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The opening weekend of the Autumn Internationals proper sees six teams from the south take on six from the north. And no doubt it will be another sweeping victory for the southern teams as their rocket-fuelled boots take them past their leaded-hooved northern counterparts.
A veritable pizza topping display of New Zealand elan, Aussie brio and Bok machismo peppered with Samoan swerves, Fijian footwork, and Argentine aggro awaits lucky viewers.
Pacific Nations Cup holders, Samoa, fresh from their midweek outing against Irish province, Connacht, will take on the six-game losing streak all-island team at Lansdowne Road.
Clermont Auvergne winger Gavin Williams (son of former All Black Bryan), Wasps lock Daniel Leo, Hawke’s Bay Winger Sinoti Sinoti and Claremont Auvernge hooker Ti’i Paulo are likely to be in the first team line up.
They could be joined by speedster and try-scoring star of this year’s World Sevens Series, Mikaele Pesamino. Auckland Blues centre Jamie Helleur will pair up with Australian-based Uarotafou Setu, who turns out for Queensland’s Sunnybank club, to combat whatever centre pairing Kidney decides to try out this week.
Samoan captain, Lolo Lui, could shift from full back to stand-off and he’ll be hoping to get smart service from Exeter Chiefs new scrum half Junior Poluleluligaga. (There’s a bit of me that hopes he gets teamed with the fantastically named fly-half, Faatalatala Fagasoaia just to see how commentators get their lips around their names as they make regular breaks up field.)
Up front, the faltering Irish front row will have to contend with homegrown prop talent, Logovii Mulipola, the highly experienced Ti’i Paulo, and Simon Lemalu who turns out for Counties Manakau. Wasps lock Daniel Leo, Chad Slade of Exeter Chiefs and No 8 Fillipo Levi of Newcastle will keep the Irish lineout honest and fighting.
After the Irish faltered so badly last week, this has become a must-win game. For the Samoans, they’ve nothing to lose in making sure that their opponents have to fight for every blade of grass in the Aviva. Ireland have had their Georgia moment, Samoa next? Ireland by one?
Fiji will test their will o’ the wisp footwork and handling skills against the increasingly burly French, whilst Argentina will dally between proving a scrummaging point against the Italians, and getting points on the board to secure them a much-needed first tour win.
Fiji have waned more than waxed in recent seasons. They were thrashed in the pouring rain by Ireland last November, and coach, Sam Domoni, recognised the failings they had in the front row stocks that was starving them of front-foot ball. Another thrashing by Australia last June reinforced the problem.
So new props Setefano Somoca and Vesi Rarawa have been selected for the first time to give competition to Scarlets tight-head Deacon Manu and Campese Ma’afu, brother of Wallaby Salesi.
More of the squad has had an English grounding in the game with call-ups for Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera, Sale No.8 Sisa Koyamaibole, and Saracens midfielder Kameli Ratuvou. Other notables include Clermont wing Napolioni Nalaga and Castres centre Seremaia Bai. But the celebrated Rupeni Caucaunibuca will not be featuring this time round. The odds on them upsetting the French are pretty low.
The Argentine squad may have a number of household names but they are going to be missing one of the best with Racing Metro playmaker, Juan Hernandez, out of the series through injury. Former Leinster out-half, and now plying his trade with Toulon, Felipe Contepomi will possibly captain the side. Likely to join him will be club team-mate Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, along with a squad containing other Top 14 stalwarts such as Montpellier’s Santiago Fernandez, Alvaro Galindo of Racing Metro, Toulousains Nicolas Vergallo & Patricio Albacete, whilst Clermont supply Agustin Creevy, Mario Ledesma and Martin Scelzo.
Eusebio Guinazu, Manuel Carizza, Marcelo Bosch will make their way from Biarritz whilst Gonzalo Tiesi joins the old reliables Rodrigo Roncero and Martin Rodriguez from Stade Francais. However, will the side that faded in the teeth of a Scottish summer onslaught, or the one that thrashed the French a week later be the one to turn up in Verona? Must be all that time they’re spending in France that’s leading to such mercurial inconsistency.
Italy, meanwhile, will have hoped to have gained some vital club match experience in the Magners, where one of their two teams, Treviso, has been more than holding its own and taking some notable scalps including Leinster.
Treviso scrum-half Edoardo Gori will go up against established halfbacks Tito Tebaldi and Pablo Canavosio for the No.9 jersey while his club team-mate Tommaso Benvenuti has been rewarded for some strong early-season form with a call-up.
Injured skipper Sergio Parisse has been named in the squad but is unlikely to be ready to face Argentina. Fly-half Craig Gower – fresh from turning down overtures from NRL clubs – will be taking to the field after recovering from an injury.
Yet it’s Italian forwards who have created much of the perception and brand of Italian style rugby where Barbieri, Bergamasco, the remarkable Castrogiovanni of Leicester Tigers, C Del Fava, S Dellapè, South african import Geldenhuys (Aironi), along with Fabio Onagro and the emerging No. 8, Alessandro Zanni of Treviso who will take Parisse’s place for the first match, hold sway in the side.
But this season, the backline may have a bit more running in it, where Mirco Bergamasco of Racing Metro, the nippy and try-scoring Canale of Clermont, Canavosio from Aironi and Treviso’s Luke McLean may catch the eye.
Scotland having had the most success of the NH teams in the last twelve months against southern opposition get to face New Zealand for their troubles. And yes they’re confident as well, apparently. With one more draw than the Irish in their much-celebrated collective failure to ever defeat the All Blacks in 26 matches in 105 years, they’re hoping to achieve the impossible before Ireland get another chance in two weeks time.
Front rowers, Allan Jacobsen, Ford and Euan Murray are the best scrummaging unit open to Robinson. Second rowers, Richie Gray and Jim Hamilton as the best lineout duo, with Nathan Hines waiting in the wings to add a bit of bollock and bite. Last season’s heroes, Kelly Brown, Richie Vernon and John Barclay should make up the backrow with Barclay as captain. But in the backline, they are likely to be Lamontable with de Luca and Danielli both injured. Scotland might hope to keep the margin to less than twenty if they can disrupt NZ ball.
In other matches, England will try and play Tri Nations runners-up Australia in Twickenham whilst Wales play with wooden spooners, Springboks, on the second leg of their tour.
For this blog, instead of rhapsodising about your own team – again – feel free to discuss your team’s opponents in the coming matches.
Who knows, there might be prizes for best responses (serious or humorous) that display your brilliant knowledge, searing assessment and blazing insights that will make your fellow Roarers leap up as one and stamp on their keyboards in collective adulation. Or something like that.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.