PREVIEW-Rugby-Autumn internationals provide barometer two years from World Cup

"And there are going to be plenty of different situations coming up the next four weeks." World champions South Africa saw off the British & Irish Lions earlier this year in a fiercely contested series that will have left some acrimony on and off the field, and they will likely feel that heat when they take on Wales (Nov. 6), and then Scotland and England on consecutive weekends.

The disruption to the rugby calendar caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has left southern hemisphere teams in particular behind in their preparations for the 2023 Rugby World Cup but the next month will provide an opportunity to gauge their progress.

They will face teams from the global north, who will also be concerned with preparing for next year's Six Nations which is just a few months away, in a series of autumn international matches starting on Saturday. England coach Eddie Jones has some repair work to do after a poor Six Nations this year that saw his side finish second-last, and that has perhaps been reflected in a youthful, mobile squad for matches against Tonga (Nov. 6), Australia and South Africa.

"At the moment we're running with this young but very good squad," Jones told reporters. "What we've done is add some youth and enthusiasm. It's an opportunity for the squad to keep getting better." Scotland also go into their fixtures with a number of new caps that they need to bed in, starting against Tonga at what is expected to be a full Murrayfield on Saturday.

"It's our first opportunity since the Six Nations to come together as a team, and our goal is to become a better side over the next month," coach Gregor Townsend said. New Zealand have not faced European opposition since their third-place playoff victory over Wales at the World Cup almost two years ago.

They start their autumn series against Six Nations champions Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, a giant step up in difficulty from their 104-14 thrashing of the United States L1N2RJ0GW in Washington last weekend. The All Blacks meet Italy, Ireland and France after that, the latter contest a dress rehearsal for both sides ahead of their opening game of the 2023 World Cup in Paris.

"I wouldn't underestimate the importance of being able to give a number of new players – in the pack six out of eight had played fewer than 10 tests – a feel of what it's like be an All Black in different situations," said New Zealand coach Ian Foster. "And there are going to be plenty of different situations coming up the next four weeks."

World champions South Africa saw off the British & Irish Lions earlier this year in a fiercely contested series that will have left some acrimony on and off the field, and they will likely feel that heat when they take on Wales (Nov. 6), and then Scotland and England on consecutive weekends. Australia welcomed France in July for a three-test series, but have also been starved of their regular diet of northern hemisphere clashes.

They face Scotland (Nov. 7), England and Wales in games that will tell coach Dave Rennie much about where his side stands.

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