The Autumn Nations Series is under way with England, Scotland, South Africa and New Zealand all picking up wins in their opening games.
Steve Borthwick’s side produced a professional performance in their victory over an Australian outfit missing a few key players, but there was still plenty to like from England’s point of view.
South Africa hardly needed to break a sweat in their win over Japan, but we did get another look young fly-half Feinberg-Mngomezulu at Wembley Stadium.
Scotland made light work of their clash against the United States, while a strong second half showing from the All Blacks saw them home against Ireland in Chicago, nine years after the sides first met at Soldier Field.
ESPN’s Tom Hamilton, James Regan and Sam Bruce weigh in on the weekend’s talking points.
England will go four wins from four
With Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina to come, England should be targeting four wins this autumn.
VERDICT: Not an overreaction
They did their best to get a bold prediction out of Henry Pollock. Before he came to speak to the media in the Twickenham tunnels fresh from England’s 25-7 win over Australia, Pollock was in the glare of the TV cameras on TNT’s coverage. They asked him if England are aiming for the clean sweep this November.
He replied by saying they’re just taking it game by game — the age-old method of deflecting expectation and inhibiting humbleness. Despite attempts to break through this party line, he stuck to it.
– Tom Hamilton: Pollock’s decisive try was representative of England’s hard-fought win
You can imagine this is the messaging from within camp, too. Luke Cowan-Dickie spoke to a small group of media after the match, and amid the talk of his 50th cap, England’s continued preference for the double-shot in defence, he did talk about the game-by-game mantra.
So it’s on to those outside the bubble to make the bold predictions. With a poor Australia side dispatched, England should be aiming for an unbeaten autumn. They should beat Fiji next weekend, and then it’s the All Blacks. Their record against the Kiwis has been pretty poor recently — their last win was in 2019 — but with eight wins in a row behind them, potentially nine after next weekend, they should be full of confidence for the All Blacks’ arrival at Twickenham — Tom Hamilton.
– Australia coach Joe Schmidt hits back at illegal tactics claim
– Steve Borthwick hails Henry Pollock England impact
– Andy Farrell bemoans ‘mental lapses’ against All Blacks
The autumn series is off to an underwhelming start
With two blow outs and two other games that lacked any real spark, the first weekend of November’s internationals did not show the best the sport has to offer.
VERDICT: Not an overreaction
While it was a good win for England, their clash with Australia lacked excitement and attacking flare from both sides. Across London at Wembley Stadium, the Springboks cruised past Japan in an uncompetitive contest that proved routine for the world champions.
Scotland, unsurprisingly, dispatched the United States in a game that would have done little good for either side.
Across the Atlantic, Ireland and New Zealand provided the best clash of the weekend but even that, with both sides no doubt still recovering from travel, was a level below what we have been spoiled with in the recent past.
There are several exciting fixtures set for the coming weeks — namely South Africa heading to Paris to face France — so let’s hope the action ramps up a notch or two — James Regan.
South Africa possess a generational fly-half
All hail Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Though it was a poor Japan side, Feinberg-Mngomezulu again underlined his vast skillset and reinforced how he has the potential to be one of the best players of this generation.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
The Springboks are doing their best to keep a lid on the Feinberg-Mngomezulu excitement.
“I think the hype around him is not caused by himself, it’s caused by others,” Rassie Erasmus said after the Boks dispatched Japan 61-7 at Wembley on Saturday. But it’s hard not to get very excited.
After his 37-point haul against Argentina in Durban, the hype over Feinberg-Mngomezulu has gone stratospheric. And against Japan on Saturday, he was again, magnificent. His solo effort for their third try was straight out of the Dan Carter box of tricks. But Erasmus is quick to point out Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s strengths.
Erasmus admits there is a certain “magic” about him, and praised his “feel for the game” but it also comes with a caveat from the Boks boss. “There’s never been a Rugby World Cup won by a fly-half under 25 years old,” Erasmus said. “He’s still three years away. We’ll try and manage him correctly.”
The Boks can try and limit the hype, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s stock is rising by the game — Tom Hamilton.
Ireland are on the slide
With a sobering defeat to the All Blacks behind them, and an ageing squad, coach Andy Farrell needs to mix things up to keep Ireland as fearsome as ever.
VERDICT: Overreaction
Ireland weren’t at their best in Chicago, but there was enough character in this performance to suggest that things don’t need to be at panic stations.
Losing to the All Blacks is no slight, and Farrell was left lamenting some mental lapses and a lack of sharpness in certain areas. The decision to pick Stuart McCloskey at inside centre worked, and Ryan Baird is growing into his back-row role. While there are several players in the squad the wrong side of 30 and a World Cup just two years away, there were suggestions that Farrell needs to start the revolution now to ensure the team is in the best possible place for Australia in 2027.
But the age profile will hold. What it needs is the odd tweak here and there, the odd fresh face breaking through, and increased competition for starting places. This is a team who haven’t had their head coach for 11 months, and still has their captain returning to full fitness.
The Lions tour always offers rebound disruption the following November and we’re already seeing evidence of this. Up next for Ireland are Japan, who they will beat comfortably, and then it’s Australia and South Africa. Judge their form on those two — Tom Hamilton.
Beauden Barrett is still New Zealand’s most important player.
Beauden Barrett has been at the heart of the All Blacks for almost a decade. While it wasn’t a vintage performance against Ireland, he still remains vital to New Zealand’s success.
VERDICT: Not an overreaction
At 34, Barrett is approaching the end of his career but is still one of the best playmakers in the game. While there are options to rotate Barrett or play him at fullback, it’s no surprise he still has the keys to this All Blacks side.
He brings a calm and stability to the team that few others could offer. His perfectly timed pass, where bamboozled Ireland’s rush defence with a deft step to set Damien McKenzie on his way, was an example of how he needs just one moment in a game to stamp his authority on it.
New Zealand have several world class players, but Barrett remains arguably the most important in their ranks – James Regan.
Wallabies need another change at fly-half
Australia were soundly beaten at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, their only points coming from a runaway intercept try from winger Harry Potter.
VERDICT: Not an overreaction
Part of Australia’s defeat to England was down to the weather, and their inability to handle England’s aerial game, but it was also down to their refusal to play with any real width. The Wallabies were incredibly narrow in their attacking setup.
That is certainly not fly-half’s Tane Edmed’s fault, he was only playing as coach Joe Schmidt had directed him. In fact, apart from a short goal-line drop-out that very nearly gifted England a try right on halftime, Edmed was one of the better performing Wallabies in London.
But if Australia are to utilise some of their gifted attacking weapons, Max Jorgensen and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in particular, Carter Gordon may be the man best suited for No. 10 this weekend against Italy.
The playmaker is only a few weeks returned from his NRL stint, but his long passing game could ensure the Wallabies unleash their outside backs against Italy.
The Azzurri are no easybeats and Schmidt will want to reinstate Len Ikitau to the midfield immediately, but Gordon is undoubtedly a gifted player who got a raw run under Eddie Jones. If not in the run-on side, then Gordon, who is fit again after a minor quad complaint, must be included on the bench. — Sam Bruce
