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How is your team shaping up in the rugby universe?

The ARU need a plan that doesn't only involve prayer. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
Roar Guru
25th November, 2016
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Since the Maori All Blacks ventured to the United States on the eve of the first weekend of November for a non-Test match, countless showdowns have taken place across (predominately) Europe in a bid for countries to edge up the IRB rankings in preparation for the draw of the Rugby World Cup.

Below is a list of the results to date, many of these highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly of the wider rugby community at the moment.

Week 1
Maori All Blacks 54 – United States 7
Argentina 54 – Japan 20
Australia 32 – Wales 8
Barbarians 31 – South Africa 31
Ireland 40 – New Zealand 29

Week 2
Barbarians 71 – Czech 0
Emerging Italy 50 – Heriot’s Rugby Club 33
Barbarians 40 – Fiji 7
Munster 27 – Maori All Blacks 14
Georgia 22 – Japan 28
New Zealand 68 – Italy 10
England 37 – South Africa 21
Australia 23 – Scotland 22
Portugal 26 – Belgium 21
Tonga 28 – Spain 13
Romania 23 – United States 10
France 52 – Samoa 8
Germany 24 – Uruguay 21
Wales 24 – Argentina 20
Ireland 52 – Canada 21
Chile 30 – South Korea 12

Week 3
Maori All Blacks 26 – Harlequins 10
Georgia 20 – Samoa 16
Italy 20 – South Africa 18
Germany 16 – Brazil 6
Heriot’s Rugby Club 15 – Emerging Italy 43
England 58 – Fiji 15
Wales 33 – Japan 30
Spain 33 – Uruguay 16
Romania 21 – Canada 16
Tonga 20 – United States 17
Scotland 19 – Argentina 16
New Zealand 21 – Ireland 9
Australia 25 – France 23
South Korea 38 – Chile 36

Week 4
French Barbarians 19 – Wallabies 11

Week 4 – to be played
Samoa versus Canada
Germany versus Brazil
Italy versus Tonga
England versus Argentina
Scotland versus Georgia
Romania versus Uruguay
Ireland versus Australia
Wales versus South Africa
France versus New Zealand
Fiji versus Japan

Week 5
Portugal versus Brazil
England versus Australia

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For instance, the winning ways of Romania and Tonga has been nice to see, but has been overshadowed by the lacklustre form of South Africa and Wales as teams from across the globe fight to prove they are a genuine force.

With the aforementioned games already down in the record books, the remaining week shapes as the last game for all of the heavy hitters excluding England and Australia, and of course Portugal and Brazil.

That means that the upcoming fixtures are do or die for a lot of the teams, most of which enter this week with a point to prove.

Samoa versus Canada
The result of this match will be ever important, as one team will notch their first win and one team will head home with nothing to show, save for some bumps and bruises. The performance of the Canadians has them as favourites for me, but Samoa seriously need to dig deep to prove they are still a force in the international arena.

Getting completely outdone by France and Ireland respectively, it’ll take a massive effort to avenge close losses from the week prior.

Germany versus Brazil
Joining a list of other teams that have had rematches during the last few weeks, the Brazilians will have their work cut out for them to beat Germany after the loss last week. Keeping in mind that Germany beat the 2015 Rugby World Cup entrants Uruguay, both teams will be staking claims to join the 19 other nations that will be represented in Japan in 2019.

Although I’m not well versed in either of these teams, you could say no to a German team that’s already two on the trot?

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Italy versus Tonga
Italy clash with Tonga soon after that match in what should be a fairly even contest. Tonga has had the ideal warm up, coming off two wins against Spain and United States in a fairly easy set of fixtures, whereas Italy will be riding high after beating South Africa for the first time in their history.

I’ll back the Azzurri who have finally given reason to get behind and having come up against harder opposition, theoretically, they should be hardened and ready to go.

Italy's Tommaso Allan tries to evade Wallabies forward Saia Faingaa during the rugby Test match between Italy and Australia. AFP PHOTO / OLIVIER MORIN

England versus Argentina
England faces an underperforming Argentina who will be hungry to retaliate after the close losses they’ve had against Wales and Scotland. The Pumas won’t be happy to head home with just a lone win against Japan, so their best foot will have to be put forward to stop this near unstoppable English side; destined to complete an unbeaten season.

Eddie Jones has instilled the ultimate degree of confidence into his men and for Argentina to stop them while their on this high would prove as arguably the most impressive win under Daniel Hourcade.

Scotland versus Georgia
Scotland have faced teams in a reversed order of difficulty, narrowly losing to Australia in a great performance to then nudge out Argentina in overtime the following week. Georgia have gone through their tour in relatively good form, losing to Japan after having the halftime lead and then beating Samoa in a massive display.

Despite Scotland improving and starting to play with some real direction, the feeling still exists that either team could take it from here off the back of a huge effort from the Georgian forwards. I’ll back Scotland to end the season as winners though.

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Romania versus Uruguay
Romania also enter their final game undefeated as a quickly improving side that could prove to be a force against tier one nations in the coming years. Their wins over Canada and the United States, in conjunction with the Uruguayans losses to Germany and Spain, should hold them in good stead to notch another win under their belt.

The Romanians should get up again here, feeling confident with themselves, whereas Uruguay will need to play out of their skins to show everyone that they deserve another crack at a Rugby World Cup and that they can mix with the best, even if they are still not overly competitive against most.

Ireland versus Australia
The Wallabies game against Ireland will be massive following the Irish performances against the All Blacks. Ireland will be slightly underdone due to the pressure exerted in facing the world champions twice in three weeks, but will be hoping to cap off an impressive series with a win over the slowly-improving Wallabies.

The Wallabies will be looking to steer as far away as possible from the performance of the Wallaby XV that took the field in Bordeaux, but even in doing so, it’s hard not to favour the Irish in their current intimidating form.

Wales versus South Africa
Wales and South Africa will have a titanic battle on their hands as neither team has managed to impress thus far and neither team will want to go home off the back of their last performance. South Africa slumped to their worst result of the season.

In what was supposed to be a confidence-building game in the lead up to this Welsh clash, the Springboks instead lost to Italy to join a recent list of ‘firsts’ that the South Africans surely won’t be that proud of.

Wales, only marginally better, barely scraped through against Japan; an improved side, but not a side that should be pushing an experienced Welsh side to the last minute. Both teams need a good, hard look at themselves and this game will be paramount to ending the season in some ‘good’ form. I’ll back South Africa to stand up, though I have no rhyme or reason for this claim.

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Bernard Foley Rugby Union Australia Wallabies Test Championship 2016

France versus New Zealand
France have the chance to avenge their diabolical capitulation to New Zealand last year with a chance to play them this weekend.

New Zealand are back to their best after embarrassing Italy and putting in a solid performance against Ireland at Dublin to claw back the ledger that Ireland imposed in Chicago. I’ll back New Zealand to continue dishing out the pain for the French, however Les Bleus will be hungry to do one better than their result against the Wallabies.

Fiji versus Japan
The week of action wraps up with Fiji and Japan, what should be a good battle. Fiji have yet to win, and in fact haven’t even come close to a win, so this match against Japan shapes as a do-or-die for them.

Japan have improved as the matches go by, slowly adjusting to the control of Jamie Joseph, and after a close loss to Wales that they nearly claimed they will want to continue their form with a big win over Fiji. I’ll back the Japanese to go two and two in a tight game.

No matter whom you support, nearly every man and his dog has a reason to turn on the TV, if indeed your team’s game is being televised, and watch as 20 teams collide over a span of only around 24 hours.

With the race for the ideal rank well underway, and nearly too far gone for the teams not competing in the Six Nations, who do you think will be getting the ‘W’ this weekend and which games come with the biggest stakes?

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