Rugby's Nations Championship to offer World Cup clues: all you need to know
FOCUS: Ireland's Hugo Keenan. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho.
A November of intense international rugby will not only deliver the first winners of the new Nations Championship, but also lay down some markers with less than a year before the Rugby World Cup kicks off.
The battle between the Six Nations teams and those of the southern hemisphere resumes with three weekends of tests across Europe, followed by a fourth weekend of finals matches at Twickenham from November 27 to 29 where the inaugural Nations Championship victor will be crowned.
The 12 participating countries are split into north and south sections and play six matches - three already in July and three more this month - facing only those in the opposite pool.
After the opening three rounds, South Africa are narrowly ahead of arch rivals New Zealand in the southern zone while France top the northern section.
All 12 will play on the finals weekend, with each team matched against its equivalently ranked team in the other pool to decide their final placing.
The northern section is tightly contested with France one point ahead of Scotland and two ahead of England and Ireland. Each side had two wins and a defeat in July.
Ireland have a chance to move up the standings when they host Argentina on Friday, but by the end of the weekend France are expected to retain their narrow advantage, as they start their fixtures with a clash against Fiji in Lyon on Saturday.
It will be much tougher for Scotland, who host the All Blacks, unbeaten in the previous 33 meetings between the two countries, on Saturday at Murrayfield. New Zealand were in rampant form last month in the Bledisloe Cup against Australia and under new coach Dave Rennie looked to be returning to their menacing best.
Australia made a positive start when new coach Les Kiss took over after the first set of Nations Championship games but those successive losses to the Kiwis will have been a major blow to confidence and the clash against England at Twickenham on Sunday is important in their bid to show they can be contenders when they host next year’s World Cup.
England also need to show some form after a disappointing Six Nations where they lost four of five games. "These fixtures represent our final opportunity to face southern hemisphere opposition before next year's World Cup," said coach Steve Borthwick.
"Facing Australia is an exciting challenge. They have played a significant amount of test rugby in recent months, and we know the quality and experience they will bring."
South Africa’s opening game is in Turin against Italy on Saturday where coach Rassie Erasmus is warning, "Italy may be ranked 11th in the world, but they are a quality team who have tested us to the limit at times."
Next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia is from October 1 to November 13.
Ireland v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, 8.10pm
: Italy v South Africa, Turin, 11.40am; Scotland v New Zealand, Edinburgh, 2.10pm; Wales v Japan, Cardiff, 4.40pm; France v Fiji, Lyon, 8.10pm.
England v Australia, Twickenham, 3.10pm.
France v South Africa, Paris, 8.10pm.
Italy v Argentina, Genoa, 11.40am; Wales v New Zealand, Cardiff, 2.10pm; England v Japan, Twickenham, 4.40pm; Ireland v Fiji, Aviva Stadium, 8.10pm.
Scotland v Australia, Edinburgh, 3.10pm.
England v New Zealand, Twickenham, 2.10pm; Scotland v Japan, Edinburgh, 2.10pm; Ireland v South Africa, Aviva Stadium, 4.40pm; Italy v Fiji, Udine, 4.40; France v Argentina, Paris, 8.10pm; Wales v Australia, Cardiff, 8.10pm.
(Finals Weekend): Six ranking matches, including the Grand Final (North 1 v South 1) on Nov 29th at 3.40pm. All matches staged at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium).
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