European Rugby
Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made eight changes to the side that beat Tonga 28-23 last week ahead of Saturday’s test against New Zealand’s All Blacks at Rome’s Olympic Stadium.
Centre Nick De Luca insists a victory over South Africa is not essential for Scotland’s World Cup hopes.
The Scots host the Springboks after losing to New Zealand last Sunday. They need to win, and beat Tonga a week later, to secure a second seed berth for England in three years’ time.
England have made one change to the team that beat Fiji for this weekend’s clash against Australia at Twickenham with Chris Ashton replacing Ugo Monye on the wing.
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has made one change to the team that beat Australia for this week’s Test against Argentina with second row Yoann Maestri returning to the starting line up.
Wales have named former Grand Slam winning captain Ryan Jones to captain the team against Samoa at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.
Scotland have made two changes from their starting XV and a further four alterations to their bench for Saturday’s EMC Test against South Africa at Murrayfield. Euan Murray, the 32-year-old tighthead prop who was man of the match when the nations clashed at Murrayfield in 2008, is restored at tight-head prop having missed the New Zealand game due to his religious observance, with Geoff Cross moving to the bench.
Scotland forward David Denton today looked ahead to the next round of the EMC Autumn Test rugby series and insisted it is a case of “bring on the Boks”.
Undeterred by the fact that Scotland opened their programme with a 51-22 home defeat by New Zealand, the 22-year-old Edinburgh back rower insisted a bucketload of rust has come out of the team’s system.
Argentina have made three changes to face France here on Saturday, two enforced by injuries to Felipe Contepomi and Juan Martin Hernandez in last weekend’s win over Wales.
Scotland flanker Ross Rennie has been given treatment on his dislocated shoulder suffered in the 22-51 loss to Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand at Murrayfield.
Scotland and France may both have played tests this past weekend and will play again in the coming weekend. However, the two teams are in quite different places at the moment with France pulling off a very good win against Australia while Scotland suffered a big defeat to New Zealand.
Furthermore, Scotland have numerous players on the injury list ahead of their game against South Africa on Saturday which is great concern for head coach Andy Robinson. On the other hand, France’s coach Philippe Saint-Andre was able to announce an unchanged squad for their game against Argentina.
Wales are sweating on the fitness of two of their marquee players, centre Jamie Roberts and lock Alun Wyn Jones, in the wake of their 26-12 defeat to Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.
Biarritz centre Marcelo Bosch and Montpellier full-back Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino have been included in the Argentina squad to face France next Saturday in Lille, the national federation announced Sunday.
The Springboks may have an alternative captain leading them onto the field for their second tour match against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday.
A sold out Murrayfield witnessed nine tries as the world champions, New Zealand, saw off the challenge of Scotland in the first of the EMC Tests.
Two tries from Tim Visser and one from Geoff Cross were not enough to hold off the might of the visitors, with head coach Andy Robinson immediately turning to the challenge of South Africa, the second in the November series.
Scotland (17) 22 / 51 (34) All Blacks (Final Score)
Scotland and the New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Murrayfield, Edinburgh at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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It’s SuperBru time again, this time for the End Of Year Tours!
This competition’s FIRST matches kick off this coming weekend, in fact on Saturday 10 November 2012.
Get your BUTTS into gear and register!
We have registered a Super Pool with the following details:
Pool Name: Rugby-Talk EOYT 2012
Pool Code: grabgage
France (16) 33 / 6 (6) Wallabies (Final Score)
France and the Australian Wallabies did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Stade de France, Paris at 22:00 SA Time (21:00 Paris Time, 20:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Ireland (12) 12 / 16 (3) Springboks (Final Score)
Ireland and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Scotland and the World Champions New Zealand clash in the first match of New Zeland’s Northern Hemisphere tour on Sunday at Murrayfield. This is shaping up to be a memorable occasion in spite of the best efforts of a certain journalist from New Zealand’s shameful disrespectful attempt at mocking the hosts in an article earlier this week.
Wales (9) 12 / 26 (6) Pumas (Final Score)
Wales and the Argentinian Pumas did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 16:30 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has made ten changes to the team that drew with Australia for this weekend’s Test against Scotland with Piri Weepu returning to the starting line up and a new midfield pairing.
Francois Louw will turn down offers from South African teams and opt for a contract extension at Bath, believes the English club’s head coach, Gary Gold.
Veteran Toulon playmaker Frederic Michalak has been named ahead of Francois Trinh-Duc at flyhalf in the France line up to face Australia on Saturday.
England coach Stuart Lancaster has named his team with Leicester Tigers hooker Tom Youngs to make his debut at Twickenham against Fiji on Saturday.
There will be a family ‘feud’ in Dublin on Saturday when cousins Richard Strauss and Adriaan Strauss confront each other for the first time in a Test.
Ireland’s South Africa-born hooker Richardt Strauss is set to come face-to-face with his cousin Adriaan in Saturday’s Test match in Dublin.
Argentina have recalled veteran centre Felipe Contepomi to their starting XV to play Wales in a one-off international at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Matt Giteau opted to sign a new contract with Toulon because he realised with Robbie Deans as national coach he had no chance of a Wallabies recall.
Ireland wing Andrew Trimble is hoping that South Africa star JP Pietersen will be only too aware of his abilities after Saturday’s Test in Dublin. Pietersen struggled when asked to talk about the opposition backs on Tuesday and suggested that France’s David Skrela could be in the Ireland team.
The customary time of the year when Southern Hemisphere International teams descend on the Northern Hemisphere is now upon us. We can look forward to four action packed weekends with twenty matches involving the various international teams (nineteen of which will be test matches).
Wales interim coach Robert Howley has dropped Mike Phillips and brought in Scarlet Tavis Knoyle at scrum-half to face Argentina in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Scotland team to face the All Blacks at Murrayfield on Saturday was announced today. Scotland have never beaten the world’s number one team and reigning World Cup champions so will be going all out to try and make history on Saturday.
Starting lock Sitaleki Timani is among four players who remain in doubt for the Wallabies opening Test against France this weekend.
England have called Gloucester duo Freddie Burns and Billy Twelvetrees into their training squad ahead of the opening Autumn International against Fiji at Twickenham.
Ireland have confirmed that backrow Stephen Ferris will miss Ireland’s opening Autumn International against South Africa this weekend due to injury.