A busy November of international rugby action dawns with a hectic Test schedule of Quilter Nations Series action to be consumed over the next five weeks.
While a new Nations Championship is on the way to add extra context to these games next year, the 2025 fixtures take on greater meaning with a Rugby World Cup draw looming in early December.
Seeding for the expanded tournament could be crucial, with Australia hoping to break into the top band of six teams and Wales hoping to avoid tumbling out of Band 2 and thus facing a far tougher draw.
The action should come fast and furious as cross-hemisphere rivalries are reignited – and it isn’t just the top nations in action, with Hong Kong, the United States and Uruguay among the less-heralded sides touring Europe.
Limiting ourselves, though, to the 12 teams likely to contest the top tier of the Nations Championship next year, here’s one player to watch from each side:
Carter Gordon, Australia
Australia’s search for a long-term solution at fly-half continues, with Carter Gordon lured back to the 15-a-side game after a short, injury-disrupted stint in the NRL. The 24-year-old was Eddie Jones’s playmaker of choice at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and with no one yet to really seize the No 10 shirt under Joe Schmidt, Gordon will hope to adjust quickly back to union and make it his own.
Jamie Osborne, Ireland
There are a few nagging questions about the age profile of an Ireland squad looking slightly longer in the tooth in places than would be ideal. Andy Farrell has already begun the regeneration process as he returns to the helm after his British and Irish Lions sabbatical, and Jamie Osborne could be a key figure over the next couple of years. Comfortable in the centres, where his long-term home may be, the absence of Hugo Keenan may see Osborne at full-back primarily this autumn, where his imposing frame and aerial ability will be key under the high ball.
Andre Esterhuizen, South Africa
It finally feels like Andre Esterhuizen is really starting to make his presence known in the Springboks squad, even at the age of 31. It has taken time for the hulking centre to force his way in despite many years of excellence for Harlequins, but he has carved out an important role within Rassie Erasmus’s group; the ever-shrewd South African supremo is exploring the usage of Esterhuizen as an auxiliary loose forward, with hybridisation of players becoming a key trend of the international game. His size and softer skills also make him an excellent deputy or alternative to Damian de Allende.
Rhys Carre, Wales
Amid continuing chaos behind the scenes in Wales, Steve Tandy will hope to find a few linchpins to build around in his first campaign as head coach at the Principality Stadium. It’s required a bit of jiggery-pokery around the Welsh eligibility criteria, but it is good to see prop Rhys Carre back among things after a couple of strong seasons at Saracens. A ball carrier of the type Wales have struggled to produce of late, he should form an effective one-two punch with scrum-time weapon Nicky Smith on the loosehead.
Tomas Rapetti, Argentina
Argentina possess a squad of increasingly impressive options, from a deep, dynamic group of outside backs to a fearsome array of back-five forwards that can mix it with the best on the gainline. One area, though, where they could do with talent emerging is at prop – the return of Thomas Gallo is welcome after the loosehead missed the Rugby Championship, while there is considerable excitement around Tomas Rapetti, who made his debut in the last game of that campaign against South Africa and extracted a scrum penalty from the Springboks’ vaunted eight. Contracted by Toulouse, but down a little in their pecking order, Felipe Contepomi will surely want to give him a few international opportunities to speed his development.
Mickael Guillard, France
France are, as ever nowadays, in a good spot, following up a Six Nations triumph with a successful tour of New Zealand shorn of their stars, which proved again the richness of talent coming through in the country. The deployment of Mickael Guillard will therefore be fascinating – impressive at lock in the spring, it was at No 8 where the Lyon forward went well against the All Blacks – he could supplant Gregory Alldritt for the leading role at the base of Fabien Galthie’s scrum.
Fabian Holland, New Zealand
Born in Alkmaar, Fabian Holland relocated to New Zealand as a teenager to pursue a rugby dream that his natural stature lent itself to. The lock is starting to show he is more than just a fun story, though, growing by the game during the Rugby Championship and beginning to really catch the eye. With Patrick Tuipulotu unavailable this November, Holland may have a sizeable role to play supporting captain Scott Barrett in the engine room.
Liam McConnell, Scotland
This looks like a well put-together November for Scotland as Gregor Townsend, fresh from signing a new contract, balances tough Tests against the All Blacks and Argentina with matches against the United States and Tonga that may provide opportunities to mix and match his side. A large squad does not lack for back-row options, but clearly Townsend and his staff have seen something in Edinburgh flanker Liam McConnell, ushered in quickly, having begun the season on the blindside for the capital club. McConnell led Scotland’s under-20s impressively across some tough campaigns for the age-group side and could well debut at Test level in the coming weeks.
Pita Gus Sowakula, Fiji
Also awaiting a debut, of sorts, is Pita Gus Sowakula, who has switched allegiance to the nation of his birth after earning two caps for New Zealand in 2022. That wasn’t even Sowakula’s first foray into international sport – the 31-year-old played basketball at the highest level before switching full-time to rugby at the end of 2016, and that skillset can be seen in a dextrous, creative offloading game. Sowakula is a proper thumper, too, and has become a key cog in a frighteningly physical Clermont Auvergne side over the last couple of seasons.
Edoardo Todaro, Italy
There has been plenty of attention in recent weeks on England’s 19-year-old sensation Noah Caluori, but Italy have their own, similarly youthful, wing impressing in the Prem. Edoardo Todaro has started every game for Northampton Saints this season, seizing his opportunity with his ability to slip in and out of contact, and earning an immediate call-up to Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy squad. Intriguingly, Todaro has generally been used in the centres or at full-back coming through his nation’s pathway – that sort of versatility will be useful as Quesada tries to find the right backline balance to enable his side to continue to grow.
Harry Hockings, Japan
Once considered a lock of real promise in Australia, Harry Hockings is now available for Japan after spending the last few years with Suntory Sungoliath. Eddie Jones has put time, faith and caps into a group of more inexperienced players since reprising his role with Japan, but the addition of Hockings is useful in adding another big body to a forward pack – he and the ever-impressive Warner Dearns, still just 23, could form a locking partnership blessed with serious size.
Henry Pollock, England
It is worth remembering that this is Henry Pollock’s first proper international campaign with England, the youngster called in late in the Six Nations to make his debut against Wales before touring with the British and Irish Lions in July. That will not necessarily calm the excitement around a player who looks to have something special, and finding out how best to utilise Pollock alongside his other back-row resources will have been a conundrum Steve Borthwick will have enjoyed entering November. Be it on the openside, at No 8 or even on the wing – if required – the 20-year-old should continue his speedy rise through the ranks.
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