Five bold predictions for the November internationals

We are back! Cue the hangover gif of Alan and the lads in Vegas, that is how we feel at RugbyDump with international rugby returning in full force this weekend.

Weekend one will see New Zealand, who are fresh off handing Eddie Jones’s Japan a tonking a week ago, face an England team with an axe to grind. Letting slip what they will have felt was a golden opportunity to crash Scott Robertson’s honeymoon period, Steve Borthwick’s side will be backing themselves in front of a raucous Twickenham crowd.

Opinion: England should beat the All Blacks – here’s why

North of the border, Scotland will host Fiji in a clash that, on paper, should be one of the most entertaining we will see throughout November at Murrayfield.

Thus, with the action set to get underway we felt it pertinent to put out five bold predictions for this year’s November tests. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section on Facebook whether you agree with us or if you have a bold prediction of your own.

All Blacks Will Suffer Multiple Defeats
Fresh off what by their high standards was a mightily disappointing Rugby Championship campaign, the All Blacks are set for an equally different Northern Tour. Facing England, Ireland, France and Italy, the All Blacks will face three of the best sides in the world and an Italian team who are trending in the right direction. Given their incredible run of results over the years on these tours, one could be forgiven for thinking the All Blacks will once again frolic into town and blow past their rivals. This year, however, will be different, and we can see Scott Roberson’s side arriving in Turin for their final match, having lost all three prior tests. Against England, the All Blacks will face a side reeling from their series loss when, in reality, the possibility of, at the very least, splitting the two tests was very much in play. A week later against Ireland, expect tensions to boil over as Ireland look to exact revenge for their quarterfinal exit in Paris last year. This, coupled with the men in green having firmly overcome their New Zealand hoodoo, will be another tough fixture. From here, a trip to Paris awaits, and this is where things could get nasty. Joining Ireland in their World Cup disappointments, Les Bleus, who took down the All Blacks in the pool stage, will have no fear of their southern rivals and, should they get their tails up early, could race away for a comfortable win. This then takes us to Turin, where you would expect the Kiwis to win, but unlike previous seasons, this feels more like a 70/30 proposition than a foregone conclusion. Thus, we predict a one-win tour for the men in black, which will send New Zealand Rugby into a major rethink about their selection policy.

Welsh Renaissance Incoming
Perhaps renaissance is strong, but there are certainly shoots of positivity coming from across the Severn Bridge. Whilst there are certainly several challenges ahead, the young talent coming through will prove that they are ready to take the next step. Led once again by the impressive Dewi Lake, Warren Gatland’s side will back themselves to, at the very least, go two from three with wins over Fiji and the Wallabies. Taking down the World Champions in the final week feels like a step too far, but things have happened that are strange. To add weight to this prediction, one only needs to look at the exceptional players coming through the system at the moment. Names such as Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Christ Tshiunza, Max Llewellyn, Tom Rogers, Ellis Bevan, Josh Hathaway and Ben Thomas will likely form the spine of this team going forward. Behind this group, youngsters such as Macs Page, Morgan Morse, Ioan Lloyd and Sam Costelow are all showing glimpses of what they can become.

Joseph Sua’ali’i will dominate on debut tour
Quite possibly the most exciting prospect to come into the Wallabies since the man who replaced him at the Roosters, Mark Nawaqanitawase, became a force two years ago… Make no bones about it: the 21-year-old is going to be a superstar, and he will hit the ground running immediately in November. For all of their faults, there is a reason why the previous Rugby Australia brass targets Sua’ali’i. At 6’5″ and 100kg, the outside back is exactly the game-breaker that the Wallabies have been crying out for. In addition to this, his personality and marketability will be a shot in the arm for a code that is struggling to keep pace with rival codes down under. Such will be his performances in November that it will become clear that he is the man that the Wallabies will build around ahead of the Lions Tour next year and, more importantly, the 2027 Rugby World Cup. On a side note, if he does as we expect, the rumours about a potential shift from the NRL to Rugby Union for superstar halfback Nathan Cleary will only grow louder. In short, Cleary has already achieved everything that matters in the Rugby League, so Rugby Australia should do everything it can to get him onboard.

Springboks will drop a test on tour
Before Bok fans accuse us of sacrilege, let’s be clear: we believe that this Bok team is the best team in the world at the moment. However, What they are not is unbeatable, with both Ireland and Argentina offering up the blueprint on how to beat them again this year. Also, our South African friends agreed that they should’ve played Ireland in a de facto third test decider, and the Boks will have to contend with playing against Scotland, England, and Wales. In this slate, England feels the most likely to overturn the World Champions, given their ability to match them physically. This being said, there is, of course, a route to a victory for Scotland if they can shred the Boks outside, but the power game of the men in green feels like too big a hurdle for Gregor Townsend’s side to overcome. For Wales, a route to victory is hard to see outside of a big squad rotation and a good old-school belligerent Warren Gatland performance from the men in red. For the sake of this argument we are going to use England as the side to overturn the Boks at Twickenham in what will be a tight affair. Finally looking settled at flyhalf with Marcus Smith stepping up to the plate as a true starter with George Ford and Fin Smith also live options. England now has the x-factor around Smith to make his maverick style of play effective. In the pack, England have dynamic careers in the front, second and backrow who can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and co, whilst in the backline, there is plenty of pace and power to counter the Boks. Certainly, Rassie Erasmus will have his side up for this match, and the departure of Felix Jones hangs over England, but there is just too much talent at Steve Borthwick’s disposal for them not to build on their recent development.

Three Lions bolters to watch out for
Scanning through the various British and Irish squads, fans of each nation are rightly excited by the new faces in their respective squads. Starting with Wales, who have several new contenders as Warren Gatland continues his team’s major overhaul. Among the most exciting of these prospects, Gloucester Rugby centre Max Llewellyn is following in his father Gareth’s footsteps as a Welsh international. Throughout his 15-year career, Llewellyn Sr would earn 92 Welsh caps. Max, to date, has played once for his country, but, in current form, looks like a shoe as a starter. Next on our list of potential Lions bolters is Irish Rugby’s worst-kept secret in utility forward Cormac Izuchukwu. Now firmly a key starter for Ulster, the 24-year-old is a lock to get some game time in November. Equally comfortable in the second and back rows, Izuchukwu is one of several hybrid forwards knocking about Irish Rugby and, for our money, feels like the most likely successor to Peter O’Mahony in the number 6 shirt. Although Ryan Baird is currently ahead of him in the pecking order, the 6’7″ and 120kg Izuchukwu brings a level of direct physicality unlike any other Irish backrower. Finally, England winger Ollie Sleightholme is finally delivering on his immense potential following a few injury-plagued years earlier in his career.