November Internationals – North vs South and what we’ve learned – Part 1

After a month of truly vintage North vs South International Test Rugby, we take a look at what the respective Coaches of the big Ten learnt about their charges. We also pick our player of the month from each of the teams as well as a starting XV for each of them and which we think would provide the platform they need for 2022 and beyond as the countdown to the World Cup begins. I apologize for not getting any posts out last week ahead of some rather important fixtures but, as mentioned before, work at the moment is getting the better of me and likely to continue to do so for the next few weeks.

In each of these five pieces we’ll pick out two of the teams in order of their success ratio this month; focus on what the Coaches must be feeling; pick a player that stood out the most and finally pick what we think is the kind of starting XV that will set them up well for 2022 and beyond.

So without any further ado let’s look at the two sides, that arguably fared the worst this month – Italy and Argentina.

Italy – Won 1 Lost 2

It’s really hard to know what to make of new Italy Coach Kieran Crowley so far with a mixed bag of talent at his disposal

Let’s be brutally honest, Kieran Crowley’s first series of matches in charge of the Azurri hasn’t been particularly edifying. Despite a feisty opening half hour in their opening game against New Zealand, the omens don’t look good for an Italian side apparently cruising for yet another Wooden Spoon in the Six Nations looming just over the horizon. They were dispatched by an Argentinian side who themselves had a horde of demons in their closet, and their final match saw them struggle to close the deal against a spirited Uruguayan outfit. In short, Italy despite some genuine talent in their ranks as a team still look ill disciplined and poorly organized. The recent successes of Benetton in the Rainbow Cup and URC look a long way from what unfolded at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico and in Parma. On the basis of that it’s hard to not look past the fact that, until the recent Rainbow Cup, Crowley’s time at Treviso saw the team fail to win any of their regular season games last year. For Canadians it’s also equally painful to be reminded that under Crowley’s tenure Canada began it’s long slow slide into obscurity in International Test Rugby.

Nevertheless onwards and upwards. Take some stock from that opening half hour against New Zealand and a laboured but important win over up and coming Uruguay. Italy need structure, discipline and patience. If Crowley can instill those qualities in his charges then there is hope. They don’t have much of a front row and until they sort that out then a lot of their set piece work will simply be a points opportunity for the opposition as scrums and lineouts are simply too much of a lottery at the moment. However their second and back row stocks do look promising and their forwards are getting some traction in the breakdown areas provided they keep their discipline. Defensively their second and back rows can put in some big shifts as well as get some good go forward ball. Their young half back pairing shows plenty of promise, and goalkicking for the most part is assured, developing patience under pressure will be key here. In the centres there is also plenty of promise, but the skill sets do need to be tightened up in both ball security and defence. Lastly in the back three Italy has plenty of gas and talent, and is perhaps their strongest hand, if they can just figure out how to use it properly. So there’s your homework gentlemen – get to it otherwise it’s going to be a long and uncomfortable Six Nations.

A blinding talent needing structure

Italian winger Monty Ioane was one of the few things about Italy that did NOT disappoint this month

There were few standout individual performances from Italy this month, but this gentlemen had the lion’s share of them. The Benetton winger is just pure class and every time he gets the ball magic happens for the Azurri. The problem is all too often he gets either a hail Mary pass or is isolated as he makes yet another dazzling break. Add to that a defensive skill set that is actually better than most in his team and Ioane is without doubt becoming one of Italy’s most important assets with plenty of good years ahead of him.

So here’s the Lineout’s Italian starting XV:

  1. Loosehead Prop – Danilo Fischetti – Despite some discipline and technique problems he’s still our number one pick and held his own against New Zealand for the first 30 minutes. Worth sticking with.
  2. Hooker – Gianmarco Lucchesi. -Still very green but ultimately more promising than Luca Bigi.
  3. Tighthead Prop – Marco Riccioni – Best of a poor selection and a problem position for Italy, but worth the effort in development.
  4. Number 4 Lock – Niccolo Cannone – Gets better with every outing, just needs more game time.
  5. Number 5 Lock – Federico Ruzza – By far Italy’s most potent threat in the second row and a turnover specialist. They need to stop starting him off the bench.
  6. Blindside Flanker – Sebastian Negri – One of Italy’s best players by a country mile. Always puts in huge shifts and is an absolute tackle machine.
  7. Openside Flanker – Michele Lamaro – One of Italy’s impressive young guns who shows more maturity than his 23 years would appear to justify. Definite Captain material provided he can keep his emotions and discipline in check.
  8. No 8 – Giovanni Licata – Raw but effective talent that is rapidly giving Braam Steyn a run for his money, and has youth on his side.
  9. Scrum half – Stephen Varney – Started well against New Zealand until Italy started to implode and the pressure got the better of him, but works very well with his half back partner Paolo Garbisi.
  10. Fly Half – Paolo Garbisi – Given that Italy has very few options here, they are thanking their lucky stars that the youngster has so much talent. Wasn’t at his best this month but still a major signpost for Italy’s future.
  11. Left Wing – Monty Ioane – One of Italy’s most dynamic players and a constant asset with ball in hand. Makes the metres, increasingly makes the tackles and is getting more imaginative and strong in his running lines while being pretty handy under the high ball.
  12. Inside Centre – Marco Zanon – Ball handling can be a bit suspect at times, but a gifted footballer who provides some real spark in the inside channels and master of the sidestep.
  13. Outside Centre – Juan Ignacio Brex – The Argentinian import has proven his worth so far this year as a strong ball carrier who is defensively sound.
  14. Right Wing – Edoardo Padovani – His Benetton form didn’t quite stand out this month and he is usually more of a fullback, but his ability to switch between the two positions is useful given Matteo Minozzi’s ongoing injury issues.
  15. Fullback – Matteo Minozzi – When on song as he was against New Zealand in that opening half hour, he’s gold for Italy and for such a small man surprisingly effective in the physical contests. Solid under the high ball and possessing some dancing feet, Minozzi is a real complement to players like Padovani, Ioane and Zanon. Here’s hoping his ongoing battles with injury give him a break in 2022.

Argentina – Won 1 Lost 2

Much maligned by many Argentine supporters, it’s been a tough year for Pumas Coach Mario Ledesma but we still think he’s the right man to take them to France in 2023

It’s been a tough year spent entirely on the road for Argentinian Coach Mario Ledesma and his charges. The euphoria of that historic win over the All Blacks last year now seems like ancient history. Since then it’s been a tough old twelve months for Ledesma. He has unearthed some exciting new talent, but we can’t help feeling that he is not being given the flexibility he needs to develop it by supporters back home demanding results which have been thin on the ground this past year. His hand has also been forced by injury at times, coupled with the mental fatigue of a year on the road in and out of Covid bubbles.

They may not have much to show in the way of results this year, but we saw enough to convince us that once this Argentinian team starts to click again, it will be the side that can be everyone banana’s skin. They gave France an exhausting arm wrestle for the full eighty minutes, and their win over Italy was convincing if not emphatic. However, Ireland was clearly a bridge too far at the end of a long hard twelve months.

This is a talented, powerful and very skilled team that for reasons best known to itself is just slightly dysfunctional at the moment. They have a world class front row that also has some depth to it off the bench, and in Montoya they have a leader worthy of the boots left behind by the legendary Agustin Creevy. Their second row is the stuff of nightmares, provided it can keep its discipline and is an absolute menace come lineout time. Although riddled with poor discipline this month, their back row is one of the hardest hitting units in International Test Rugby at the moment and defensively is capable of some truly Herculean shifts. There is talent aplenty in their halfback pairings, and we argue that the experiment, borne out of necessity due to Nicolas Sanchez’s injuries this month, of throwing fullback Santiago Carreras into the understudy role for Sanchez was a brave move and one worth sticking with. Sanchez needs a successor, and while Carreras may not be a goalkicker we felt that he has genuine potential as a playmaker who like Sanchez is not shy of the rough and tumble. Their centers are world class when they use them, which sadly wasn’t very often this month. Lastly their back three oozes class, but needs quality ball which they just didn’t get, and if new winger Mateo Carreras didn’t impress you then you’re probably not a rugby fan.

Solid and dependable

We have always had huge respect for Pumas Captain Julian Montoya especially after he stepped into the massive boots left behind by Agustin Creevy, but even when the going gets tough Montoya just doesn’t quit

He’s simply Argentina’s most valuable player at the moment and likely to remain so. He is a very different talisman for his team than his illustrious predecessor, but he is just as effective and his commitment to the cause and his teammates is always exemplary. On top of that he’s just downright good at the technical side of his job. Whenever he’s in the front row Argentina’s success rate automatically improves whether in the scrums or at the lineouts. His leadership style is quiet but forceful, and it would appear that his charges respect him both as a player and a leader. A competent and committed Captain who can keep his focus on the job at hand despite the scoreboard, while at the same time keeping his cool while those around him are losing theirs. In short, he’d be not only our pick for Argentina but also a Southern Hemisphere XV.

So here’s the Lineout’s Argentina starting XV:

  1. Loosehead Prop – Thomas Gallo – A revelation since Argentina’s tour to Wales this summer and rapidly making a name for himself at Benetton. Powerful scrummager who also has a rather handy eye for the try line.
  2. Hooker – Julian Montoya – One of the best, no need for further discussion.
  3. Tighthead Prop – Santiago Medrano – A long way from being the finished product but definitely the way forward and Gomez-Kodela will not make France 2023.
  4. Number 4 Lock – Guido Petti – Lacked some of his traditional fire this month, but still a devastatingly effective lineout poacher with a genuine turn of speed, and capable of some real heroics in defence.
  5. Number 5 Lock – Lucas Paulos – Still a bit green but better at managing his temperament than regular Tomas Lavanini. Definitely has the potential and more likely to stay on the right side of the referee’s whistle than red card liability Lavanini.
  6. Blindside Flanker – Pablo Matera – His discipline was poor this month but when it comes to physical commitment he’s hard to beat as is his eye for opportunity and causing havoc at the breakdowns and in the loose all coupled to a defensive effort that beggars belief at times.
  7. Openside Flanker – Marcos Kremer – Along with South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth, probably one of the most intimidating physical presences in International Test Rugby right now. Bulldozes opposition defenses into submission while presenting the equivalent of Hadrian’s Wall for them them to get through. Tough, hard and with ball in hand exceptionally difficult to bring down. Also seems impervious to injury. Like Matera had a poor month discipline wise and let his emotions get the better of him.
  8. No 8 – Facundo Isa – A bit of a problem position for Argentina at the moment, and although better than we’ve seen from Isa in a while, still not quite at the races and no clear favorite or specialist for the position.
  9. Scrum Half – Tomas Cubelli – Better showing from Cubelli and in many ways back to his best.
  10. Fly Half – Santiago Carreras – Despite the experiment we feel it’s worth sticking with. The lack of a goal kicker which Carreras clearly is not is a huge problem, but as a playmaker it’s been a good month of apprenticeship and we have a hunch it will pay dividends in the long run. Give it time.
  11. Left wing – Mateo Carreras – Young and slightly green around the edges but has no fear of the big occasions. Exceptionally exciting and talented young player that Argentina will really want to develop.
  12. Inside Centre – Jeronimo de la Feunte – Not a particularly flash month for the poweful centre, but a proven commodity and will no doubt be back to his best once he’s had some down time.
  13. Outside Centre – Lucio Cinti – Another new find who had little opportunity to shine, but when he did the skill set he can bring to Argentina’s midfield play was obvious.
  14. Right Wing – Bautista Delguy – Nobody really stood out for Argentina out wide on the right, but against France Delguy looked the most dangerous and has the advantage of being able to cover fullback if Boffelli is having a bad day. Best of a set of players who got little opportunity to shine.
  15. Fullback – Emiliano Boffelli – Scored some useful turnover ball for his side, and made some good metres but his goalkicking was erratic when Argentina needed it the most. Only player we got to see in the role during November, but not sure he’s still a shoe in for the World Cup.

That’s it for now, next up Australia and New Zealand!

It’s almost a new look England against an Australian side that has definitely advanced beyond the prototype stage!

As mentioned over on the TV page, I’m slightly slammed with work at the moment, but there are three genuinely tasty fixtures in this weekend’s second Round of the November Internationals that simply have to be acknowledged. So here are the things that struck me from each of the three, and in this final instalment we look at England vs Australia. I’d love to cover Wales and Fiji and Italy versus Argentina, as these matches also have the potential to provide some serious entertainment, but unfortunately time just doesn’t permit this week. I will be putting out a brief podcast on the Italy/Argentina game, even though I won’t be putting out a written piece on the game, as well as podcasts on all the games covered in the blog this week.

So we’ve waited a long time for an England squad that finally starts to look new, and on Saturday we almost get it. The starting XV isn’t all that fresh with the major exception being that fly half sensation Marcus Smith finally gets a start against top notch opposition. Freddie Steward also keeps his place at fullback, but apart from that it’s still for the most part business as usual for England. However, when you look at their bench, it’s almost a sea change. Sam Simmonds, back rower extraordinaire for Exeter finally gets included in a matchday 23 for England. Alex Dombrandt gets another shot from the bench, Max Malins in the backs, Raffi Quirke at scrum half and Jamie Blamire and Bevan Rodd in the front row. However, all eyes will be on Marcus Smith and if he makes a go of it expect him to get the nod next weekend in England’s World Cup grudge rematch with South Africa. Nevertheless just to keep it spicy Eddie Jones has stuck with some of his controversial selection and positional choices.

As for Australia, they are pretty happy with their new look, and despite coming unstuck against Scotland by the slimmest of margins last weekend, this is a unit that is humming quite nicely. They won’t be intimidated by England, even if some of their combinations aren’t quite clicking they way need to be against the big Northern Hemisphere sides. Add in the fact that they are clearly missing Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete, and things are not quite the way the Wallabies would like them to be. Nevertheless it’s still a pretty flash looking unit that knows how to score five pointers and has finally mastered the art of defence. They are familiar with each other and a culture of winning, something which this year has eluded England at key moments. Australia may not be as fully stocked as they would like for this one but make no mistake they will fancy their chances and have the talent to deliver on it.

England vs Australia – Saturday, November 13th – Twickenham

England may not be on a particularly healthy winning streak at the moment, but against Australia their stocks are riding high. In the last five encounters between the sides, England has won all of them. Australia still has the cold comfort of being the side that knocked England out of their own World Cup in the Pool stages, but since then it’s been pretty slim pickings against the Red Rose. England essentially start the process of building for the next World Cup on Saturday, mainly by ushering in Marcus Smith as the hottest thing to wear the ten jersey in white since Jonny Wilkinson. If you want excitement then the 22 year old rookie knows how to bring it on in stark contrast to his Captain Owen Farrell. But as flash as Smith is there is a surprisingly sharp rugby brain on those young shoulders. His creativity is something England have been craving and will need in order to counter the likes of France’s Matthieu Jalibert and Romain Ntamack come the Six Nations in two months.

For Australia, it’s all about building on what has been a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes since those three blowout losses to New Zealand earlier this year. Put those aside and the 2021 Wallaby vintage is proving to be an exceptionally robust offering. Defence which up to this year had been a bad joke in Australian rugby circles has suddenly become a creed to live and die by for this Wallaby squad, and the attacking enterprise and glorious running rugby of the 90s is back with a vengeance. In short, Australia are an exciting side to watch and they finally seem to know a thing or two about defence. They will need it and then some against an English side which looks set to turn a corner of their own.

Another in a long line of under appreciated Wallaby talent

Wallaby second rower Izack Rodda was always a player we thought had huge potential and his return to the Australian camp hasn’t proved us wrong

Ever since Izack Rodda burst onto the Wallaby scene in 2017, we’ve always thought he’d ultimately be one to watch. Sadly after a spell in France with Lyon, Australian rugby seemed to forget him. Consequently we were delighted to see him back this year and our faith in him has been rewarded. He missed all three Tests against the All Blacks but put in huge shifts against South Africa and Argentina, and was one of Australia’s most effective players against Scotland last Sunday. He’ll have his work cut out for him against the rather daunting figure of England’s Maro Itoje, but Australia can rest assured he’ll give as good as he gets and is unlikely to rise to Itoje trying to get under his skin. He just doesn’t seem to get rattled and that’s a quality Australia will need on Saturday.

Pick the odd one out

You guessed it the man in the middle Tom Curry – a flanker flanked by two number 8s.

On Saturday there are two highly competent number eights on the bench, but your starter number eight Tom Curry is by trade an openside flanker. Don’t get us wrong we think Curry is a genuinely great player, but we just don’t get Coach Eddie Jones’s positional thinking. We understand that Courtney Lawes has excelled in the back row compared to his traditional second row role so room had to be made for him. We also get the fact that Curry works so well with fellow “kamikaze twin” Sam Underhill, but surely in a game where England’s stocks are traditionally high players could afford to assume their traditional roles. While Curry had a good game against Tonga it didn’t really test his credentials as an eight – he could have played anywhere and looked good. In Australia’s Rob Valentini he’ll be up against a player who relishes the role of a big physical ball carrying eight ably supported by Captain Fantastic Michael Hooper. Dombrandt and Simmonds will appear for England as the match wears on, but the positional shifts that will have to take place in England’s back row as a result are anybody’s guess.

Lights, camera, action!!!

It’s finally here, England fly half Marcus Smith’s chance to shine on the big stage

We’ve waited all year and now it’s finally here, England finally decide to start their whizzkid fly half Marcus Smith in a major Test. Sure we got to see him against Tonga last weekend and were mesmerized by his ability, but if England are serious about their World Cup ambitions and a successful run up to it, then the youngster desperately needs big game time now and lots of it. While there is always the risk of throwing such promising talent into the fray too soon and seeing them eaten alive before they can reach their full potential, with Smith it’s definitely a risk worth taking. England need an option other than Owen Farrell and George Ford for not just this World Cup but those beyond it, and Smith is clearly the future. We cannot wait to see what the youngster can do up against a wily and pacy Wallaby outfit that has shown some genuine defensive nous of late. His opposite number James O’Connor still appears to be finding his feet, whereas Smith seems afraid of nothing and is clearly relishing the opportunity to make his case for France 2023 and beyond. It will be fascinating to see how Smith copes in this and most likely the match against South Africa, and his exploits are likely to feature heavily in this weekend’s highlight reels. He’ll have Owen Farrell on the pitch with him to lend some wisdom and a steadying hand, but we can’t wait to watch the fireworks.

Eddie Jones continues to keep us guessing with his positional switches

“Ok so I really like playing centre Eddie but yeah mate I guess I can give this wing thing a crack” – England centre Manu Tuilagi will adjust to life out wide on Saturday

England Coach Eddie Jones clearly sees centre Manu Tuilagi as his saviour and has made it clear that he regards him as key to England’s efforts in 2023. We get it, Tuilagi when fit is a LETHAL centre – so why not keep him there? Oh hang on sorry we forgot he needs to make room for Owen Farrell to chaperone Marcus Smith. Fair enough, but surely Adam Radwan, who so impressed against Tonga last week and doesn’t even make the bench for Saturday, would have been a better bet out wide than Tuilagi out of position. Perhaps the saving grace here is the fact that Tuilagi will only have to deal with Australia’s Tom Wright as opposed to the outstanding Andrew Kellaway, who will be Jonny May’s responsibility. If it’s an all out physical footrace between Wright and Tuilagi then our money’s on the man in the white jersey, the problem is Tuilagi is happier bashing his way up the middle and seems to run out of puff over distance. It’s a gamble we can’t wait to see play out either way.

Look who’s back?

Magician or court jester? Wallaby fullback Kurtley Beale makes his return to the Australian jersey, and which Beale will we get?

Kurtley Beale is one of those players who gets people out of their seats. When the utility back is on song he has produced some glorious moments for his country and the clubs he’s represented, most recently Racing 92 in France. The problem is when he’s having an off day things tend to go sideways quickly for not only him but the rest of his team. One thing he doesn’t seem overly comfortable with is the high ball and England are likely to ask him lots of questions on the subject all afternoon. However, with ball in hand his ability to counter attack from deep can equal any of the world’s best and his passing and kicking skills are hard to beat at pace. In short, there is very little middle ground with Beale – he’s either way off his game one day or a worthy contender for Man of the Match the next. Coach Dave Rennie will hope it’s the latter on Saturday.

This will be a contest make no mistake, but fortune clearly favors England at the moment, particularly when you look at the recent history between the two sides. Australia will be smarting from that narrow loss to Scotland and would love nothing better than to get one over the Men in White and their adoring fans at Fortress Twickenham. However, England look the more confident of the two sides and their new fly half is clearly chomping at the bit to get going against Australia. We don’t think the gap on the scoreboard is going to be as significant in England’s favor as many are predicting. It’s the first real Test of a slightly new look England against major opposition, and opening night nerves could get the better of them against an Australian side who won’t be feeling the pressure of an expectant Twickenham packed to the rafters and demanding results. It’s going to be a fascinating contest and a fitting end to a Super Saturday!

Ireland attempt to prove they’ve turned a corner against New Zealand

As mentioned over on the TV page, I’m slightly slammed with work at the moment, but there are three genuinely tasty fixtures in this weekend’s second Round of the November Internationals that simply have to be acknowledged. So here are the things that struck me from each of the three, with this second instalment looking at Ireland versus New Zealand. I’d love to cover Wales and Fiji and Italy versus Argentina, as these matches also have the potential to provide some serious entertainment, but unfortunately time just doesn’t permit this week.

In recent times, this fixture has provided us with some classics. We were fortunate enough to be at Soldier Field in Chicago that famous November afternoon five years ago when the Men in Green claimed their first ever All Black scalp. Since then encounters between the two have always (with the exception of the most recent World Cup quarter final) been tense and tight affairs with no quarters given on either side. Saturday’s reunion between the two in Dublin promises to be no different, and with the All Blacks occasionally misfiring at the moment, Ireland must surely be approaching this match with a healthy dose of optimism. Ireland made a Japanese side, that had been World Rugby’s new darlings since the last World Cup, look like rank amateurs in last Saturday’s 60-5 training romp. New Zealand will be a totally different proposition, but there is no denying that Ireland seem to have finally thrown off the shackles off the Joe Schmidt era and appear to want to play an exciting new brand of rugby, while having mastered the skills to go with it.

While it wasn’t New Zealand’s first choice team last weekend in Rome, there were still enough established starters in it that their inability to get on the scoreboard until the 27th minute will trouble the Coaching staff. Italy were able to ask them some serious questions in the first half, and in some cases New Zealand’s answers weren’t overly convincing. New Zealand have brought out the big guns for this Saturday, but we’re still not convinced that this is an All Black side capable of sweeping all and sundry aside, and in Ireland they will face a serious challenge. We’re not saying that New Zealand won’t be extremely difficult to beat, but invincible as in years gone by they certainly aren’t and consequently Ireland are likely to fancy their chances.

Ireland vs New Zealand – Saturday, November 13th – Dublin

Ireland come into this match off the back of a very flash performance against a Japanese side that clearly had no idea what had just hit them. However, as good as Ireland looked they weren’t really tested and Saturday’s encounter will be a vastly different prospect. Nevertheless, Ireland’s new look is polished with the old guard clearly mentoring the younger talent exceptionally well. If Ireland play like they did last Saturday, then they are much more capable of moving the ball around and adapting to changing circumstances than they have been in the past. In short, they were an exciting team to watch last weekend, and we sincerely hope they don’t revert to their old patterns against a much more challenging opponent.

New Zealand have in their last few matches looked a few degrees off the boil at times, and Ireland will be keen to exploit those weaknesses and moments of self doubt in the All Black set up. The problem is with New Zealand that they are able to fix whatever is tripping them up quicker than any other team on the planet. Since the defeat to South Africa and the wobbles against Italy last weekend in the first half, they will have probably written a complete manual on what they need to change and how to do it – while making it look ridiculously easy and simple all at the same time. There are enough wise heads in Saturday’s match day XV to ensure that whatever new Standard Operating Procedures they’ve come up with are adhered to in Dublin and very little is left to chance.

All the right stuff but needs some target practise

Irish Hooker Ronan Kelleher has been outstanding in everything else he does in the green jersey but hitting his targets come lineout time is still a concern

When you’re doing everything else so well and are such a huge asset to your team, it’s really unfortunate that just one minor detail that is so crucial to your role is holding you back. You guessed it we’re talking about Irish Hooker Ronan Kelleher’s success rate in the lineout. The rest of his game is so stellar that it really is frustrating that this one detail is still too much like playing the lottery for Ireland. Against Japan, Ireland could only manage a 67% success rate when it came to throwing the darts with Kelleher on the touchline. He simply has to do better and hopefully the Irish forwards Coach, the legendary Paul O’Connell, has been working with him to get this right. Against New Zealand it will be vital and the rest of Kelleher’s skill set is such a threat to the All Blacks that if he can just tighten up his throws then he could ultimately have a very large say in Saturday’s proceedings.

Part of the fix

Could Ian Henderson’s steady presence in the lineout alongside James Ryan help Kelleher find his targets better, as well as adding an edge of quiet aggression that Ireland need in the second row?

Given that James Ryan is a given in Ireland’s second row, it’s always a conundrum as to who to put alongside him. For a game of this stature it would appear that the Coaching staff have gone with Ian Henderson’s consistency and familiarity with the role, as well as his ability to get under the skin of his opponents come lineout time. Tadgh Beirne often gets the call, but we’d argue that for a match like this it’s better to have Beirne who is equally at home in the back or second rows, available on the bench to fill in where impact is most needed as the game unfolds. Instead put your specialist second rower Henderson in alongside Ryan at the start. Furthermore, we feel Henderson is often overlooked in Ireland’s decision making when it comes to selection and it’s good to see him get the game time he so deserves in such a high profile game.

Battle royale of the 8s

Potentially one of the most important contests of the afternoon – that between two of the modern game’s most dynamic 8s, New Zealand’s Ardie Savea and Ireland’s Jack Conan. The latter seen here on Lions duty in South Africa

Ireland’s Jack Conan was one of the most consistent players of the recent Lions tour to South Africa and one of Ireland’s best in this year’s Six Nations campaign. Ireland seem to have no shortage of quality back rowers, but Conan is rapidly starting to standout as one of the Northern Hemisphere’s very best. What Conan is to rugby North of the Equator, Ardie Savea has been the same to South of it and for a couple of years now. That the two are dynamic and powerful ball carriers is stating the obvious, but it’s their ability to spot gaps and gain valuable metres for their sides that marks them out. Once either of them have ball in hand and open space in front of them they are very hard to bring down, allied to a defensive set that ensures that opportunities in the loose for their opponents from the breakdown are few and far between. Savea may have the edge in securing turnover ball for his side but when it comes to run metres Conan is your man. As a result the contest between these two will be one of the highlights of the afternoon.

Finlay who?

Scrum half for New Zealand – Finlay Christie is rapidly becoming one to watch

New Zealand have long struggled, much as Ireland have with Conor Murray, as to who will replace Aaron Smith at scrum half when the legend eventually hangs up his hat. TJ Perenara seems to blow hot and cold too often for some, Brad Weber has also shown similar promise but seems to only have been recently discovered by All Black management and sadly for this match is out injured. Finlay Christie also appears to have been overlooked till recently. At 27 he is not exactly a spring chicken but like Weber has caught the eye of a Coaching team that until recently seemed to only have eyes for Perenara and Smith. With the World Cup rapidly approaching, New Zealand needs depth in the position and Christie and Weber are both key in that regard. Although Christie struggled to find his feet initially against Italy after coming off the bench after only 9 minutes for the injured Weber, he was the catalyst and scorer of New Zealand’s first try of what had been till then a fraught match for the Men in Black. He gets to start off the bench again this week, but if the pressure gets to Perenara expect to see him sooner rather than later and the contest between himself and Irish veteran Conor Murray will do wonders in furthering his apprenticeship.

As good as he was against Japan the key question simply wasn’t answered

Irish winger James Lowe had a fantastic afternoon against Japan, but not once was he tested defensively – an area that still remains a dangerous grey area for him and Ireland

While there was naturally a great deal of excitement about James Lowe’s performance in last Saturday’s romp against Japan, the elephant in the room when it comes to the Irish winger was not addressed – that of his defensive skills which have proven suspect too often. Japan simply didn’t require him to exercise much in the way of defense for the full eighty minutes. Therefore we learnt very little in terms of whether or not Lowe has addressed this major weakness in an otherwise impressive toolkit. We would hazard a guess and say no. While he may look less suspect at club level with Leinster, the men in Blue are so dominant at PRO 14 and now URC level that any deficiencies are usually papered over by the rest of his teammates. On Saturday, he’ll be up against All Black try scoring sensation Will Jordan and if he hasn’t improved in this area then it could well be a very long day at the office for Ireland. Fortunately Mr. Reliable for Ireland, Keith Earls is standing by on the bench should things unravel, and the Munster man’s overall skill set will put many an Irish supporters’ mind at ease, with try saving tackles being one of his specialities.

We have to confess to being more than just a little excited for this one. It should be an absolute cracker, with both sides capable of claiming the day’s honors. Both teams are playing an exciting brand of rugby, with Ireland in particular seeming to have found a new lease on life. It should be intensely physical but also a contest where both sides will seek opportunities to run the ball. New Zealand may have the edge in that department, but they won’t be discounting Ireland’s master tactician Johnny Sexton who like the rest of his team seems to have embraced Ireland’s new approach to playing a more open game. Two teams with everything to prove and a rather feisty history of late should provide for a riveting game you won’t want to miss on Saturday and one that at this stage is simply impossible to call!

Next up England vs Australia!

Scotland look to take on South Africa by muscling up!

As mentioned over on the TV page, I’m slightly slammed with work at the moment, but there are three genuinely tasty fixtures in this weekend’s second Round of the November Internationals that simply have to be acknowledged. So here are the things that struck me from each of the three, starting with Scotland and South Africa. I’d love to cover Wales and Fiji and Italy versus Argentina, as these matches also have the potential to provide some serious entertainment, but unfortunately time just doesn’t permit this week.

Last weekend’s dustup at Murrayfield between Scotland and Australia may have been a low scoring affair but it certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of excitement. It was a helter skelter affair from both sides, and if you liked running rugby then it was clear from the opening five minutes that you’d come to the right place. It was a game where as good as your attack was the defence was better. Throw in the inevitable errors and as a result it was never going to be a try fest per se, but there were countless attempts at crossing the whitewash from both sides which made for a very entertaining match. Scotland though will want to cut down the error rate and slow things down a bit, as if they thought the Australian defence was good, they are likely to find the Springbok version suffocating.

South Africa against Wales last weekend, consolidated their physical game plan in the rain while at the same time continuing to be more cautiously adventurous and backing the forward momentum of their set piece play. As we saw in the final Test of the Rugby Championship against New Zealand, South Africa are growing increasingly confident with hanging on to the ball as opposed to a kicking game that simply hands possession back to the opposition. In short, there’s not too much point in having one of the world’s best units of heavy artillery if you’re not willing to use it to put points on the board and create an attacking platform. It’s a refreshing change and it’s cleary working for South Africa.

Scotland will have to match the Springbok brawn up front as much as they will have to use the imagination of their backs to try and unpick a defensive system that looks rather impenetrable to say the least. It will be a very different Test of character than what they faced against Australia, but if they can get through this both in one piece injury wise and holding their own on the scoreboard then they will be more than just a little excited about the Six Nations looming just around the corner.

Scotland vs South Africa – Saturday, November 13th – Murrayfield

While Scotland’s win over Australia last weekend was a Test of how well they can hold up against sides like the Wallabies who love to play at speed, this weekend’s match is very much a test of Scotland’s staying power under intense physical pressure. The Springbok squad that rolls out onto the pitch on Saturday in Murrayfield is not for the faint hearted. It’s full of big bruising units who increasingly look to attack as much as they defend. In short, it’s going to be a game of attrition and Scotland while pleased with their win over Australia, will be aware that they’ve only had a six day turnaround for this one.

South Africa arrive in Murrayfield on a roll, and last weekend’s titanic struggle with Wales was engrossing stuff to say the least. South Africa held on in the foul Cardiff weather to secure an ultimately convincing win against a solid Welsh effort. While their often criticised game plan hasn’t changed much, it has become more effective while at the same time becoming slightly more adventurous and clinical. They seem to have realised the ball is their friend and hanging on to it off the back of some impressive work by their forward pack can pay dividends. They know that given half a chance Scotland’s set of maverick backs will run at them all day and as a result it will be better to be with the ball than without it.

A former Bull meets another

There were several standout performances from Scotland last Sunday, but loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman continued to impress and Coach Gregor Townsend will be relying on his uncompromising physicality to match what he knows South Africa will bring to the party. The South African import who learnt his trade with the Bulls under 20s, goes up against a senior Bull in the shape of the equally impressive Trevor Nyakane. Nyakane is having the best season of his career to date and the battle at scrum time between him and Schoeman will be a real gauge of how well Scotland will be able to face up to the meat grinder South Africa are bringing to Murrayfield. If Scotland can remain competitive at the coalface it will determine how well the rest of their pack will front up. In Schoeman, Hooker Stuart McInally and Zander Fagerson they have a trio who should be able hold their own.

Is it a bird – no it’s a Hooker!

Scottish replacement Hooker Ewan Ashman stole the headlines against Australia with a try more akin to a winger than a front row forward

Given Canada’s dismal performances at the moment, there must be more than a few wondering how we never got our hands on Toronto born Ewan Ashman. The Hooker got involved in last weekend’s match far earlier than he expected after having to come off the bench for George Turner after only 12 minutes in. To say that it was a debut that took the rugby press by storm is an understatement. The Scottish hooker turned in a outstanding 68 minute shift culminating in a try that saw him jot the ball down in the corner with some acrobatics to keep the ball and his feet away from the touch line that would have been the envy of many a winger. His set piece work was solid, his lineout throwing was accurate – in short a dream debut. He makes the bench again this week and while he might not get the same amount of game time as he did last week, we can’t wait for whatever kind of cameo he ends up getting.

South Africa’s unsung hero

Although there were many contenders for Man of the Match last week, we felt that South African back rower Kwagga Smith was unlucky not to get the nod

We sincerely hope that after last weekend, Kwagga Smith’s place in the Springbok squad is no longer up for debate. His stats last weekend were impressive, 9 tackles, 2 crucial turnovers and 2 defenders beaten. His work rate is always impressive, he seems to be everywhere and is, just like Scotland’s Hamish Watson, a downright menace in the back row for South Africa. Physically he’s almost exactly the same stature as Watson which left us puzzled as to why we see the Scot on the bench yet Smith in the Springbok starting lineup. The Springboks as masters of hard hitting physical contact seem quite happy with Smith’s size, yet for this match Scotland have decided that they want to start with the big men in the shape of Jamie Ritchie, Nick Haining and Matt Fagerson. It will be fascinating to see when Watson gets brought into the fray to counter the outright nuisance factor of Smith.

Has he finally matured into a Test 10?

It’s been a long time coming but it seems we just had to be patient as Springbok fly half Elton Jantjies has finally brought his Super Rugby talents to the Test arena

We’ll be the first to admit that we’ve given Springbok fly half Elton Jantjies a lot of stick over the years. We’ve always admired his skills in Super Rugby but somehow such skills always seemed to vanish the minute he pulled on the green jersey. His last couple of outings however, have revised our opinions. He was excellent in closing out the Springboks recent win over New Zealand, and looked composed last weekend when he came off the bench against Wales in appalling conditions. This week is a big Test as Coach Jacques Nienaber has given him the starting berth. As long as Jantjies continues in the vein of his last few games, then we’d argue it could be a master stroke. Regular starter Handre Pollard is perhaps too conservative to be able to deal with Scotland’s maverick fly half Finn Russell, whereas there is a serious streak of flair in Jantjies and he has been known to pull off some rather remarkable and bold moves in the past. Provided that Jantjies understands that endlessly kicking to a very pacy and mobile Scottish back line is going to cause his team all kinds of headaches defensively, it could well be time for Jantjies to put on show some of those pinpoint kicks to put his own backs in space that he is famous for with the Lions in Super Rugby. Just pick your moments carefully Elton – that’s all we and your teammates ask!

Another Scottish newbie seeks to impress on the big stage!

Against Tonga Scottish newcomer Rufus McLean was electric on the wing

When your Coach says to you that on only your second cap you’re going up against one of the paciest and most inventive wingers in Test Rugby, South Africa’s Makazole Mapimpi, then if that’s not a vote of confidence in your abilities then we don’t know what is! Scottish Winger Rufus McLean was a joy to watch against Tonga, but South Africa will be the sternest possible Test the 21 year old could ask for on only his second outing in the blue jersey. If he can create the kind of magic he put on display against Tonga orchestrated by Chief Wizard Finn Russell, while keeping South Africa’s Makazole Mapimpi in check then Scotland will feel more than a little confident heading into next year’s Six Nations. We just hope that putting the youngster under such pressure so soon doesn’t break his spirit. He seems a fairly confident young man so we think he might just rise to the occasion.

The weather for Saturday’s match looks set to cooperate and unlike South Africa’s rain soaked encounter with Wales, it should be a fine day for some running rugby. The Springboks while still holding true to what they believe works for them, seem to have developed a more rounded and complete game since the Lions series. Their physical prowess is not in doubt, but they now seem much more confident in using it to support their efforts with ball in hand. It’s going to be a big bruising afternoon in Murrayfield, and as talented as Scotland are they may just not have enough to put the brakes on a Springbok juggernaut that is once more developing a rather frightening head of steam. Either way we’re in for a contest of two very different playing styles and this is a game you simply won’t want to miss – plain and simple!

Next up – Ireland vs New Zealand!

A Whirlwind Tour of this weekend’s Autumn International action – Part 3

As mentioned over on the TV page, work is dominating my life at the moment, so there is very little time to watch all the great rugby coming our way over the next three weeks, let alone write about it. However, with so much to talk about, felt I had to get something down on paper ahead of the opening weekend of the November Test window which will offer us some mouth watering contests. So instead of a piece on each of the games, sadly this week I am having to do a quick round of the key matches and a bullet point version of what struck me the most. I’ll also be attempting to put out a podcast before kickoff of the Italy/New Zealand game tomorrow morning.

So without any further ado let’s get into Part 3 and probably the game I’m looking forward to the most!

France vs Argentina – Saturday, November 6th – Paris

On paper given the recent form of both sides, this should be a fairly straight forward exercise favoring France. In the eight times the two sides have met since 2012 France have won five times. However, many of the encounters have been tight affairs and clashes between these two sides are usually worth the price of admission and ones which seem to bring out the best in both of them. Consequently, while the form book favors France by a considerable margin this is a match you may well find that your curiosity gets the better of you and you can’t look away. This could be one of the unlikely upsets of the month – remote but not impossible.

The weight of the world on some very young shoulders – French scrum half Antoine Dupont is handed the Captaincy

Antoine Dupont is arguably one of the best, if not the best, players in the global game right now. In terms of a rugby brain it is hard to find better allied to a skill set that at times defies belief. With regular French Captain Charles Ollivon out with injury, Dupont finds himself being handed the leader’s armband. While there is no doubting his ability, he has never Captained his club side Toulouse let alone the national side. While one can understand the rationale behind it, there is also a fear that the burden will constrict his freedom and natural joie de vivre on the pitch, qualities that serve his team so well in battle. To be honest we were surprised that back rower Anthony Jelonch didn’t get the honors after doing such a sterling job in the role this summer on France’s whirlwind tour to Australia. It’s a gamble by French Coach Fabien Galthie and we sincerely hope it’s one that pays off, especially with New Zealand lying in wait at the end of the month.

Otherwise France pack a powerful squad for this one. It’s a solid front row, with Hooker Julien Marchand looking to build on his excellent showing in Australia. Anthony Jelonch returns at 8, alongside the outstanding Cameron Woki. France are employing a powerhouse playmaking trio, comprising of Dupont at scrum half, Matthieu Jalibert at fly half and a new role for Romain Ntamack in the centres. If that doesn’t reek of razzle dazzle then we don’t know what does and the rest of the rugby world will need to pay close attention. Out wide France ooze class with Damian Penaud and Gabin Villiere, and Gael Fickou will ably marshal France’s midfield defences alongside Ntamack. Lastly one of the revelations of the Australian tour fullback Melvyn Jaminet earns a starting berth and rightly so.

A star studded bench featuring the superb utility forward Gregory Alldritt and bruising centre Jonathan Danty completes a pretty impressive looking French roster.

One to watch – Argentine prop Thomas Gallo

Argentina bring some big names to Paris for this encounter, but one guy who may not feature in the who’s who of Pumas rugby is prop Thomas Gallo. However, we have a hunch that the youngster will be by the end of this month. On debut in Argentina’s final Rugby Championship match against Australia he scored both of the Pumas tries. In short, this young man is going places in a hurry and France will need to try and stop him dead in his tracks from the outset.

For the rest, Argentina bring a star studded cast to Paris, but somehow they are having trouble remembering their lines as an ensemble so far this year. Hooker and Captain Julian Montoya was arguably the best number 2 of the Rugby Championship but allied to a losing cause. He was a fan favorite and is rapidly rising to the lofty heights of his predecessor, the legendary Agustin Creevy. It’s a powerful and dynamic second row with Tomas Lavanini and Guido Petti allied to a bone crunching and highly mobile back row of Pablo Matera, Facundo Isa and the outstanding Marcos Kremer. With fly half Nicolas Sanchez not quite match fit, Santiago Carreras continues his impressive apprenticeship in the ten jersey alongside the experienced Tomas Cubelli at scrum half. The centres and back line are all world class, they just have to gel as a unit to realize their individual brilliance.

In short it’s a quality Pumas side that just needs to keep its cool in terms of discipline and organisation and work together as cohesive unit. If they can do that, this could be a very tight and enthralling contest. If they don’t then by the time the second half gets underway it’s likely to be all about one team in dark blue jerseys till the final whistle. It may be a dead rubber if Argentina’s poor form continues, but if not this could arguably be one of the best contests of the weekend. If nothing else we have a hunch that at least the first half will be well worth your time tomorrow!

Scotland vs Australia – Sunday, November 7th – Murrayfield

If you ask us this is the game we are most looking forward to this weekend. Two teams who just keep getting better and better and who simply love to run the ball. As excitement machines these are two of the best sides we’ll see this month. In short, if you only watch one game this weekend, this is the one we think that merits your undivided attention. Since 2006 the sides have met eight times and it’s level at 4 all.

Scotland’s chief mischief maker fly half Finn Russell is back to do over three weekends what he wasn’t allowed to do on the Lions tour

Scotland are once more reunited with Finn Russell and many wonder how different the Lions series would have gone had he been allowed to weave his magic. Alas it wasn’t to be, but Scotland will want to make sure that within reason the playmaking maverick will be given free reign over the next three weeks. While he is still prone to bouts of recklessness there is no doubt the impish fly half has brought a slightly calmer and more measured approach to his game this year. The unpredictability is still there which makes him such a nightmare for opposition defences to read, but it’s a bit more thought out than in the past and slightly less impulsive. In short, he is just as gifted as he’s always been but with experience is now packing a rugby intellect to match the skill set.

Much the same can be said of the rest of the Scottish lineup to meet this Australian outfit that suddenly seems to be going places in a hurry. The front row has been blighted by injury, but is still packing some decent threats in the shape of new man Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson with George Turner needing to have the kind of performance at Hooker that helped Scotland overturn England at Twickenham in the Six Nations. It’s the back row though that excites us the most, with Jamie Ritchie, the irrepressible Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson – all wrecking balls in their own right but welded together present an ominous force. We’ve already highlighted the quality in the half backs with Ali Price adding significant value to the scrum half berth. The backs all ooze speed and a set of heels that are going to give the Wallabies defensive structures an extreme workout. When you have the class of wingers Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham being ably assisted by Captain and fullback Stuart Hogg, backed up by Chris Harris and Sam Johnson in the centre channels, Scotland will be spoilt for choice in terms of how they’ll want to run the ball on Sunday. Perhaps our only regret is not getting a chance to see Glasgow Warriors fly half Ross Thompson get another chance off the bench.

He may not be Finn Russell but reformed Wallaby fly half James O’Connor will relish the opportunity to stamp his authority back on the 10 jersey

All the talk this year so far when it comes to the Wallabies has been about the comeback of Quade Cooper in fly half berth, but O’Connor has also made his return and cleaned up his act considerably in the process. The quality was always there, but much like Cooper it was mired in personal excesses. There is no doubt he is a talented player and while he may not be able to pull rabbits out of the hat to the same degree as his Scottish counterpart, he can pack some surprises of his own when he needs to. He couldn’t ask for a better Test of how far he’s managed to progress his game in the last year than by going up against the Scottish magician. If he can hold his own and keep the Wallabies on the front foot and with the upper hand, then expect to see the Australian media suddenly forget all about Quade Cooper’s miracle comeback.

For the rest of it, despite the absence of Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete for this match, it’s still an exciting and rejuvenated Wallaby side brimming with confidence that takes to the field in Edinburgh on Sunday. Wallaby Coach Dave Rennie has decided to keep his star front rower Taniela Tupou on the bench for this one, but expect to see the Wallaby wonder weapon sooner rather than later. There’s lot of talk about the return of Will Skelton in the second row, as he features on the bench for the first time for the Wallabies since 2016. Rob Valetini and Captain Michael Hooper pack a back row that can go head to head with Scotland’s best. We’ve already mentioned James O’Connor while Nic White needs no introduction as the cheeky but resourceful Wallaby scrum half. Andrew Kellaway makes an interesting shift from the wing, where he scored try after try for Australia during the Rugby Championship to shore up the position that Australia does seem to struggle with at the moment, that of fullback. It’s quality for quality in the rest of the backs to match Scotland’s speedsters, but Australia’s defences will be tested and Jordan Petaia really needs to step up and be counted out wide, as good as he is on attack.

It’s a quality bench that sees another Wallaby return to action after a spell away, utility back Kurtley Beale. We’d argue that in Nic White and his replacement Tate McDermott, Australia have the better set of options in getting go forward ball from the scrum half position.

In short, this should be an absolute thriller of running and attacking rugby, ably assisted by a cooperative weather forecast. Of all the games this weekend, this is our number one pick and the one we feel you won’t want to miss. We have a hunch you’re going to be on the edge of your seat until the final whistle, having been fully entertained for the full eighty minutes.

So that’s it for now folks. Enjoy what should be a stellar weekend of Test Rugby and best of all another two to come. I’ll try and bash out a podcast or two early tomorrow morning before everything kicks off. Till then take care and stay safe!

A Whirlwind Tour of this weekend’s Autumn International action – Part 2

As mentioned over on the TV page, work is dominating my life at the moment, so there is very little time to watch all the great rugby coming our way over the next three weeks, let alone write about it. However, with so much to talk about, felt I had to get something down on paper ahead of the opening weekend of the November Test window which will offer us some mouth watering contests. So instead of a piece on each of the games, sadly this week I am having to do a quick round of the key matches and a bullet point version of what struck me the most. I’ll also be attempting to put out a podcast before kickoff of the Italy/New Zealand game tomorrow morning.

So without any further ado let’s get into Part 2!

England vs Tonga – Saturday, November 6th – Twickenham

While the result is not really in doubt this is the first look at a supposedly new English side. In reality we don’t think it’s all that refreshing and as always Coach Eddie Jones’ selections leave us slightly puzzled. Against a cobbled together Tongan side, we thought it would be a golden opportunity for a sea change in England selection policy to find and prove some much needed, and in some cases blatantly obvious, depth ahead of two challenging fixtures with Australia and South Africa.

Is this all we get in terms of new blood when there is so much more? Winger Adam Radwan and fullback Freddie Steward

As usual England Coach Eddie Jones proves obstinate in his selection policies. Surely this match which should be a mere formality for England, without any disrespect to a spirited but cobbled together Tongan side, is the perfect opportunity to start some of the new talent that Eddie Jones knows his side needs ahead of the World Cup and with two challenging fixtures this month against Australia and South Africa. Instead it’s business as usual with a few perplexing positional calls. The front row is tried and trusted as is the second row, with a host of familiar and formidable faces, most notably lock Maro Itoje. However, it’s the back row that has left most of us confused and English supporters fuming. While there is no denying how well Tom Curry works with Sam Underhill, the ‘kamikaze twins’ work best as flankers, and as he proved this year in the Six Nations and on the Lions tour Curry is not a number eight. England’s best prospects at eight are Sam Simmonds who once again, for reasons that beggar understanding, finds himself nowhere near the squad and a natural number eight Alex Dombrandt is consigned to the bench.

While there are concerns about an injury to superstar English fly half in the making Marcus Smith, surely this match was an opportunity to blood someone other than the ponderous Owen Farrell and the equally pedestrian Ben Youngs at scrum half, as there is simply no vision for the future here and time is running out with the World Cup less than two years away. In short, the only look at the future we get in England’s starting fifteen tomorrow is in the shape of Adam Radwan on the wing and Freddie Steward, both of whom thoroughly impressed during England’s summer tussles with the USA and Canada. Eddie Jones continues to pin his hopes on centre Manu Tuilagi, but we think we can say with absolute certainty that he is likely to be out with yet another one of the seemingly endless injuries that have sadly plagued this talented player’s career. There is some scope to look into the crystal ball of England’s future on the bench, but it’s still far less than we had expected for a match like this.

Tonga will be bolstered by the inclusion of Glasgow Warriors impressive winger Walter Fifita

Tonga produces talented rugby players of that there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever. Ask any Coach in New Zealand or Australia or talent scout in Europe. The problem is that as a national side they get to spend so little time together, that representative Tongan teams always feel patched together. They play with plenty of heart and can often punch way above their weight as individuals, but rarely are able to play as a cohesive unit. It’s a big ask for them on Saturday especially up against an English side that shows little in the way of experimentation and plenty of familiar faces.

We just hope it won’t be a completely one sided romp for the Men in White and that in the process Tonga are able to ask England some questions that Coach Eddie Jones has either decided to ignore or feels are not relevant to a World Cup that is starting to approach his charges at a rate of knots.

Wales vs South Africa – Saturday, November 6th – Cardiff

Along with France vs Argentina and Scotland vs Australia on Sunday, this is one of the three big games of the weekend and of the two games in this Part 2 of our look at the weekend’s action the one you won’t want to miss. Wales have a good track record against South Africa, but the Springboks found their mojo against New Zealand and are once again looking competent and confident. Something which Wales to be honest are not looking right now after their hiding at the hands of New Zealand and as usual an injury list from hell.

Two vital missing ingredients last weekend – fly half Dan Biggar and winger sensation Louis Rees-Zammit

Last weekend’s encounter against New Zealand was definitely a Test too soon for a Welsh side depleted by injury and several key players on Premiership duty in England. Things are rosier on the latter front this weekend as fly half Dan Biggar and winger Louis Rees-Zammit return for duty. Dan Biggar’s playmaking skills and ever reliable boot allied to the sheer pace and ability of the most exciting find in Welsh rugby in the last five years, winger Louis Rees-Zammit, will mean that Wales are likely to be infinitely more competitive than they were last weekend against a powerhouse All Black outfit.

In the front row Hooker Ryan Elias will be feeling the pressure after failing to deliver last weekend, especially at lineout time. Wales will be feeling the loss of talismanic Captain Alun Wyn Jones in the second row and on the pitch in general, while Adam Beard despite looking good in the Six Nations and on the Lions tour struggled for the most part to get to grips with Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock last Saturday. It’s a competitive Welsh back row with Aaron Wainwright and Taine Balsham, with both looking good against the All Blacks last weekend despite the latter’s lack of Test experience. However, they are up against a powerhouse Springbok set of forwards who caused all kinds of grief for New Zealand in the Rugby Championship. As good as he is, many feel that the return of flanker Ellis Jenkins from injury in a match that is likely to be intensely physical, is definitely a bridge too soon.

As already mentioned Wales will breathe a sigh of relief with Dan Biggar back in the mix at fly half as he’s a good match for Handre Pollard, and Tomos Williams at scrum half also impressed yet again last weekend. We just don’t feel that the Welsh centre pairing of Jonathan Davies and Nick Tompkins is a match for an increasingly electric and imaginative Springbok offering of Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende. Wales will place a great deal of hope in wingers Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit and if Biggar and the rest of his colleagues can get these two in space then it could be a long day at the office for South Africa, as well as both players being sound in defence. It’s a decent bench for Wales with Liam Williams able to cover for Johnny McNicholl should South Africa choose to stick with their tried and trusted aerial assault.

South Africa may be without Faf de Klerk at scrum half but it will be Herschel Jantjies chance to shine

Herschel Jantjies has had to live in the shadow of regular Springbok scrum half Faf de Klerk since that memorable win over the All Blacks in New Zealand three years ago when he wore the 9 jersey. As a result we feel his game has suffered somewhat. We know what he can do he just needs the opportunity to do so. As a result this November tour is his golden opportunity. With de Klerk out injured it is likely that Jantjies will start in all three of the Springboks’ Tests. After tomorrow’s match he will get his chance to measure his mettle against Scotland and England, and a good performance in Cardiff should get him back on the upwards trajectory we first saw back in 2018.

South Africa’s last match of the Rugby Championship against New Zealand this year, and arguably their best game since their World Cup triumph over England, saw them finally show some ambition in attack and trust themselves to make their renown physicality count with ball in hand. This belief led to points on the board while keeping New Zealand out of the match as much as possible. They toned down their much criticised kicking game, used the boot more sparingly and effectively and trusted the momentum and physicality of their pack to release their backs. If they employ a similar approach against Wales it could be a long and tiring day at the coalface for the Men in Red with few weaknesses to exploit. It’s a solid Springbok lineup for Saturday’s game and we are hard pressed to find fault with it. If anything our only gripes are once again the absence of Aphelele Fassi in the backs and Jesse Kriel being a starting winger. In Kriel’s case we think there are better options and he is still more suited to the centre role as a bench replacement, while Steyn who makes the bench can simply be too hot and cold for our liking. Lastly we still remain to be convinced by fullback Damian Willemse at Test level, and feel that not giving Fassi a shot here is an opportunity gone missing yet again. The fact that Fassi doesn’t even make the bench leaves us muttering under our breath.

South Africa have the potential to reverse an unfortunate history of being on the wrong side of the scoreline in Cardiff, but this is a strengthened Welsh side smarting from their pounding at the hands of the All Blacks. The Principality Stadium was packed to the rafters last weekend for the first time since the pandemic and with the famous crowd demanding nothing less than outright victory from what looks to be a much more competitive Welsh side, expect this fixture to be rather feisty to say the least. It’s definitely our pick of the two matches in this piece if you only get to watch one of them!

A Whirlwind Tour of this weekend’s Autumn International action – Part 1

As mentioned over on the TV page, work is dominating my life at the moment, so there is very little time to watch all the great rugby coming our way over the next three weeks, let alone write about it. However, with so much to talk about, felt I had to get something down on paper ahead of the opening weekend of the November Test window which will offer us some mouth watering contests. So instead of a piece on each of the games, sadly this week I am having to do a quick round of the key matches and a bullet point version of what struck me the most. I’ll also try and put out a podcast if time permits.

So without any further ado let’s get into it!

Italy vs New Zealand – Saturday, November 6th – Rome

Italy get the party started on Saturday with a rather daunting fixture against the mighty All Blacks. As much as it is likely to be a one sided contest, Italy know they have nothing to lose and are likely using this match to get some game time for players they will be counting on for the two matches they will be targeting this month Argentina and Uruguay.

It’s time for Italy’s wonder kid fly half Paolo Garbisi to shine

With the exception of a few French and English based and Zebre players this is essentially URC side Benetton vs the All Blacks and with good reason. Benetton have certainly looked enterprising in the URC and are proving to be an exceptionally competitive team even if they are slightly shy on results. However, Saturday’s game sees the return to the Azurri of arguably their biggest star from club duty in France with Montpelier – fly half Paolo Garbisi. He’ll be up against one of the world’s best in the shape of New Zealand’s Richie Mo’unga, but if he can keep his cool and not kick the ball away without purpose which he is prone to do under pressure, then it will bode well for Italy’s other two Tests of the month against Argentina and Uruguay. Italy also have a new Coach former Benetton and Canada Coach Kieran Crowley. Let’s face it his track record with Benetton isn’t exactly stellar despite them winning the recent Rainbow Cup, and with Canada there was also little to write home about. Italy look strong in the back row and in the half backs. Their backs are exciting and they have a useful center pairing in Marco Zanon and a player to watch as far as we are concerned Juan Ignacio Brex.

In short, Italy will need to play smart and not kick the ball away except maybe to George Bridge who seems uncomfortable under the high ball, avoid chucking the ball around too much and watch their discipline.

The big news is the return of back rower Sam Cane to the All Black Captaincy

Although it is not New Zealand’s first string side, and with no disrespect to Italy it doesn’t need to be, it’s hard to see anything other than a comfortable win for the Men in Black. The big news is the return of back rower Sam Cane to the Captaincy and his first international outing since coming back from injury. It’s a strong front row from New Zealand especially with Hooker Dane Coles in the mix. However, it’s the back row of Cane and newcomer Luke Jacobsen who we’ve found rather impressive shored up by Hoskins Sotutu who is getting a lot of headline space at Super Rugby level with the Blues. We’re happy to see Brad Weber get another shot at scrum half but watch for another rising star Finlay Christie when he comes off the bench. Sevu Reece returns on the wing after blitzing the Americans and Damian McKenzie looks as always to cause havoc at fullback. The big question mark will be George Bridge on the wing who absolutely went to pieces under the high ball against South Africa even if he is rather handy with ball in hand.

In short, it’s likely to be all about New Zealand as they get some useful game time for their bench to feature against tougher opponents in the shape of Ireland and France.

Ireland vs Japan – Saturday, November 6th – Dublin

This game back in July was a thriller while we also felt Japan acquitted themselves very well against a formidable looking Wallaby outfit last month. Japan are one of the most entertaining sides to watch in Test rugby right now, while Ireland will want to find their groove in preparation for their showpiece event of the month – next weekend’s encounter with New Zealand.

Not done yet – Irish fly half Jonathan Sexton really does seem to be irreplaceable but many are wondering if time is running out with the World Cup less than two years away

Ireland without many of their key players away on Lions duty found Japan a bit of a handful this summer to say the least . With all their big guns turning out for this one, it’s a mark of the respect Ireland are showing to a Japanese side that continues to impress. Ireland will want to stop Japan showcasing their creativity and ability to pull off some of the most remarkable offloads in the modern game. In order to do that, it is not surprising that legendary Irish fly half Jonathan Sexton returns to duty to try and contain and slow down the Japanese mavericks. The problem is that there is no genuine replacement for him on the radar and with the next World Cup less than two years away at which time he will be 38, it is no wonder that Irish fans are having a few sleepless nights at the moment. However, along with Sexton, Ireland are packing a bruising outfit that is likely to stifle any kind of creativity that Japan will no doubt try and produce. We’re pleased to see dynamic Hooker Ronan Kelleher get the start tomorrow as part of a powerhouse Irish front row, which Japan will struggle to compete with. The second row of James Ryan and Tadgh Beirne won’t make life any easier for Japan while the back row sees experience from Jack Conan and Josh Van der Flier with excitement in the shape of newcomer Caelan Doris.

For this match we would have preferred to see some of the understudies for the scrum half position get a shot but clearly it’s not to be. It’s a powerful and creative centre pairing of Bundee Aki and the elusive Gary Ringrose, while the back line continues to explore the defensive liabilities of winger James Lowe, but should be comfortable with Andrew Conway. Fullback Hugo Keenan, who we thought should have seen Lions duty, will have his work cut out with trying to contain Japanese superstar Kotaro Matsushima, but the Leinster man seems to be able to cope with whatever challenges get sent his way. It’s a quality bench but our highlight will be seeing winger Keith Earls back in action. Earls has had a remarkable battle with injury of late but is playing some of the best rugby of his career and clearly enjoying himself.

Japan’s Mr. Excitement – fullback Kotaro Matsushima

Keep your eyes peeled on Saturday for the jersey wearing number 15. Japanese fullback Kotaro Matsushima who currently plies his trade with French side Clermont Ferrand, makes a return to the Japanese jersey and given that he lit up the World Cup, Ireland will really want to keep the Blossoms speedster in check. As Japan showed over the summer though they can be competitive and gave both the Lions and Ireland a run for their money and most recently the Wallabies. With essentially a full strength side this is a Japanese team to reckon with. Look out for number 8 Kazuki Himeno’s battle with Jack Conan and if you want some spirited encounters then look no further than the creative and dynamic halfback pairing of scrum half Yutaka Nagare and fly half Yu Tamara. Japan have some pacy backs and then there is a certain Mr. Matsushima as the last line of defence.

Ireland should emerge winners but are going to be asked some serious questions in the process, which will be excellent preparation for their ultimate challenge this month, next weekend’s fixture with the All Blacks. However, expect Japan to entertain from start to finish and you won’t want to miss this one.

We’ll be back shortly with parts 2 and 3. So enjoy these two and if you only watch one tomorrow then obviously our money is on the Ireland/Japan fixture.

A Test too soon?

Wales take on New Zealand this weekend in a game that, similar to last weekend’s misguided matchup between the All Blacks and the USA, appears to be poorly timed and leaving one team with one hand tied behind its back. Wales are without a number of key players doing club duty in England’s domestic Premiership this weekend, and while we don’t doubt for a second the resolve of Welsh Coach Wayne Pivac’s charges, for many of them it could be a bridge too far against an All Black side suffering no such constraints.

New Zealand come into this game with a full complement of superstars, and although there are some key names missing such as scrum half Aaron Smith, this is not an All Black side most of us would want to meet in a dark alley let alone on a rugby pitch. Big, powerful, fast and exceptionally talented, All Black Coach Ian Foster has picked a side that few can argue with.

Wales on the other hand have a blend of wise old heads and rather exciting albeit slightly raw talent. It’s very much a case of a souped up muscle car put together in someone’s garage taking on a Formula 1 car. There is room for surprises and Wales will bring some real grunt to this contest, but it’s hard to see them going toe to toe with an All Black machine that has rarely faltered so far this year. However,take a fired up Welsh side, give them the underdog label and then stick them in front of an ardent Principality Stadium crowd and who knows what might happen?

A time for cool heads at the coalface

Ironically it would appear that all the pressure is on New Zealand’s Codie Taylor as opposed to Wales’ Ryan Elias despite the Welshman’s lack of caps

Wales’ Hooker Ryan Elias may not have quite the same number of Test caps as his illustrious opponent Codie Taylor on Saturday, but he has put in some solid performances in the Welsh jersey. While his club side Scarlets may be struggling a bit at the moment, his former boss at Parc Y Scarlets, Welsh Coach Wayne Pivac is fully cognizant of what Elias can bring to the Welsh party.

New Zealand’s Codie Taylor on the other hand will be feeling the heat on Saturday. There is no question that he has not been at his best of late, with his work at the set pieces less than stellar at several key moments in New Zealand’s 2021 season. Consequently the pressure is all on him as opposed to his Welsh opposite number, as the New Zealander has everything to prove with his rival Dane Coles breathing down his neck for the starter 2 jersey.

As a result despite his lack of experience against the kind of powerhouse front row that New Zealand are bringing to Cardiff, Elias may be the more comfortable of the two Hookers. With all the spotlights being on his opposite number, he may be less prone to mistakes and allowed to enjoy the privilege of measuring himself against one of the best sides in the world.

The ultimate Welsh warhorse

He may not be quite as quick as he used to be, but he still remains indestructible and one of the finest leaders of men any side could ask for

Welsh Captain and second rower Alun Wyn Jones is a legend plain and simple. We all marveled at his superhuman return from a dislocated shoulder this summer after Captaining the Lions against Japan. In a mere four weeks, he was back at it leading the Lions against arguably THE most physically demanding side on the planet – the Springboks. Wales are a completely different beast with him on the park, and the youngsters in the squad will benefit from his leadership and calmness on the pitch against seemingly overwhelming odds. Jones’ battle with his opposite number, New Zealand’s Brodie Retallick will be worth the price of admission alone this Saturday, with the All Black giving away far too many penalties for New Zealand Coach Ian Foster’s liking at the moment.

New kids on the block – but impressive works in progress

If you want a look at some rising talent in New Zealand and Wales then look no further than back rowers Ethan Blackadder and Taine Balsham

New Zealand back rower Ethan Blackadder comes from a rather impressive pedigree. His father Todd Blackadder has Captained the All Blacks and currently is regarded by many as the best Coach in New Zealand and some would argue should have got the top job. But ancestry aside Blackadder is definitely the real deal, albeit a bit rough around the edges still. He’s a versatile player who can when needed switch to the second row. His ball security may not be the best at times but this is definitely a player to watch as New Zealand starts to draw up their training squads for the next World Cup.

Meanwhile, Wales’ Taine Balsham is arguably the most exciting newcomer to take to the field for Wales on Saturday. He looked good off the bench this summer against Canada and consequently is rewarded with this first start for the Men in Red. As your first start, it doesn’t get much bigger than this but Wales need to find some fresh talent in the back row to shore up their stocks, given that both Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi are out with injury. Balsham is a natural fit despite the up and down form so far this season of his club side the Dragons in the URC. With fellow Dragons Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright alongside him the youngster should feel right at home.

Is his star waning?

While scrum half TJ Perenara’s acting skills during the haka are second to none, those on the field have started to look questionable

All Black scrum TJ Perenara has had to live in the shadow of Aaron Smith all his career, and it would appear that this year it is starting to show. He now has Brad Weber hot on his heels to secure the second choice 9 jersey, and it would appear that Weber is starting to pull ahead. Perenara has just not been that sharp in the last two years. Famous for his constant chirping at the referees, it has unfortunately cost his team on a few occasions, as he has spent more time trying to officiate than actually play the game as well as giving away silly penalties. While his ability to rattle the opposition is clearly part of his skill set, he simply doesn’t have the eye for space and opportunity that Smith and Weber do.

He’ll be up against Wales and Cardiff Blues Tomos Williams who can be a real live wire, but is also likely to remain oblivious to Perenara’s endless commentary. The race for the number one spot on Wayne Pivac’s team sheet for the scrum half berth is definitely on, and we’d argue that Williams’ eye for opportunity may see him get the nod come the end of November.

A welcome return to the Welsh fold

We are delighted to see Gareth Anscombe back in the mix for Wales at fly half

Wales need an understudy for Dan Biggar and they need it quickly. Rhys Priestland who makes the bench for Wales for this match, has put in some impressive performances, but given his age it is unlikely he’ll be a prospect for the next World Cup and beyond. As a result Gareth Anscombe, who ironically is also qualified to play for New Zealand, is the real deal and his return from injury is probably the best early Christmas present Wayne Pivac will get this year, barring a possible earlier than expected recovery of Welsh backrower Justin Tipuric. Anscombe’s playmaking skills are solid and they’ll need to be up against Test Rugby’s ultimate opportunist New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett. Where Anscombe may not be the silky operator Barrett is, his goal kicking is infinitely more reliable than the All Black’s. If it comes down to a goal kicking penalty contest then our money’s on Anscombe.

It’s hard to disagree with the bookies, pundits and people infinitely wiser than ourselves when it comes to matters of the oval ball, who argue that this is a Test that has come a week too soon. Without some of their England based players Wales simply cannot match the pedigree that this All Black side has to offer. However, what we can’t agree with is the fact that everyone seems to have written Wales off before referee Mathieu Raynal has blown the first whistle. We have a hunch that by doing so Wales head into this match feeling very comfortable with the underdog label, as well as much of the pressure being all on their opponents’ shoulders. While the assumption that New Zealand will win, is probably a fairly comfortable one, we still think this is going to be a hard fought and closely contested affair. New Zealand have shown that they can be vulnerable this year and scoreboard pressure is something they don’t seem to cope well with. There’s enough talent in this Welsh squad to recognize any potential weaknesses and how to exploit them.

While it may be a Test too soon in terms of personnel as far as Wales are concerned, we don’t think you’ll want to miss it. Wales will ask New Zealand plenty of questions and whatever the outcome this should be an entertaining Test match. Remember miracles do happen, ask any Munster supporter about that famous day in 1978. Hopefully this Welsh squad will have watched a replay of that memorable match for inspiration to help give them a shot at slaying the Goliath wearing black on Saturday!

North American World Cup woes and a competition that is really catching our attention!

The headline news for us here in Canada is that for the first time since its inception in 1987, Canada has failed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. However, more to the point is the question concerning what has clearly gone so horribly wrong in the last six years. Remember that thrilling match against Italy in the 2015 tournament where we almost caused a major upset. The same tournament where winger DTH van der Merwe was one of the leading try scorers. Go back even further to 1991 where Canada actually competed in a quarter final. Always a feisty and nuggety opponent in the past, Canada are now on the verge or receding into rugby obscurity.

Meanwhile, it’s not exactly a rosy picture south of the border either, as the USA failed to qualify in their first attempt, after losing the Americas 1 berth at the 2023 World Cup to Uruguay. They now face a tricky road ahead as they have to overcome an increasingly confident and fired up Chilean team, and if that fails then there is the humility of a last chance repechage tournament. Despite the advent of Major League Rugby here in North America it seems there is little if any benefit to the fortunes of the national sides. If anything both Canada and the USA look poorer after 3 years of the MLR. As rugby seems to be going backwards in North America, by contrast in South America it would appear to be going from strength to strength.

On a happier note, despite our initial reservations about the new United Rugby Championship, the successor to the old PRO14 has really caught our attention. The addition of four South African teams to the mix, has proven to be an exciting development, despite their shaky start in the opening two rounds. Meanwhile last year’s Rainbow Cup champions Italian side Benetton are proving that they are no flash in the pan and are definite contenders for a strong finish. It’s a fascinating tournament which has a real international feel to it and is so far serving up some spicy offerings.

North America and Rugby World Cup 2023

The flag is definitely at half mast in Canada and falling

Canada’s loss to Chile on aggregate was painful to watch as was the realisation that the earliest we can hope to see the boys compete in the global showdown is in 2027. It’s going to be a long 6 year wait and if that is going to become a reality then some hard decisions need to be made and quickly. For far too long the powers governing the sport in this country from the haughtily named Rugby Canada Centre of Excellence in Langford, BC have embraced mediocrity as their benchmark. A drastic shakeup is needed from top to bottom. Here’s what we think needs to happen and fast.

Kingsley Jones may be a lovely chap, but there is no getting away from the fact that under his coaching tenure Canada’s fall from grace has been almost dizzying. The negatives far outweigh the positives that he and his staff like to twitter on about in post match conferences attempting to explain yet another in a long line of losses. Teams need results and Canada can count them on one hand in the five years that Jones and company have been in charge. In short, he and the rest of his team need to go. Instead bring in some coaches from the MLR who know the players, watch and work with them week in week out and have an understanding of what works and what doesn’t in this part of the world.

There seems to be a communications barrier with Kingsley Jones and Canada

The sevens and fifteen a side games need to be split in terms of development. With the advent of the MLR, there are enough Canadian players in the league that the endless cross coding favored by Rugby Canada must come to an end. We’ve been saying it for years now, and foolishly believed that we’d been heard. However, players are expected to jump from one code to the other in a desperate attempt by Rugby Canada to show results either on the annual sevens global circuit or the fifteen a side Test calendar. The two codes require a vastly different playing style and levels of fitness and training. In short, have players do one or the other but not both.

Rugby Canada must be doing more to promote the MLR and the ability for Canadian talent to participate in it, as well as pressing the case for at least a second Canadian franchise. Furthermore, efforts to help promising players get contracts in the highly competitive European leagues should also be a priority. The more exposure that Canadian players can get to top quality competition in Europe, the stronger the national team will become, supported by the continued development of the home grown MLR. It will be far better to get Canadian players exposure both in the MLR and abroad than simply drafting in foreign players who just aren’t good enough for their own national sides. That is not a slight to any of the players we have brought in from overseas, and Canada is not exactly unique in this regard. The Americans seem equally desperate to find anyone in Ireland with some kind of distant link to the US, whilst Scotland seem to have discovered an hitherto unknown kilt wearing clan of Afrikaners up on the highveld. All credit to all these players who are serving their adopted homelands so well, but preferably not at the expense of home grown players as this will do little to grow the game in countries such as Canada.

Get a national broadcaster on board. The fact that we can’t watch our own national team in this country on a regular domestic network is simply unacceptable. While the Rugby Championship was in full swing, and prior to that France’s tour to Australia coverage was provided on TSN. However, Canadians had to scour the Internet to find a source willing to show our own team facing up against Wales and England and then the all important recent World Cup qualifiers. It was expensive to watch and difficult to access for many. Once again another epic failure in growing the game in this country and getting it to a wider audience.

Lastly, get some proper venues for important Test matches. Watching Canada’s recent World Cup qualifiers was an eye opener. Canada hosted these games in tiny makeshift grounds that struggled to get a decent number of supporters in to cheer on the boys. While St. John’s was a worthy venue with a small but very vocal crowd that really got behind the team, it’s not exactly a classic Test arena and neither is Langford. Perhaps the powers that be thought that playing two matches at completely opposite ends of the country would somehow unite the country behind the sport. However, matches of such importance require venues suited to the occasion. Compare by contrast the stadiums in the US, or even better Valparaiso in Chile and best of all Montivideo in Uruguay. All provided an atmosphere that was somehow lacking at Canada’s home grounds despite the best efforts of the small but vocal Canadian crowds. In short, they looked like proper stadiums compared to the out of the way practice fields that both Langford and St.John’s felt and looked like.

On the flip side, our heartfelt congratulations to Uruguay who have qualified for the World Cup, and even though it was at Canada’s expense, Chile’s succesful bid to remain in the hunt for the Americas 2 berth. Rugby in South America clearly has a pulse and a desire to go places. The passion is there and it is starting to produce results, and in the case of Uruguay big ones at that. It has to be said that Chile looked the part in both their matches against us, whereas apart from that opening game against the USA in St. John’s the Canadian players often looked disinterested, frustrated and highly disjointed. Uruguay and Chile looked like well oiled machines and played like a team – Canada and the USA did not and will hopefully learn some useful lessons in the process.

Our heartfelt congratulations to Uruguay who claimed the first Americas berth for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

United Rugby Championship

A tournament that is rapidly starting to deliver and one which has a real international flavor

We have to confess that we are thoroughly enjoying this new tournament which replaces the old PRO 14. It has a real international feel to it, and regular season weekends have suddenly got so much more interesting, as clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales slug it out. The South African sides struggled to find their footing at first in the competition, and the hype surrounding their arrival seemed to be slightly overblown. However, the last two rounds have seen them rise to the challenge and get progressively better. They now return home to await the arrival of their Northern rivals at the end of November, as well as the return of several up and coming Springboks. On home soil they should be a real headache for the Celtic and Italian teams, as well as the altitude factor being thrown into the mix in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Cup Champions Italian side Benetton Treviso are proving that their shock win over South Africa’s Bulls to claim the trophy was no flash in the pan. They are playing some exciting rugby which could adapt well to the hard and fast pitches in South Africa, as well as them being slightly more used to the summer heat in the Southern Hemisphere than their colleagues in the British Isles. Their discipline remains their Achilles Heel, but they are a real pleasure to watch and their narrow loss to Welsh side Ospreys last weekend was exciting viewing.

Irish sides still look all conquering just as they did in the old PRO14 and Leinster in particular appear invincible, whilst Welsh sides promise much but deliver significantly less. The two Scottish teams however look like genuine threats this year. In short, we’re finding it a highly entertaining competition that looks set to only get better as it gets closer to the business end of the tournament. If you haven’t caught any of it to date, then you might want to get in on the action in the coming months.

Well time to sign off for now. As mentioned on the TV page, although the November Internationals are just around the corner, I’ve been given a ton of work commitments next month that will make it difficult to get things out on a regular basis blog wise. I’ll do the best I can, but can’t make any promises. I will update the TV page religiously every week with all the game listings along with a few thoughts on the games and links to highlights. I’ll also try and punch out a podcast or two every week. So bear with me, and like I say I’ll do my best to get stuff out as and when I can, it just won’t be with its usual regularity during a Test window but I will try and at least get something out on the biggest games. Till then stay safe everyone and here’s to what should be a bumper November as far as top notch Tests go!

The Rugby Championship saves its best for last as we review the tournament and Canada makes the long trek to the Andes with more than a few mountains to climb!

This year’s Rugby Championship after several false starts and plenty of hiccoughs along the way finished with an epic showdown last weekend between New Zealand and South Africa. While South Africa may have faltered a few times this Championship and their game plan has been under considerable scrutiny by supporters and media alike, they produced their best for last and with the All Blacks gave us a Test match for the ages and one which paid tribute to the legendary rivalry between these two great sides. It was riveting stuff from start to finish and a fabulous advert for our glorious game. South Africa may have only ended up finishing third overall but those two performances against New Zealand proved that the Springbok machine, despite needing some fine tuning and much needed development for the future, is a rather daunting prospect for any side seeking to knock them off their perch at the top of the World Rankings Table.

New Zealand won the tournament almost effortlessly until those last two games against their greatest rivals South Africa. They breezed past Australia and Argentina, and squeaked a narrow and messy win against the Springboks in Round 5 which saw them with the Championship sewn up by the time they headed into last weekend’s epic showdown with South Africa. New Zealand looked good make no mistake and were worthy winners, but as the two Tests against South Africa showed this is not the all conquering All Black side of the Richie McCaw years. Are they contenders for the Webb Ellis trophy in two years time in France? Absolutely, but this is still a side with plenty of work to do, and that clinical finishing that is a hallmark of the All Blacks is just not there yet at the level of consistency needed.

Australia after being given a hiding by New Zealand in the first two rounds, suddenly came alive for their final four games. While we think it’s rather premature to think, as some are saying, that they are in the hunt to lift the World Cup in two years time, if they keep developing the way they are then it’s a distinct possibility. In getting past the World Champions South Africa twice in a row, Australia showed that the investment they are making in this new crop of Wallaby talent is paying huge dividends. The Championship saw the return to the fold of some old veterans, most notably fly half Quade Cooper, and this exciting blend of raw, youthful talent with some wise and skillful older heads is proving to be a winning formula that just gets better with every outing. In short – WATCH THIS SPACE!

Argentina sadly failed to fire a shot in this tournament, and left it clutching nothing but the wooden spoon and some seriously wounded pride. It would seem that a year spent mostly on the road and in and out of various COVID bubbles, has taken its toll. Argentina looked disjointed and just couldn’t seem to click as a unit despite some outstanding individual performances. However, in all their games they never looked like they lacked the passion synonymous with the Pumas jersey. At times their defense was heroic and one of the best aspects of their performances, showing a cohesion that the rest of their game lacked. In short, this is not a team that is down and out and bereft of talent. On the contrary, the talent is there and has the potential to make Argentina once more the top flight Test side that has consistently turned heads at the last two World Cups. Much like Australia, in addition to the quality experienced players at their disposal they have unearthed a raft of new talent that is already looking ominous and likely to amass some serious experience in Europe in the next two years.

So here’s our review of how we thought each of the four participating teams fared as well as a look ahead to Canada’s absolutely critical second round of their qualifying bid for the World Cup against Chile. They secured an uncomfortably narrow victory last weekend, meaning that Chile only has to beat them at home this Saturday by two points to knock Canada out of contention. In short, tense times in the Andes this weekend.

New Zealand

New Zealand emerged as worthy Champions this year as they have done nine times over since it was expanded to include Argentina in 2012. In the 11 Championships since 2012 New Zealand have won nine of them with Australia and South Africa claiming a title each.

New Zealand had to chop and change their squad several times during the Championship, and some rather experimental sides emerged as a result. This in part explains some of New Zealand’s weaker performances especially against South Africa as they were without some of their key players. Nevertheless, they still looked the business more often than not. However,they struggled at times with aerial assaults favored by teams such as South Africa, something that Ireland and France will be keenly aware of and hoping to exploit next month.

Some players that really caught our eye and ones we hope to see more of in the next year are back rowers Akira Ioane and Luke Jacobsen, scrum half Brad Weber and winger Will Jordan. Meanwhile all the usual suspects like Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Rieko Ioane, Brodie Retallick, Ardie Savea – the list simply goes on and on, brought plenty of the razzle dazzle which makes New Zealand such an exciting side to watch. When New Zealand can perform so well with their B or even C string sides, you know the rest of the world will be looking nervously over their shoulder in the run up to France 2023. This video is a fairly accurate summary of just how well New Zealand are starting to warm up.

South Africa exposed some chinks in the armor but it was hard to critique an All Black side that looks alarmingly good

Australia

After watching the Wallabies receive a rather stern schooling from the All Blacks in the first two rounds of the Rugby Championship, we never really thought that we’d see Australia finish as this year’s runners up despite their impressive series win against France earlier this summer. The improvement in Australia, starting with that memorable but closely fought victory over reigning World Champions South Africa, was the start of a Wallaby rugby renaissance that has been long overdue. There were so many impressive performances, but this young lad who, prior to the tournament hardly anyone had ever heard of, took the Championship by storm and scored more tries than anyone else – wing sensation Andrew Kellaway. He will definitely be a player to watch next month as the Wallabies embark on a tour of Europe which sees them take on England’s young guns, as well as Wales and Scotland.

Australia’s most exciting find of 2021 – winger Andrew Kellaway

As impressive as Kellaway was, there were other highly notable names that played a part in this year’s Wallaby rebirth. Prop Taniela Tupou was simply outstanding demonstrating a range of skills more befitting halfbacks and wingers at times. Darcy Swain was a revelation in a second row that looks very impressive indeed with Matthew Philip and the return of Izack Rodda. Their back row was simply superb with Captain extraordinaire Michael Hooper becoming the Wallabies most capped Skipper and newcomer Rob Valetini was outstanding at number eight. A big bruising ball carrier who is almost impossible to stop, Australia looked in exceptionally rude health with Valetini getting better with every outing and then bolstered by the long overdue return of Sean McMahon. Tate McDermott impressed as Australia’s next generation scrum half, while Quade Cooper made a spectacular comeback to the Wallaby fold at fly half – demonstrating a maturity and composure often lacking in his younger days despite his obvious talent. Samu Kerevi tore up the centre channels and we’ve already sung the praises of Andrew Kellaway ably assisted by the superb Marika Koroibete.

In short, a remarkable tournament for Australia and it was superb to see the Wallabies back in contention for top honors in Test rugby.

South Africa

On home soil, South Africa dispatched Argentina twice with ease, but then as they often do found life on the road slightly more challenging than they had imagined. They wobbled dramatically in two back to back defeats to Australia. However, as they always do they raised their game dramatically against their most famous rivals New Zealand. In the first Test they ran a misfiring New Zealand side close, but that final Test last weekend produced THE game of the tournament and potentially the year. It was a game that did the rivalry between these two legendary sides justice – it was hugely physical, filled with game changing moments and the scoreline changed hands almost as often as Guinness barrels are changed at the Aviva during an England/Ireland match.

It was thrilling stuff and kept us on the edge of our seats. What was perhaps most impressive was how South Africa finally backed themselves and decided to use their physical prowess to play with ball in hand instead of simply relying on their much maligned kicking game. At key moments they capitalized on the forward momentum their pack was giving them over New Zealand and used it build an attacking platform. It was a breath of fresh air and if they move forward with it then England, Scotland and Wales could all be in for a rather torrid time next month.

It’s going to take a pretty special match to beat the intensity of South Africa and New Zealand’s Round 6 encounter in the Rugby Championship

Their famous Bomb Squad front row of Malcolm Marx, Stephen Kitshoff and Vincent Koch were superb off the bench against New Zealand and Argentina, while Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe all put in some outstanding efforts this tournament as starters. Once Eben Etzebeth got all his fury and fire back again he was immense in the second Test against New Zealand, and his partner Lood de Jager was arguably the best lock of the tournament. Captain Siya Kolisi consistently led the back row and his team as a whole from the front, with his two performances against the All Blacks being perhaps some of his finest of an increasingly illustrious career. Kwagga Smith proved what value he is to the Springbok cause provided they use him in a roving wing forward role, while Franco Mostert quietly but effectively produced the goods for South Africa week in week out, whether in second or back row.

South Africa’s halfbacks had a mixed tournament. Faf de Klerk was not at his best at times and was often guilty of the aimless kicking game that got South Africa into difficulty against Australia. Handre Pollard lacked consistency for much of the tournament, with him having serious off days with the boot when it came to goal kicking accuracy. South Africa need some development for the future there, make no mistake and sooner rather than later, though it was heartening to see Elton Jantjies finally make the transition to a Test level 10, in that final game of the Championship.

South Africa’s backs were outstanding when they had the ball, which sadly happened far too little until the final game. Makazole Mapimpi looked sharp as did Sibu Nkosi out wide, while Lukhanyo Am’s try assist in the final Test showed what a brillliant organiser he is of South Africa’s midfield efforts. Am is a truly gifted centre ably assisted by the exceptionally powerful Damian de Allende. However, at fullback South Africa desperately need to look to the future as sadly Willie le Roux was a consistent weak link in their armor. We sincerely hope that come their November tour to Europe we’ll be seeing a lot of Aphelele Fassi as the way forward in the fullback role.

South Africa started with a flourish against Argentina, went horribly off boil against Australia but returned with a bang against New Zealand. In short they have a huge amount of work to do to remain competitive in the run up to the World Cup, but as last Saturday showed – as reigning World Champions they are still very much alive.

Argentina

A tournament they would probably rather forget, but moments like this showed us that the Pumas are still a sleeping giant! What was perhaps even more heartening about this try was that it was set up by a long overdue understudy for star fly half Nicholas Sanchez, newcomer Santiago Carreras.

Just one small example of what Argentina can do on attack when it all comes together

That was the overriding impression of Argentina’s Rugby Championship campaign – it was an exercise in development. Coach Mario Ledesma blooded a significant proportion of new talent, some by choice and some by necessity but in most cases the results of the exercise were positive. The more experienced members of the squad, although they often failed to gel with the newcomers as a unit performed admirably at an individual level. Captain and Hooker Julian Montoya was arguably the best in his position and led by example whatever his team’s standing on the scoreboard. The Argentinian second row of Tomas Lavanini and Guido Petti, ably assisted by Matias Alemanno were a menace for opposition teams come lineout time. In the back row Marcos Kremer put in one powerhouse performance after another. On the wing Emiliano Boffelli scored Argentina’s best try of the tournament and showed how much the Pumas have missed him due to injury recently, coupled to a boot that is one of the most powerful in the modern game.

However, it was Argentina’s new crop of talent that really impressed us and must surely give the Pumas hope for a brighter future. Replacement Hooker Thomas Gallo really made us sit up and take notice in the Pumas final game against Australia, when he scored two tries on his debut and we can’t wait for his return to Italian club side Benetton in the United Rugby Championship. Flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez looks like another in a long line of quality Pumas back rowers in the making. Replacement scrum half Gonzalo Garcia made some energy filled appearances off the bench, and often looked more of a threat than regular starter Gonzalo Bertranou. Santiago Carreras made a seemingly effortless transition from fullback to becoming fly half Nicolas Sanchez’s replacement in the making and was one of the Pumas most exciting players on attack. The new center partnership of Santiago Chocobares and Olympic sevens stars Lucio Cinti looks exceptionally promising.

It was a tough tournament for an Argentinian side simply not used to coming away empty handed from the Rugby Championship. Nevertheless some vital work in squad development for the future was made and from what we saw, we feel fairly confident that the Pumas will be back challenging the world’s best in time for the next World Cup. Patience will be their most important virtue over the coming months, but the improvements will come.

Canada head to South America knowing that their duel with Chile is do or die stuff

Firstly, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t even know all of this is going on and that Canada is once more teetering on the brink of not qualifying for the next World Cup. The publicity on Canada’s campaign to qualify for the next global showdown is almost nonexistent. Finding replays of their first match against Chile last weekend which they narrowly won is almost impossible.

Canada failed in their bid to secure the first World Cup berth for the Americas as they lost the series against the US on aggregate, despite winning their first game against the Eagles which was arguably the best performance we’d seen them give in years. The win against Chile last weekend looked labored at times and discipline was not always the best. While the officiating was at times confusing, it can’t be used as an excuse for yet another sub par performance. As usual it wasn’t for want of effort from the boys, but as a unit they simply didn’t look as cohesive as Chile, and in the second game against the USA before that they looked a shambles.

Canada keeps making winning look like exceptionally hard work

Chile head into Saturday’s match as favorites, being the home side coupled to coming off the back of a number of impressive performances to date, including a one point loss to Canada in Langford last weekend. Canada have the potential but somehow it is just not being realized, and it’s getting increasingly hard to keep making excuses for them. Captain and flanker Lucas Rumball along with centre Ben LeSage are both top notch players and this weekend sees the added bonus of Canada benefitting from the return of all star back rower Tyler Ardron. Rookie centre Spencer Jones is probably the most exciting thing that has happened to Canada for a long time as is scrum half Ross Braude. However, we’re concerned by the lack of fullback Cooper Coats for Saturday’s match and still not convinced that fly half Peter Nelson is the way forward for Canada. It’s going to be a hard afternoon in Valparaiso for Canada make no mistake.

If Chile do beat Canada by 2 points on Saturday and thus knock us out of the running for that second Americas berth, then there is still the last chance saloon repechage tournament next November, but for a country that once was knocking at the door of the top ten in the 90s, it is a sad reflection of how far rugby has fallen in this country in the last 30 years.

We’ll be putting out a digest of the week on the podcast tomorrow, but till then stay safe and here’s hoping that Canada can give us reasons to be cheerful on Saturday!