International rugby returned last weekend with New Zealand edging past England in Twickenham and Scotland routing Fiji at Murrayfield. But Week 2 of these autumn internationals brings the first full slate of games.
Here’s everything you need to know as the southern hemisphere sides take on the northern hemisphere, including team news, how to watch and match previews.
Jump to:
Ireland vs. New Zealand | England vs. Australia | Italy vs. Argentina | France vs. Japan | Wales vs. Fiji | Scotland vs. South Africa
Ireland vs. New Zealand
Time: Friday, Nov. 8 at 8.10 p.m. UK [7.10 a.m. Saturday AEST]
Stadium: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
How to watch: TNT Sports / discovery+
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley, Jamie Osborne.
New Zealand: Tamaiti Williams, Asafo Aumua, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele’a, Will Jordan.
Replacements: George Bell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samipeni Finau, Cam Roigard, Anton Lienert-Brown, Stephen Perofeta.
Team news: Ireland head into this as favourites and the All Blacks’ chances were dented further by the injury-enforced absences of both Beauden Barrett and Codie Taylor. The hosts will be led by Caelan Doris — potentially a British & Irish Lions captain-in-waiting — but will be without Tadhg Furlong through injury. However, they have received the welcome boost of having Ronan Kelleher fit for the hooker spot.
Match prediction: Ireland will be looking for a clean sweep this autumn, but will come up against an All Blacks side who will have taken confidence from their 24-22 win over England last weekend. They had to survive a late attempted drop-goal from George Ford, but after a topsy-turvy year under Scott Robertson where they won just three of their six Rugby Championship matches, last weekend’s clash will have given them all sorts of confidence.
Ireland will fancy their chances of knocking over the Kiwis in a rematch of last year’s World Cup quarterfinal. On that day, New Zealand won by four points, but this time around, the result could be different. Ireland by 6 — Tom Hamilton.
England vs. Australia
Time: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3.10 p.m. UK [2.10 a.m. Sunday AEST]
Stadium: Allianz Stadium Twickenham, London
How to watch: TNT Sports / discovery+
England: George Furbank, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer; Ellis Genge, Jamie George (captain), Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Curry, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Ollie Sleightholme.
Australia:
Team news: Steve Borthwick has named the same group that started against the All Blacks with Henry Slade shifting to inside centre, and Ollie Lawrence moving to outside centre. On the bench, he has drafted in Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ollie Sleightholme as England move from a six-two split between forwards and backs to a five-three combination.
Cowan-Dickie replaces Theo Dan as replacement hooker, while winger Sleightholme comes in for back-row Ben Curry. If Cowan-Dickie gets his chance from the bench then it will be his first England appearance in two years.
Match prediction:
Italy vs. Argentina
Time: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 5.40 p.m. UK [4.40 a.m. Sunday AEST]
Stadium: Stadio Friuli, Udine
How to watch: TNT Sports / discovery+
Italy:
Argentina:
Team news:
Prediction:
France vs. Japan
Time: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 8.10 p.m. UK [7.10 a.m. Sunday AEST]
Stadium: Stade de France, Paris
How to watch: TNT Sports / discovery+
France:
Fiji:
Team news:
Prediction:
Scotland vs. South Africa
Time: Sunday, Nov. 9 at 4.10 p.m. UK [3.10 a.m. Monday AEST]
Stadium: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
How to watch: TNT Sports / discovery+
Scotland:
South Africa:
Team news:
Prediction:
Read more:
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