Previews

Big finish to autumn action

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 26/11/2009
Rugby Union betting

The autumn internationals come to an end on Saturday when there are a couple of mouthwatering contests to look forward to.

England wrapped up a disappointing month with a 19-6 defeat to New Zealand at Twickenham last weekend.

They had lost their first game to Australia 18-9 and a narrow 16-9 success against Argentina was the only highlight of an otherwise lacklustre series.

Meanwhile, Declan Kidney's Ireland team face a difficult test against world champions South Africa at Croke Park, Dublin.

The shrewd Irish coach will be wanting his men to remain undefeated following a last-gasp 20-20 draw with Australia and a thumping 41-6 win against Fiji.

With the Irish currently holding the Six Nations crown following their excellent Grand Slam campaign last year, they will be keen to consolidate their position in the top five of the official world rankings with another positive performance against Peter De Villiers' hard-hitting outfit.

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It could be a good time for Kidney's men to face the Springboks with full-back Zane Kirchner (knee), centre Adi Jacobs (ankle), scrum-half Fourie du Preez (hand), lock Bakkies Botha (back), hookers Bismarck du Plessis (ribs) and Adriaan Strauss (back), flank Schalk Burger (ribs), and prop CJ van der Linde (hamstring) all struggling to be fit for the game and De Villiers has already said he will not announce his squad until Thursday.

You have to go back to November 2006 for the last time the two nations met and it was Irish eyes that were smiling on that occasion as they cruised to a 32-15 victory at Lansdowne Road.

Wales welcome Australia to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium when they will be looking to improve on their hit-and-miss series to date.

They lost 19-12 to New Zealand before squeezing to a prosaic 17-13 win over Samoa and last weekend they thrashed Argentina 33-16 but the Wallabies could offer a stiffer test despite their own poor showings.

The visitors defeated England in their opening contest before drawing in Ireland and, last time out, to many people's amazement, they crashed 9-8 against Scotland and the Welsh will be out to inflict more misery on coach Robbie Deans and his men.

Scotland take on the Pumas of Argentina and they will be looking to build on their surprising victory against Australia at Murrayfield last week. A win could push the Scots ahead of their weekend rivals in the world rankings if they manage to do so.

Italy challenge the powerful Samoa team at Stadio Del Duca in Ascoli while the undoubted top clash away from British and Irish soil will see France, the online sportsbook favourites to land the Six Nations next year, take on the world's number one ranked side New Zealand in Marseille.

A win for the All Blacks would give them a clean sweep on their European tour.

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