The Top 5 Fixtures to Watch During the Rugby Autumn Internationals 2024
1. England vs New Zealand
- Date: November 2, 2024
- Location: Twickenham Stadium, London
England’s clash with New Zealand at Twickenham Stadium promises to be one of the most anticipated games of the Rugby Autumn Internationals 2024. England named a predictable lineup earlier this week, ready to match themselves against the worlds best ahead of a big Six Nations in early 2025. This opening game against the All Blacks will be an early but crucial test.
England come into this fixture fresh and will need to hit the ground running as the All Blacks have recently played Japan, lead by former England coach Eddie Jones
Expect a solid contest between England’s physicality and New Zealand’s high-paced style, with key players like Marcus Smith and Beauden Barrett likely to create fireworks on the pitch.
Tom Curry makes a long awaited return to the lineup after a nasty injury, with his brother Ben making the bench. This match could set the tone for England’s future under Steve Borthwick, who is looking to further cement his place as coach, making it our essential game to watch.
Head to Head
Won by New Zealand: 35
Won by England: 8
Drawn fixtures: 2
2. France vs New Zealand
- Date: November 16, 2024
- Location: Stade de France, Paris
The second spotlighted fixture also features the All Blacks. The runners up in the 2023 World Cup will be looking to bite back after losing to the French hosts in the competition’s opening fixture.
Ahead of the Autumn Internationals, the French Rugby Federation has banned players from drinking alcohol during the run of fixtures in an attempt to improve discipline. The French squad found themselves in hot water a few times over the past 12 months and the hope is that these measures will see a positive tangible impact on the field.
This will be France’s second matchup of the series after they host Japan during the second game-week. After the New Zealand game they will finish against Argentina during game-week 4.
Naturally France will look to their star man, and perceived best player in the world, Antoine Dupont to be the difference maker. New Zealand supporters would argue their back row powerhouse, Ardie Savea, takes the top spot in the world rankings.
Head to Head
Won by France: 14
Won by New Zealand: 48
Drawn fixtures: 1
3. Ireland vs Australia
- Date: November 30, 2024
- Location: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Ireland takes on Australia in the final fixture of the Autumn Internationals 2024 series at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Ireland were crowned Six Nations champions earlier this year whilst Australia crashed out in the 2023 World Cup in not-so-much style.
Ireland, playing in front of their home crowd, will look to maintain their recent dominance over the Wallabies. However, Australia, with its refreshed squad and new coaching team, could pose a formidable challenge.
Ireland host New Zealand, Argentina and Fiji in the lead-up to this final fixture which will form a tough run of fixtures. On the other side of the coin, Australia travel to England, Wales and Scotland before landing in Dublin. We look forward to this fixture which will signify the end of the 2024 Autumn Internationals.
Head to Head
Won by Ireland: 14
Won by Australia: 22
Drawn fixtures: 1
4. Scotland vs Portugal
- Date: November 16, 2024
- Location: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
With this only being the 3rd time the two nations face-off in a Rugby Union fixture, it presents a unique test for both teams: Scotland will aim to put in a solid performance after an indifferent 2024 Six Nations Performance, while Portugal will look to prove themselves against a Tier 1 nation.
Portugal impressed Rugby fans in the 2023 World Cup with a strong showing of skilful play in the midfield areas but at times struggled to find the try line to convert good performances into wins. It was their first ever world cup and after a tie against Georgia, they went on to beat Fiji in a dramatic last minute effort.
This fixture is an opportunity for Scotland to test their depth by rotating players and developing their bench strength. But may well look to their star players Finn Russell and Duhan van der Merwe if proceedings start to look a bit nervy.
This might not seem like a ‘blockbuster headline’ fixture but place in your trust in our spotlight selection as it could certainly show some entertaining Rugby and has the makings of an upset.
Head to Head
Won by Scotland: 2
Won by Portugal: 0
Drawn fixtures: 0
5. Wales vs Fiji
- Date: November 10, 2024
- Location: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
The clash should deliver a spectacle of fast-paced, skilful, and unpredictable rugby. With Wales playing on their home turf at the Principality Stadium and Fiji bringing their famously dynamic style, fans can expect an electrifying show.
Welsh defensive coach, Mike Foreshaw, has said that Wales will need to come out and be the aggressors against a naturally physical Fijian side. Historically Wales have enjoyed physical battles and this will be shown in the forward line with the backs looking to play a more expressive game, certainly on the visitors side.
Wales has entered a rebuilding phase with fresh management aiming to revitalise the squad and strategy. The Autumn Nations Series will be a key testing ground for this new approach.
Ultimately, this final spotlighted matchup might come down to who can best control the tempo of the game. If Wales can maintain structure, they could edge out a victory. However, if they cannot repel the Fijian force, the visitors have every chance of pulling off a thrilling upset.
Head to Head
Won by Wales: 12
Won by Fiji: 1
Drawn fixtures: 1
Even though these 5 matchups make up our featured selection, we thoroughly look forward to the entire fixture list which will be taking to our screens over the next 5 game weeks.
