfare, the Autumn Nations Series could prove the most significant in many years. Thanks to those who sanctioned late starts to the European domestic season, this annual gathering of the great and the good has tiptoed into our consciousness and yet on so many fronts it should provide us with drama and food for thought. It will also give us the seeding shakedown for the 2027 World Cup, the draw for which will be made in December. There is no room for slippage.
But there are deeper matters in play – that of fighting off the R360 raiders and proving once and for all the value of high-end international rugby. The Prem may have given us plenty of vivid action yet club rugby barely manages to register on a sporting landscape dominated by football and the impending Ashes. From Twickenham to Chicago on Saturday, that low-profile state of affairs will quickly change.
There’s more. This will be the last time we witness November jamborees each and every year. Lord knows how we’ve managed to make sense of it all without the benefit of a league table which will be introduced across the board next year, signalling who’s hot and who’s not. There is even the prospect of a grand final sort of thingy.
Many of us thought the World Cup was the means of declaring who was the best team on the planet every four years, an accolade cherished by the winners as well as by the general public. What price the crowded after-dinner speaking circuit for players now there is to be a top dog three in every four years? The rarity value of a quadrennial World Cup, as with the Lions, is what makes it so special. There is a grave risk of undermining that status. Perhaps it’s the chase to the bottom of the pot of money. Perhaps it is to ward off the rebel circuses. Even if R360 falls on its face, there will be another along soon. Whatever.
So, let’s appreciate what we have for what it is – blue-riband rugby. You don’t need points available for league rankings to give meaning to the matches. The Ash Splash try against the Wallabies in 2010, Manu Tuilagi wreaking havoc against the All Blacks two years later, warm memories still. Or what about Ireland’s first ever win over New Zealand in 2016 in Chicago? Soldier Field The Sequel is upon us. Did these matches not give us heart and soul as well as muscle and bone, thrilling sporting occasions. Sometimes, you just need to enjoy what is in front of you.
It’s been cheering to hear Steve Borthwick speak of the need to win Test matches. Not to focus on performance over results, as if Test rugby were some form of Strictly Come Dancing contest with marks for style awarded.
There is so much to whet the appetite over the coming weeks. Can the England makeover, throwing off that boring one-eyed, one-dimensional persona, continue? Can they tune into the zeitgeist as displayed by the southern hemisphere big four throughout the Rugby Championship? It was interesting to read a Daily Mail interview with England hooker, Jamie George, who revealed he has been shedding the kilos as he recognises the game is becoming faster and faster. No Country For Lard Arses, welcome to rugby’s Ozempic era.
There are plenty of other questions to tease the brain cells. Are Ireland over-the-hill (we’ve floated that before and copped it between the eyes)? Can the Leinster-heavy squad respond to Andy Farrell’s call-to-arms? Finn Russell to fly, Wales to rise from their Trough of Despond, France to assert themselves as prime contenders for the World Cup (look what happened to that label the last time out)? Or is it to be a case of Europe being put in its place? South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina have shown so much in the summer. Who can rival a Cam Roigard or a Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Joseph Suaalii or Santi Carreras?
It’s been cheering to hear Steve Borthwick speak of the need to win Test matches. Not to focus on prepping for the next World Cup. Or focusing on performance over results, as if Test rugby were some form of Strictly Come Dancing contest with marks for style awarded. The result matters, especially if you’ve forked out £200 for the pleasure. Win and win and win again and a World Cup will take care of itself.
England don’t necessarily need a clean sweep this autumn to affirm their burgeoning credentials but, as Clive Woodward’s side showed all those years victory can be a sporting aphrodisiac: the more you win, the more you want. Twelve victories in a row against the southern hemisphere culminated in the Sydney night of triumph.
Borthwick’s England have much to do yet to get to that point. Their back-row could do with more balance now Tom Willis is out of the frame while a productive midfield sorted by the end of the series would be heartening for the head coach.
Ireland are between a rock and a hard place. Their proven warriors are ageing yet so hard to discard. Will this autumn by a tipping point for Bundee Aki and his well-travelled pals? There is a lot riding on the next few weeks with Japan, Australia and South Africa to come after the American adventure.
Wales coach Steve Tandy has somehow got to roll back the stone from the seeming dead and get something, anything, out of the autumn.
Scotland have long appeared to be on the brink of a breakthrough into the higher echelons only to stumble. It’s time for them to land the notable scalp of New Zealand who come to Murrayfield on 8 November. We might well say the All Blacks are not what they were only for them to strike back with venom. If their wobbles in the Rugby Championship (more than a wobble to be fair when you get panned 43-10 on home soil in Wellington by the Springboks) are signs of deep-rooted issues then it’s a prime opportunity for Scotland to break their duck of losses against the All Blacks.
And Wales, poor, benighted Wales, what have they done to deserve the riven, rotten leadership that has got them to this point? The fans deserve so much better, the players too. Coach Steve Tandy has somehow got to roll back the stone from the seeming dead and get something, anything, out of the autumn. With New Zealand and South Africa the last in town it could get terribly messy.
November is a transitional time of year, from the light of summer to the dark of winter. Europe’s finest will want to ensure that they stay in the sunny uplands for as long as they can. Victories will make the World Cup draw all the more straightforward and help them spring into the New Year. Onwards they go.
Great piece and comments . I don’t feel that Scotland will defeat the AB's nor do I think that Wales will learn how to win again under the current coaching staff. England need to win again to prove that their upward trend . Ireland’s team are without doubt ageing but will be okay this time round but the longer they leave addressing the squad’s age the world cup will come around and then it’s too late to make adjustments.
We all love Autumn Internationals lets hope it somehow continues
D.Hann Rugby, Sidcup Kent.
Who are the people who should have been i/c Welsh affairs for the past few years?
Plenty at stake and a nice subplot with the rankings points on offer.
Will England have finally turned a corner? Will Ireland beat the big 3 in the same month or lose to them all? Will Scotland finally get the win over the ABs? What do Wales even target?
I have a feeling the standout result could be Scotland beating the AB’s.
I’m always for an inspired victory by Scotland.
But each year they tend to have one of those games talked up and they fail to deliver. Like clockwork.
Too much has been made of England beating Argentina. The Argies were awful first match, not much better second and had they played as they did against the All Blacks it would have been a different story. However win they did and great for that.
All this talk of hybrid players from Borthwick and the ability for players to slot in other positions in a crisis. Fine . He obviously means everyone else but Ford. Had he picked Marcus his words would mean something as Marcus can play 10 or 15 whereas Ford just cannot play anywhere safely but 10 . Confusing .
Another thought . The players ply their trade at club level and perfect their positions accordingly . They get to England training camps and they are asked to take up valuable
time messing about in positions they would not have chosen for themselves. Can management do this at any other level of employment one wonders.
What is wrong with picking the best players , in their best positions and like the very top teams , dont worry about the opposition . Ask Woodward.
It’s funny how everyone always has a perceived bad day when teams lose to ENG on these forums. 🤣🤣🤣
However, for the benefit of the doubt, may they continue having bad days every time we play them (please) as I’ve had enough of losing since 2023.
Just to cheer you up, they have been training with Earl at 12 and Pollock on the wing to prepare for the 6|2 bench. It does feel like this has all gone a step too far of late.
Please don't bring Woodward into the argument. If you are talking about modern rugby and reference Woodward, who hasn't coached for over 20 years and got his arse handed to him by NZ in his last role.
Things have moved on. Plus Mike Cat and Austin Healy played all over the back line.
Oh and while I'm at it, Wales in their pomp under Gatland always played teams who looked like they were having a bad day. After a while it clicked the bad day was playing Wales.
I'm not sure exactly what Borthwick is up to but giving players various tasks keeps them aware of what others will do. And did Pollock score against Wales while stood on the wing? If it comes to disaster planning, you have to plan.
Perfect it ain't but I think there is an upward trend so far with England. I'm also expecting at some point there will be a step backwards before there is improvement again.
We are now at the midpoint in preperations for the next world cup. These matches will tell us who has it and who has work to do. It is a vital time for all the 6 nations sides. France will target the SA match while Ireland must have their sights on the Boks and the All Blacks. England must show progress against the big sides. Borthwick needs some big wins to keep the faith. Ireland must show they are not over the hill and Wales need anything other than more devastating losses at home. Scotland too will be hoping to beat the All Blacks for the first time in their history. Its all going to be epic and I for one cant wait for the action to start
Agreed. The wait is almost over.
Although I think most games will go to script in terms of likely winners and losers. But there must be a surprise result or two in this autumn series.
I think we could see it between England and Australia. A worse Australia side beat England last year at Twickenham and the wallabies will be better prepared.
I think Ireland lose to the ABs for much the same reason. Although I don’t think many would be surprised by that.
I think the boks have it in them to scrape a win against a plucky Japan. A bit of characteristic 1st half rust and clumsiness before closing the game on the second half with the use of their bench.
But France will be their most likely loss on tour. The only thing in their favor may be the pressure on France to not lose to the boks again. And that pressure getting in the way. But the biggest gains I’ve seen out of France has been their team culture which is much stronger than what it has been in the past.
I’d like to imagine a big win against Ireland off the back of the French defeat. The boks seems to need a wake up call every now and then. And South African fans being, well, South African can’t go without something to lift their blood pressure between now and December. A loss to France will do it.
As for the rest. Probably quite predictable in terms of outcome.
Having seen the AUS team, I wonder if he is regretting his selection this week. We are asking a lot from what is essential the bench front row and back row against a very good AUS side and I do fear George Ford will see a lot of Valentini & Wilson running down his channel, which makes me wonder if we got this one wrong.
However, no excuses thereafter and can’t wait for the All Blacks to come to town and see if our 5 x 7’s philosophy makes it all the way through the AI’s.
Everybody will be gunning for the ABs. The historic nature of their success and current weakness. Three teams could in theory beat them with Scotland needing something a bit more given where they are, but probably more motivation given 60 odd years of failure.
Lots of unknowns before everything starts.