The New Zealand ballad in Japan (19-64), on October 26, served as a preface to the 2024 fall tour. A week after this “partnership” match, the All Blacks and other southern nations are heading towards Europe.
The month of November will be dictated by more than twenty meetings. One year after the 2023 World Cup, they could allow certain nations to relaunch themselves, to move forward after certain affairs or even to equal a few records. A look back at the challenges of the fall tour of the world's great nations.
In France, “we want to talk about Rugby differently”
In recent months, discussions around the XV of France have fled the field. The racist exit of Melvyn Jaminet, the accusation of violent rape targeting Oscar Jégou and Hugo Auradou and the dramatic disappearance at sea of Medhi Narjissi… the extra-sporty predominated. French rugby must therefore move forward but not forget. “We want to talk about rugby differently explained Jean-Marc Lhermet, vice-president of the French Rugby Federation, in September. We must learn the lessons of the last few weeks to get back on a good footing. » And the XV of France can help on this subject. The French public needs to connect with players who made them vibrate, during a 2023 World Cup, which seemed unfinished but which they loved, during a won 2022 6 Nations Tournament…
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But these players also need to get their heads back on track. The dreams of a world coronation, curtly interrupted, left their mark on people's minds. A third place and an inglorious game during a 6 Nations 2024, which also remained bitter, did not help.
France wants to see the Blues again before the World Cup. She wants to find the Fabien Galthié who gave birth to a flamboyant team, let a beautiful generation blossom and put the long and painful years of the XV of France into oblivion. The French of the Galthié era brought down the great All Blacks, in 2021 (40-25) and at the 2023 World Cup (27-13). We cannot forget the final lost in 2011 and the numerous defeats, but it is France which can maintain its current supremacy over the Blacksduring a shock on November 16 (9:10 p.m.). She can also equal a record, that of three consecutive victories against this nation, achieved only once between 1994 and 1995.
South Africa has a status to be confirmed
New Zealand, three-time world champions, has long been the unreachable nation for those in the northern hemisphere. But its neighbors, South Africa and Australia, have also been shaken for a long time. It's never easy to bring down the Blacksbut one team managed to dethrone them: South Africa.
During this tour, the Springboks have a status to be confirmed, that of double world champions, in 2019 and 2023, but also winners of the Rugby Championship. Last September, they won their fifth title in their history in the competition.
And the program for these November tests goes in their direction with matches that seem affordable: Scotland, England and Wales.
England must prove against southern nations
For a long time, it was the only northern nation to compete with the “Southerners”. They were also the team that knocked the knees of their opponents in the 6 Nations Tournament, away to Twickenham. But this time seems almost very distant. Since then, the XV de la Rose has had a series of ups and downs, experienced a rout at home against the French (10-53) in 2023 and above all multiplied the setbacks against the three major nations of the South (New Zealand, Australia, Africa South). Against them, the English have not won since July 2022 and this short success against Australia (17-21). The revenge of a defeat (30-28) suffered two weeks earlier.
Last July, the last two official matches of the English even ended with two defeats against… New Zealand. With great mistrust, they will find this team on Saturday November 2. “Everyone thinks New Zealand are a team that move the ball so well, but ultimately they are proud of their touch, their scrum, their mauls”warns English left pillar Ellis Genge, who expects “a battle of attrition”.
Then the rest of the program of Steve Borthwick and his new staff is not easy. The receptions of Australia, November 9, then ofSouth Africa on November 26 will bring back bad memories.
Irish revenge against the Blacks
Ireland is also one of the revenge teams. And yet, the last lines of his list say the opposite. The XV of Clover currently occupies first place in the world rankings and has won the last two 6 Nations, including a Grand Slam in 2023. But it is still missing the Grail, the one that has been so sought after by the nations of the North since the England's world title in 2003. The men dressed in green have never done better than a quarter-finalist place. And during the last World Cup, the All Blacks extinguished all hopes of doing better (24-28). It is therefore with this desire for revenge that Andy Farrell's men host New Zealand on Friday November 8 (9:10 p.m.), in a duel at the top.
Australia and Wales must reassure themselves
The last few seasons have been cruel for Australia and Wales. The current bad shape has been going on for too long already. And in the world rankings, it is felt. Australia (10th) is flirting with the top 10 and is narrowly ahead of the Welsh. Scotland, Italy and Fiji are even ahead.
Winner of the 2021 6 Nations Tournament, the Leek XV very quickly foundered. Fifth twice (2022 then 2023), he obtained the “wooden spoon” (five defeats in five matches) during the last edition.
On the Australian side, the drop in level was gradually noticed at the Rugby Championship, before coming to the fore during the last World Cup. In France, the Wallabies haven't even seen the final stages. The two nations must begin a new cycle and meet again on Sunday November 17. Then Australia will go to Scotland, to find a certain Sione Tuipulotu, Scottish center and captain of Australian origins.
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Both Australia and Wales can draw inspiration from the journey of Argentina, semi-finalist of the 2023 World Cup. Opponent of the Blues, on November 22, they could be one of the teams in good shape of the moment. She showed a very good face during the last Rugby Championship, with a victory against the three nations. Latest arrival in this competition, Argentina has often been in difficulty, even having a catastrophic 2021 edition with six defeats and zero points on the clock. In three years, she has changed a lot.
