South Africa v Wales

South Africa – 41

Tries

Jesse Kriel (4′), penalty (15′), Makazole Mapimpi (42′), Bongi Mbonambi (69′), Edwill van der Merwe (75′)

Conversions

Jordan Hendrikse (5′)(43′), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (70′)(76′)

Penalties

Jordan Hendrikse (49′), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (66′)

Cards

Yellow: Aphelele Fassi (30′)

Wales – 13

Tries

Dewi Lake (31′)

Conversions

Sam Costelow (32′)

Penalties

Sam Costelow (7′)(35′)

Cards

Yellow: Rio Dyer (12′), Aaron Wainwright (15′)

While Sandy Park was hosting the Premiership Women’s Rugby Final and England were kicking off their summer tour in Tokyo, Twickenham found itself hosting Test rugby in the form of South Africa v Wales. With the match being played outside World Rugby’s Test window, and the URC final (including South African franchise the Bulls), both teams found themselves with a number of players either injured or unavailable for release.

Given recent form and the number of players missing, Welsh fans must have been worried as to how this match could go, and they were given an early let-off as Jordan Hendrikse, playing today as a fly half rather than his usual scrum half position, pushed an easy penalty wide of the posts. However the reprieve was short-lived, as from the resulting drop-out, Wales’ defence got their defensive line horribly wrong at the first breakdown, leaving South Africa with a 4v1 out on the wing that saw Makazole Mapimpi round the defence and feed Jesse Kriel for the opening try after just 3 minutes.

Sam Costelow was able to open his account a few minutes later with a penalty, but Wales were soon on the back foot again as their scrum——already a notable weakness during the Six Nations—was dominated by the Springbok pack, and when the impressive Evan Roos broke through from halfway to be stopped just short, things got worse for Warren Gatland’s men as Rio Dyer was sent to the bin for a cynical killing of the ball, and South Africa kept the pressure on with a siege on the line, forcing a number of other infringements in quick succession before a penalty try and yellow card for Aaron Wainwright for illegal entry to the maul, while Costelow missed an easy penalty a few minutes later as Wales looked to see out the rest of the yellow card period without further damage, almost scoring a try against the run f play as Liam Williams intercepted and set up a counterattack that was unfortunately ended by a handling error from scrum half Ellis Bevan—an unfortunate blot on an otherwise solid debut.

Back to a full contingent, Wales were looking to make a game of it, but struggled to make any impact against the South African defences, leading to them soon kicking possession away. And when Aphelele Fassi made contact on landing with Taine Plumtree, he was given a yellow card for foul play as his boot went into Plumtree’s neck/shoulder area. And though Wales saw their lineout stolen after kicking to the corner, it was not claimed cleanly by the Boks, allowing hooker and captain Dewi Lake to win the loose ball back and go over for a try on the half hour mark, Costelow’s conversion from the touchline cutting their deficit to 4 points. South Africa’s indiscipline was keeping Wales in the game, with even their scrum betraying them, and Costelow soon added another penalty following a deliberate knock-on from Roos, before threatening with a lovely cross-kick which Liam Williams won against Hendrikse, only for his one-handed offload to be a little too high and result in a knock-on from Cameron Winnett when he had the potential to break down the right wing untouched.

With only a 14-13 lead at the break, it’s easy to imagine that Rassie Erasmus was far from happy, and it looked like his words had an impact. An early penalty saw Faf de Klerk up the temp with a quick tap, and after a couple of phases through the forwards, the ball was spread wide to send Mapimpi over in the corner, though Kriel’s final pass looked suspiciously forward. The South African “Bomb Squad” began to come on in following minutes to secure the scrum, and the set piece soon earned them a penalty which Hendrikse kicked successfully. And as the Springboks began to dominate possession, Ben Carter was perhaps lucky to not receive a card after making contact with Frans Malherbe’s neck in a tackle, with referee Chris Busby of the opinion that both parties entered the contact low, creating sufficient mitigation. The penalty still brought the Boks right up to the 5m line though, and as they went through the phases, Evan Roos was just held up over the line with his final involvement before being replaced, as Wales continued to defend with everything they had.

Indiscipline from the World Champions still continued to give Wales cheap possession and territory, and as the hour approached, a Welsh driving maul was adjudged to have been just held up over the line, while their next kick to the corner went too long and flew beyond the try line, while Bongi Mbonambi avoided a card for head-to-head contact with Gareth Thomas as both parties were again judged to have lowered their height sufficiently to create mitigation. However, as hard as they fought, Wales continued to struggle to regularly cross the gain line, and they were made to pay for their lack of attacking edge late on as replacement fly half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened his Test rugby point account with a penalty from inside his own half, before another penalty to the corner saw Mbonambi driven over for a try.

With the game entering the final 10 minutes, Costelow and Mason Grady were removed for young debutants Eddie James and Jacob Beetham, but there was nothing either of them could do as 28-year-old debutant Edwill van der Merwe danced his way around the side of a ruck and switched on the afterburners to go under the posts from 40 metres out. There was one more chance for Wales as they kicked a penalty deep to the corner, but Liam Williams was beaten to Gareth Davies’ clever chip into the in-goal by the impressive Kriel to secure a 41-13 victory.

While the score is not one that Wales will be happy with, given Wales’ form and current inexperience (exacerbated by injuries and their missing Premiership players), the team should be proud of how they held on against the World Champions after such a poor opening 15 minutes, with the parity in the middle half of the game especially notable. As for South Africa, this was certainly a team that was lacking some of its usual chemistry as they played their first Test in over 200 days while also brought in some new, inexperienced players in some key positions, but it also looked as if the team was trying to build a more expansive game that we have been used to seeing from them under Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber. It will be interesting to see if they go back to type as they host Ireland this summer or continue to open things up…

rugby south africa springboks crest no background

Japan v England

Japan – 17

Tries

Koga Nezuka (66′), Takuya Yamasawa (69′)

Conversions

Rikiya Matsuda (67′) (69′)

Penalties

Seung-sin Lee (2′)

England – 52

Tries

Chandler Cunningham-South (14′), Marcus Smith (24′), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (29′), Henry Slade (40′), Alex Mitchell (43′), Ben Earl (50′), Harry Randall (59′), Sam Underhill (77′)

Conversions

Marcus Smith (15′) (25′) (30′) (44), Henry Slade (60′) (78′)

Cards

Yellow: Marcus Smith (54′)

Red: Charlie Ewels (73′)

As the club rugby season tapers off in the Northern Hemisphere, England kicked off their first tour under Steve Borthwick with a match against former head coach Eddie Jones and his new-look Japan team. Rather than using the match as an opportunity to test some of his fringe players ahead of a 2-Test series against New Zealand, Borthwick decided to make only a handful of changes to the 23 that finished the Six Nations.

Japan’s line-up was not one that would be familiar except to fans of their domestic leagues, with many uncapped players, but they were in the ascendency early on, allowing Seung-sin Lee an early shot at the posts. England had no answer for Japan’s quick tempo and offloading game early on, and it was only the power and experience of the tourist’s maul defence that managed to hold out the Brave Blossoms after they kicked penalties to the corner twice in the opening 10 minutes.

England’s pack helped them begin to create a foothold in the game as they began to dominate at the scrum against a front row who only had 3 caps between them coming into the game, and after a scrum penalty allowed England to kick into the hosts’ 22, the power of the visiting pack saw them make ground with quick ball as they kept things tight in their first attack of note, with Chandler Cunningham-South stretching over for the try on his first start. Japan were continuing to dominate possession, but handling errors were costing them, and when England earned a lineout on halfway, they were clinical, throwing long directly to Alex Mitchell, who drew 2 tacklers before feeding Marcus Smith to glide through the defence to score untouched. With that try and a big tackle from Cunningham-South on Seung-sin a moment later, it felt like the momentum was swinging towards England, and when a Marcus Smith 50:22 gave England their best starting position of the game, the forwards tied in the defence with phases of pressure before Smith threw a looping pass to send Immanuel Feyi-Waboso over out wide on the half hour mark.

With England continually kicking long, Japan were all to happy to continue attacking at every opportunity they could and continued to stretch the defence, but a try for Tiennan Costley was chalked off as referee Luc Ramos blew before the finish for a supposed knock-on in the build-up. As halftime approached, the game was beginning to take on a familiar feel for a fixture that had been played at Twickenham quite frequently in recent years: Japan trying to play an open and expansive game but having no answer for the power of England’s forwards, who would create dominance at the set piece. But when England kicked another penalty into the hosts’ 22 in the final minutes of the half, their throw to the tail lost some degree of control and allowed the Japanese defence to counterruck and turn the ball over before clearing their lines. A turnover from Feyi-Waboso on the final play of the half gave England one more chance before the break, and England chalked up their fourth try as England went to the left but Marcus Smith then reversed the play with a cross-kick to the right wing, where henry Slade won the duel in the air to go over in the corner for a 3-26 halftime lead.

England were straight back on the offensive after the restart, and Alex Mitchell soon added to the scoreboard by using a retreating Japanese player as a shield from the tackler to snipe through at the side of a breakdown. With Tests against the All Blacks coming up, Steve Borthwick chose to begin using his bench early by bringing on Joe Marler and Theo Dan, and when Sam Underhill latched over a breakdown, England were soon attacking from another lineot in the Japanese 22, only for the hosts to hold Dan Cole up over the line after a series of phases. England had a penalty advantage, though, and after going to the corner, it took just a couple of phases inside before Mitchell went back to attack the blind side and offloaded to send Ben Earl over for a try.

Japan may have conceded 38 consecutive points, but they were still looking to attack and cause problems for the English defence, and when Marcus Smith was picked up for an early tackle 5 metres from his try line, he was sent to the bin, while referee Luc Ramos refused the obvious penalty try, believing that Dan Cole was in a position to make the tackle. Japan went to the corner, but fumbled the lineout and then conceded the penalty at the resulting scrum to allow England to breathe a sigh of relief and clear their lines. And despite the numerical disadvantage, the physicality of the England pack continued to make ground, and Harry Randall soon sniped over from close range to mark his return to Test rugby with a try.

With Marcus Smith’s yellow card coming to an end, Fin Smith was brought on in his place, but a missed tackle in his first phase on the pitch allowed Kai Yamamoto to break up to the England 5m line, and the Brave Blossoms quickly recycled and spread the ball wide for Koga Nezuka to score in the corner, replacement fly half Rikiya Matsuda adding the extras and giving the home fans something to cheer about. And the cheers soon got louder as Warner Dearns’ juggling of an offload somehow saw him evade Maro Itoje’s grasp, and as he made his way deep into the England half, he drew the last defender before sending over Takuya Yamasawa—who had only come into the 23 at the eleventh hour when Dylan Riley pulled out injured—to score beneath the posts.

England would soon find themselves back down to 14 men as Charlie Ewels dived in at the knees of Michael Leitch during a ruck to earn himself a yellow card, soon upgraded to a red on review by the bunker, with the Japanese captain lucky to avoid a serious injury. With a man advantage, Japan tried to run a free kick from their own line as the game entered the final 5 minutes, only for Sam Underhill to win the penalty at the breakdown in their 22, and England finally got the maul working from the resulting 5m lineout, sending the Bath flanker over for the try that his defensive performance deserved. There was time for one more England attack of note, and it almost ended with a try on the final play, only for Ollie Lawrence to just fail to gather a chip to the corner from Fin Smith.

With a final score of 17-52, it was a familiar tale for Japan of a skilful performance being overpowered by the English physicality, but an inexperienced team will still see a lot of positives from the match, though I don’t see how they will effectively compete against the bigger teams while keeping all of their players in Japan. As for England, it was a good opener to the tour in hot conditions, but will their opponent’s relative lack of physicality leave them undercooked against the All Blacks?

Seat on the Plane

The final round of the Premiership Rugby season has come to an end, and that means that as 4 teams prepare for the playoffs (and Gloucester for their season-defining European Challenge Cup Final), the attentions of other players and fans will be starting to turn towards the summer. This summer sees England go to the Southern Hemisphere for a 3-match tour: 1 Test against Japan and a 2-Test series against New Zealand. But who will be making the squad for these fixtures.

I have previously discussed how I feel that the summer tours are the perfect opportunity to rest the regulars after a long season and build depth in the national setup by taking the fringe players and those who were outside the squad but have impressed during the season. And while I doubt that will happen with a foe as mighty as the All Blacks, there are still players whose exploits this season could put them in with a solid chance of earning a seat on the plane this summer, especially once injuries, retirements and international exiles are accounted for.

So today I look at 5 players who did not feature in the Six Nations, who I feel have earned a call-up this summer. Let me know who you think should be on this list.

Curtis Langdon

While it is my belief that this is the summer where Theo Dan should finally overtake Jamie George as the starting hooker, England desperately need to increase their depth at this position. This time 2 years ago, Langdon would have been preparing to leave Sale for Worcester, unaware that just a few months later he would be left without a job as his new club collapsed. Luckily, he found employment in the Top14 for the rest of last season, before moving to Saints and becoming a key part of their 2023/4 season success that has seen them narrowly lose to Leinster in a Champions Cup semi and top the Premiership Rugby table. Previously capped against the USA and Canada in 2021, Langdon has developed so much as a player since then and, now aged 26, appears to be playing the best rugby of his life. His and Northampton’s success this year deserves to elevate him above other hopefuls like Jamie Blamire and Jack Walker.

Ollie Sleightholme

Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso may have earned the starting spots for now with their Six Nations performances, but Freeman’s fellow Saint Sleightholme surely deserves a chance in the squad this summer after helping fire Northampton to the top of the Premiership table. With 15 tries from 15 games this season (at time of writing), he is finally getting discussed as a potential option for England, but he has generally been prolific throughout his senior career, with 42 tries from 58 senior appearances (despite going scoreless in the 21/22 season). A solid all-round wing, Sleightholme deserves the chance to step up and see if he can replicate his form in the Test arena and should be looking to start against Japan.

Zach Mercer

Yes, Ben Earl is one of the form number 8s in Test rugby this season, but England would benefit from moving him to 7 and bringing in Zach Mercer at 8. Even on a bad day, he has been one of Gloucester’s stand-out performers following his return from France in the summer, despite injury and the disappointment of twice being let go by Steve Borthwick. A player who has stood out in both the Premiership and Top14 and has been integral to Gloucester’s run to the Challenge Cup final, he is a leader on the pitch and an incredible talent, able to tackle, carry, pass and even kick well, while his combination of strength and footwork sees him regularly break the gainline even from a standing start. A back row of Mercer, Earl and an enforcer like Cunningham-South could be deadly.

Harry Randall

A player who I have been a fan of since his days at Hartpury, Randall was the first of his generation of 9s coming through to break into the England squad, playing 4 out of 5 games in the 2022 Six Nations, but injury saw him fall down the pecking order. Now, he is back to his best with Bristol, where he can manage the game with good kicking while also being a constant threat around the fringes and supporting on the break. With Ben Youngs and Danny Care gone, England need to look at their options. Ben Spencer is 32 this summer so there is no guarantee that he will be available come RWC2027, and while Alex Mitchell may have benefitted from his rival’s injuries to become the incumbent, I think that there are still questions about his game management, especially the kicking game. On the fringe of the senior squad during the 6 Nations, and eventually given the start for England A, Randall is in the mix and after a strong end to the season with Bristol deserves a chance to win the 9 shirt back, while it also wouldn’t be a shock to see Jack van Poortvliet pushing for a return to the squad after injury denied him a spot in the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.

Rusiate Tuima

It’s rare that Maro Itoje plays his best rugby for England, and the Saracen could probably deserve a summer off, while Ollie Chessum is missing the summer tour through injury. George Martin is the most likely to profit from this with a spot in the starting lineup, with Saints’ Alex Coles also looking to get more Test minutes under his belt, but Tuima would be a smart option to take on tour. While England have some fantastic technical locks and some incredible engines, Tuima offers the size and heft in the tight five that we see teams like South Africa and France regularly deploy to dominate the set piece and put them on the front foot in attack. Tuima has the chance to do that for England, while also exploiting his offloading ability and dynamism in the loose from his years playing in the back row. One of the stars of England A’s farce of a match against Portugal, he deserves the chance to step up to the Test arena like fellow Exeter kids Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza and Ross Vintcent have done over recent years.

Argentina v Scotland: Team of the Series

We are one week on from the end of Scotland’s summer tour to South America. A series that saw a strong Scotland A team take on Chile as the South Americans prepared for their 2-leg playoff with the USA—which they won to secure the Americas 2 spot at RWC2023—before the first choice team (minus a few regulars) faced Argentina in a 3-Test series, which saw a last-gasp try from Emiliano Boffelli secure a 2-1 series win for the Pumas to kick off Michael Cheika’s tenure as head coach.

And so, as we spend this period after the Summer Tours patiently waiting for the beginning of the Rugby Championship, it’s time to look back over the tour to create my combined XV. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the match between Scotland A and Chile, so this will focus purely on the Test series with Argentina,

Who do you think should have made the XV? Let me know in the comments below.

My combined XV from Scotland’s 3-Test series against Argentina is:

1) Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro: Was hard to separate anyone out from the pack here, but what really stuck in my mind was the way that Tetaz Chaparro followed up 2 starts with a strong performance off the bench to help pull the Pumas back into the final Test and flip the momentum in their favour.

2) Ewan Ashman: A solid but not spectacular series for Julián Montoya, who missed the decider, while Scotland rotated their hookers with each getting a start and an appearance off the bench. As such, the most notable performance was that of Ewan Ashman, who put in a solid all-round performance—including 2 tries, one of which highlighted his threat in the loose—to put Scotland in a position where they should have held on to win the final Test.

3) Zander Fagerson: I wonder if Fagerson actually gets the recognition he deserves on the international stage. Was solid in the scrums through the series and showed his quality with ball in hand during the fina Test.

4 & 5) Guido Petti & Grant Gilchrist: Petti played a crucial role in the set piece, with a number of crucial steals at the lineout. Meanwhile, Gilchrist did a solid job in the second row, while also took on the responsibility of captaining the team with a number of Scotland’s most experienced players given the summer off.

6) Rory Darge: Made an immediate impression on his debut Six Nations and carried on where he left off in Argentina. Darge is a turnover machine, and it will be very hard to drop him from the XV, which is crazy to think considering how locked in the pairing of Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Waston has been.

7) Hamish Watson: Celebrated reaching his half-century of caps out in Argentina and will surely go on to earn many more. missed the opening Test, but came back with 2 solid performances. You always know what you’ll get from him: a tireless engine, reliable tackling, crucial turnovers and hard carrying.

8) Matt Fagerson: Appears to have secured the number 8 spot in the Scotland squad in recent matches and is certainly becoming more influential in the team. Carried well throughout the series to help put the Scots on the front foot.

9) Gonzalo Bertranou: Wasn’t even intended to be in the wider squad this summer but ended up starting the first few Tests and coming off the bench in the finale. Played well in the first 2 Tests and helped spark a comeback in the decider. Took his opportunities well to score 2 tries.

10) Santiago Carreras: Maybe I have some bias here as a Gloucester fan, but in a Test series where both of the main 10s were transitioning to the position from 15, Carreras was more consistent that Blair Kinghorn, though he didn’t have to worry about goal kicking. Ran the game well and took his moments to score 2 beautiful tries. Regardless, I still feel that he is better at 15 than 10.

11) Duhan van der Merwe: Was quiet in the first Test, but when Scotland actually started paying more rugby he became a real threat. Carried well and was fully deserving of his try early in the decider.

12) Sam Johnson: Like many Scottish players, he was wasted in the opening Test as they kicked too much ball away, but came into his own as Scotland started playing more attacking rugby. Scored off a lovely crash ball line in the second game.

13) Mark Bennett: One of Scotland’s best players in the series, it was great to see him back paying consistently and he was on top attacking form. Scored 2 very different, but equally impressive tries, beating his man on an outside arc in the first Test and taking a much more direct line from deep in the second.

14) Bautista Delguy: Had limited minutes as Michael Cheika looked at his options, but managed to get more involved than many of his fellow wingers. Made a number of breaks and half-breaks while continually keeping the Scottish defence guessing.

15) Juan Cruz Mallia: Missed the second Test but looked dangerous in both other matches. Found space to start a number of attacks returning kicks.

South Africa v Wales: Team of the Series

We are one week on from the end of Wales’ summer tour to South Africa. A series that saw sporting stadia in South Africa return to capacity, while Wales also made history with their first victory over the Springboks in South Africa, while the World Champions emerged with a 2-1 series victory.

And so, as we spend this period after the Summer Tours patiently waiting for the beginning of the Rugby Championship, it’s time to look back over the tour to create my combined XV.

Who do you think should have made the XV? Let me know in the comments below.

My combined XV from Wales’ 3-Test series against South Africa is:

1) Steven Kitshoff: Ended the club season winning the inaugural URC final and followed it up with some solid performances off the bench as part of the Bomb Squad. May not have been as noticeable in the loose with Wales spending much of the time he was on the pitch defending but caused the opponent tightheads issues in the scrum.

2) Malcolm Marx: Sticking with the Bomb Squad, Marx continued to impress all over the pitch with his appearances off the bench, and scored a crucial ty as the South African fightback began during the opener in Pretoria.

3) Sam Wainwright: Probably a shock to everyone with my selection here. At 24 years old and with just 6 appearances in the Premiership for Saracens (all off the bench, totalling less than 50 minutes), it was understandable that many were asking who this third choice tighthead on the tour was, but he held his own at the scrum against some of the best in the world and will surely be adding many more caps to his name over the coming years.

4 & 5) Eben Etzebeth & Will Rowlands: The South African behemoth was the only one to start all 3 Tests for the Springboks as he brought up his century of caps and payed a key role in South Africa setting their dominance. As for Rowlands, with Beard’s performances having secured one of the Welsh lock spots, the pressure was on him to step up and reach his potential as Alun Wyn Jones reaches the twilight of his career, and that’s exactly what he did with some strong carrying and defence, while he even had some success disrupting the South African lineout.

6) Dan Lydiate: Much like Peter O’Mahony, Lydiate was given the 6 shirt and rolled back the years with a series of brilliant performances. His reliable and tireless tackling played a key role in a Welsh defensive display that did itself proud against the Boks.

7) Tommy Reffell: Fans have been clamouring for his call-up for a couple of years now, and when he was finally selected, the Leicester Tigers openside certainly produced the goods. Looked a natural at Test level, tackling well and turning ball over to end South African attacks with regularity. Fully deserved his try in the decider.

8) Taulupe Faletau: Jasper Wiese had a solid game in Pretoria but could not back that up in the finale, while Evan Roos was not able to impose himself in a team that lacked chemistry and Kwagga Smith found his minutes limited and split between 8 and flanker. Faletau therefore gets the nod as he continues to just quietly go about his business in all areas of the game.

9) Kieran Hardy: Wales have some strong options at scrum half, but Hardy certainly feels the right choice at the moment. Controlled the game well alongside Dan Biggar, while his box kicks were right on the money.

10) Dan Biggar: Another quality series from the Northampton stand-off, who was the most consistently impressive of the 3 starting 10s we saw during the series. Kicked well, controlled the back line well when they actually attacked and made some crucial interventions in defence. Was unfortunate to be the one who Willie le Roux coaxed into a deliberate knock-on for the deciding penalty at Loftus Versfeld.

11) Josh Adams: It was a surprisingly quiet series for Makazole Mapimpi, while Alex Cuthbert’s involvement was cut cruelly short by injury, and so the slot goes to Josh Adams. Not that he didn’t earn it, playing with a leg heavily strapped and yet still chased kicks so well, not to mention scoring the late try in the second Test that tied the game and gave Gareth Anscombe the chance to win the match.

12) Damian de Allende: Nick Tompkins is looking more and more comfortable as he gains experience at this level, but de Allende was a difference maker here. Solid in defence and running hard in attack, he als showed his more technical side with a lovely grubber for Cheslin Kolbe’s try in the corner.

13) Lukhanyo Am: George North was a solid defender but anonymous in attack until the decider, whereas Lukhanyo Am continued to show the world just how good he is with 2 more fantastic performances at 13, while he looked equally impressive after injuries forced hi out onto the wing.

14) Louis Rees-Zammit: Rees Lightning’s pace proved a real threat to the South African defence and caused them some real problems, while he was also unlucky to et a yellow card after a try-saving tackle and great jackal, though I can understand how the referee was not in an ideal position as he was unable to keep up!

15) Damian Willemse: The new utility back in the Springboks squad and the reason they can feel comfortable putting only 2 backs on the bench. Willemse had a solid series despite injuries and a first half horror show from Elton Jantjies forcing him to play a range of positions over the 3 Tests.

Australia v England: Team of the Series

We are one week on from the end of England’s summer tour to Australia. 2 enemies facing each other down under in a 3-Test series that saw old favourites return, new stars make their debuts and a shed-load of Wallaby injuries on the way to a 2-1 series victory for England.

And so, as we spend this period after the Summer Tours patiently waiting for the beginning of the Rugby Championship,it’s time to look back over the tour to create my combined XV.

Who do you think should have made the XV? Let me know in the comments below.

My combined XV from England’s 3-Test series in Australia is:

1) Ellis Genge: The Baby Rhino has developed into a great Test player. He’s solid in the scrum and improving year on year, and has mellowed to a degree that you no longer worry about him being wound up by the opposition. But more than anything, he reminded us just how dangerous he is with ball in hand with some bulldozing carries, making some of the best players on the pitch get sent flying backwards.

2) Jamie George: David Porecki did a solid job at hooker for the Wallabies on his first caps, which by Aussie hooker standards is good at this point. However the space goes to Jamie George, who had another solid series inthe #2 jersey, keeping the set piece solid.

3) Will Stuart: Shout out to James Slipper for covering the other side of the scrum for the first 2 weeks, while both Allan Ala’alatoa and Taniela Tupou were impacted by injury. Will Stuart may not have done anything to stand out, but did a solid job in the #3 jersey with Kyle Sinckler unavailable.

4 & 5) Maro Itoje & Ollie Chessum: Injuries and suspensions led to very little consistency in the Wallabies’ second row, while Jonny Hill’s tour should have been over 15 minutes into the first Test. Maro Itoje had his “Saracens Maro” moments of going above and beyond in his antics with his yelling at the lineout, but put in 3 solid performances around the park, while Chessum looked comfortable at Test level and deserves to get more minutes in the Autumn.

6) Courtney Lawes: I will continue to argue that he should be in the second row rather than at flanker, but Lawes continues to put in super-reliable performances week in, week out. Add to that the extra responsibility of the captaincy and this was another solid tour for the Northampton star.

7) Michael Hooper: Just like Lawes, you can always rely on the Aussie skipper to give at least an 8/10 performance every week. Continued to show that he is one of the best 7s in the world with incredible turnovers at crucial times, despite England focusing on him at the breakdown.

8) Billy Vunipola: Rob Valentini continues to grow as a Test-level number 8, but he was overshadowed here by Vunipola. Whether you feel that he should be there or not, he did a great job of carrying hard to help put England on the front foot.

9) Jack van Poortvliet: The Leicester halfback made his Test debut on this tour and should have already secured his spot in the 23, if not the starting XV. Took to Test rugby like a duck to water, controlling the game with variety and getting his box kicks right on the money.

10) Noah Lolesio: Marcus Smith had some fantastic moments and Lolesio had some struggles, but I feel that the Wallabies 10 was the more consistent over the 3 Tests, while his reliability off the tee was a axtra mark in is favour as Smith left the goal kicking to Owen Farrell.

11) Marika Koroibete: Tommy Freeman sparked plenty of excitement in the final Test, but I have gone for the more consistent Koroibete. Though I’m not sure he was the Player of the Series, his strong carrying and willingness to come in off his wing helped set up a platform for the Australian attack.

12) Samu Kerevi: Kerevi makes this team so much better just by his inclusion. Has followed the Ma’a Nonu progression route of going from a crash ball 12 to developing his passing and kicking game to become an all-round playmaker. Used all facets of the game to great effect through the series.

13) Hunter Paisami: Guy Porter certainly didn’t look out of his depth but was sometimes lacking in defence. Paisami is a great look at his potential career trajectory, as the young Queensland Red has become a solid, reliable defender and built on that as he has gained experience at Test level.

14) Tom Wright: Jack Nowell is unlucky to miss out after a solid series, but Wright gets the nod here for how well he adapted to repeated injury-enforced change-ups to the back line, which saw him also spend time at fullback. Found some issues dealing with Tommy Freeman in the decider, but caused issues of his own for the English when he attacked.

15) Freddie Steward: Wins this spot by default as almost everyone who took up the position for Australia soon found themselves injured, but Steward also wins this spot on merit. Dominated the air in a way that very few manage to do and looks much more experienced than his handful of caps would suggest.

Ireland in New Zealand: Team of the Tour

We are one week on from that historic day that saw Ireland ear their first series victory over the Kiwis in New Zealand. A fantastic 3-Test series saw the Irish recover from a disappointing defeat to make history 2 weeks running to win the series 2-1, while the wider squad also got plenty of rugby during the tour with a 2-match series against the Maori All Blacks, which ended 1-1.

And so, as we spend this period after the Summer Tours patiently waiting for the beginning of the Rugby Championship,it’s time to look back over the tour to create my combined XV. Now this one will be a little different, as I have made the executive decision to base this on all 5 matches rather than just the Test series.

Who do you think should have made the XV? Let me know in the comments below.

My combined XV from Ireland’s 5-match tour of New Zealand is:

1) Andrew Porter: Oh how the All Blacks miss Joe Moody. In his absence, George Bower got the start in all 3 Tests… and if you’ve watched Squidge Rugby’s video on the 2ⁿᵈ and 3ʳᵈ Tests, you’ll know how poor his performances were! In contrast, Porter continues to play at a high level after moving over from the tighthead side. He may still have room for improvement at the scrum and should arguably have received a red card for his high tackle on Brodie Retallick, but in the loose he remains an important player in both directions, and carried well for an important early try in the 2ⁿᵈ Test.

2) Dan Sheehan: It was a quiet series for Codie Taylor as New Zealand struggled to create anything in attack. Sheehan meanwhile completely outplayed his more experienced opponents, being solid at the set piece and being an ever-willing carrier in the loose, with some clever footwork helping to beat the defenders. With Rónan Kelleher currently out injured, this Test series may have just given Sheehan the advantage in the race for the #2 jersey.

3) Tadhg Furlong: Maybe not the most notable performances from the Leinster tighthead, but he was solid and reliable all around the park, which is more than can be said for the All Blacks’ options.

4 & 5) Tadhg Beirne & Kieran Treadwell: Regular readers will know that I’ve been championing Beirne since his Scarlets days, but now his quality is becoming impossible to ignore even in the biggest Test matches. Solid and reliable all around the park, he put in some great carries to help get the Irish on the front foot, but really stood out in defence. If he wasn’t stopping the All Blacks with a tackle before the gain line, he was getting in with the jackal to win a crucial turnover or penalty. Became a one-man defensive behemoth late in the 3ʳᵈ Test, with a interception and a series of successful jackals stopping consecutive attacks. As for his partner, Kieran Treadwell gets the nod here after some solid performances against the Maori All Blacks, while he immediately acclimatized to the game when coming on late in the defensive efforts to finish off the crucial 3ʳᵈ Test.

6) Peter O’Mahony: A few times I have wondered if O’Mahony was past it and taking up a spot in the 23 that would be better suited to a young player who could benefit from gaining more experience. But these last few weeks saw him play arguably some of the best rugby of his career. Gains bonus points if his supposed dig at Sam Cane is true.

7) Josh van der Flier: Is he one of the most underrated players in world rugby? Ultra-reliable and constantly in the right place to make a tackle, he also appears to have added a bit more of a carrying game, just adding another bow to his quiver.

8) Ardie Savea: Probably one of the hardest spots to pick, and Caelan Doris is very unlucky to miss out, but Savea was one of the few positives for the All Blacks during this series. Has pace, power, good handling and a good rugby IQ. One of only a few players who frequently looked dangerous or caused Ireland issues, New Zealand were certainly hit hard by losing him in the 2ⁿᵈ Test.

9) Jamison Gibson-Park: If we were basing on just 1 match, Aaron Smith’s 1ˢᵗ Test was the most impressive performance, but he struggled to make an impact in the other 2. Gibson-Park may not have had such a stand-out performance but consistently kept the ball moving quickly form the base of the ruck to keep the All Blacks on the back foot.

10) Johnny Sexton: Like O’Mahony it recently looked like Sexton may be past his best but he was vital on this tour. Led the attack as he usually does, while his leadership was spot on. You just have to look at the way Ireland fell apart after his injury in the 1ˢᵗ Test to see how important he is to this team.

11) James Lowe: A quick shout-out to Connor Garden-Bachop, who looked dangerous going forward in both matches for the Maori All Blacks. Instead it was the former Maori All Black who gets the nod here. Like some other players on this list, he may have put in more spectacular performances in the past, but he was reliable both on offence and defence, and took his moments well to assist the Irish when going forward.

12) Bundee Aki: Came off the bench and impressed in the first 2 Tests after a solid first match against the Maori All Blacks, and took advantage of Garry Ringrose’s head injury to get a deserved start in the deciding 3ʳᵈ Test. Carried hard and with great lines to put the All Blacks on the back foot.

13) Robbie Henshaw: Split his time between 12 and 13 depending as to if he was partnering Bundee Aki or Garry Ringrose, but the quality of his performances never faltered. Did what was required in attack while helping to marshall the Irish defence..

14) Will Jordan: One of only 2 All Blacks to make the list, what makes it even more impressive is that Jordan does so from 1 start and one appearance off the bench. Jordan knows how to make finding and exploiting a gap look easy and was one of the few players to have any success against the Irish defence.

15) Hugo Keenan: What impresses me so much about Keenan is just how well he does the basics. He so rarely makes mistakes and then builds off that to produce an accomplished performance with regularity. Completely outplayed Jordie Barrett, despite the latter also being the All Blacks’ goal kicker.

rugby maori all blacks crest no background

rugby new zealand all blacks crest no background

Argentina v Scotland: The 2022 Decider

Scotland’s South American tour came to an end with a deciding third Test between them and Argentina. With the series on the line, both coaches decided to make a number of changes, and it was Argentina who ha the first chance as they spread the ball off the first phase from a lineout, only for the crucial final pass to go through over Emiliano Boffelli’s head and through his hands and into touch. The Pumas wing soon opened the scoring though with a penalty from just inside his own half after Ali Price failed to get back onside at the breakdown. Both teams were looking to play attacking rugby early on, and when Blair Kinghorn got his arms through a tackle, he was able to release Duhan van der Merwe to burst trough the 22 for the opening try. The Pumas took the lead back as the quarter came to an end though, Bautista Delguy collecting a loose ball and making good ground, before Juan Cruz Mallia and Boffelli combined to release Santiago Carreras to run 40 metres untouched. Scotland’s next attack saw them earn a penalty which, they kicked to touch and mauled over, with hooker Ewan Ashman the man with ball in hand, with Kinghorn adding the touchline conversion to open up a 4-point lead. Another Boffelli penalty attempt from inside his own half lacked the accuracy of the first, but he made amends from closer range just a few minutes later but a failure to secure the restart put the Pumas back under immediate pressure, but a timely lineout steal from Guido Petti allowed the home team to clear their lines, and though there was just time for one more Scottish penalty, Blair Kinghorn’s effort from 46 metres came back off the crossbar and the teams went into the break with the Scots leading 13-14.

An error for the Pumas in their exit plan off the restart saw the Scots with immediate possession in the 22, and after going through a number of phases, Ashman found himself getting the ball out wide and slipped through a weak tackle from Delguy to cross in the corner, while van der Merwe crossed from close range just minutes later after a break from Mark Bennett. The Pumas were in need of a response and it came almost straight away as replacement prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro forced himself over from close range. As the game passed the our mark, Kinghorn added a penalty from close range, but the Pumas hit straight back with a try through replacement scrum half Gonzalo Bertranou, with Boffelli’s conversion narrowing the gap to 4 points. Not for the first time in the game, the home side failed to deal with the restart, and the Scots took advantage to win a penalty and kick to the corner, but the Scottish maul got its push on too early and they failed to get the ball to the back, resulting in Jonny Gray being held up over the line. As the game entered the final 5 minutes, the Pumas were pressuring the Scottish line and with the final play of the game, Carreras found Boffelli on the wing to go over for the game-winning—and series-winning—try, before kicking the conversion for a 34-31 victory.

Their own worst enemy

It’s amazing how often you see it in rugby: the team that has just scored either fail to secure te restart as it is kicked to them, or make some error/give away a dumb penalty in their attempt to implement their exit strategy.

This was the case for the Pumas today. In the first half, it was somewhat understandable. The Scots were repeatedly aiming their kickoffs to the one area of the pitch that was still bathed in sunlight, and with Blair Kinghorn able to get an incredible hangtime on his kicks, it allowed the Scots to get up and pressure the Pumas as they tried to catch the ball whilst also dealing with the sun blinding them—a recipe for disaster.

However even more worrying were 2 of the incidents in the first half. The first one being off the kickoff to the half, as the Pumas tried to carry a couple of times before clearing, only to find themselves held up in a maul and turned over—which gifted the Scots a try—and the second when Carreras took the restart and after a moment of hesitation tried to clear himself, only have the kick charged down by Pierre Schoeman.

To me, this came down to a lack of experience in the halves. Scrum half Lautaro Bazán Vélez was making his Test debut, and while Carreras may now have 20+ caps to his name, he is still getting used to playing at fly half and does not play the position at club level. As such, you’re asking a lot for the pair to control the game under pressure, and its notable that things improved with Bertranou coming on at 9. Maybe Carreras is the future for the Pumas at 10, but for me right now he is still at his best at 15, and Nicolás Sánchez should be wearing the 10 jersey in the big games next year in France.

Lucky at number 13

Mark Bennett has been one of the biggest bright sparks of this tour. The centre has always been a quality player and dangerous attacker, but injuries had severely hampered his international career, so much so that the first Test of this series was his first Test start in 6 years.

But he has certainly taken his chances, being consistently one of the brighter sparks for Scotland in attack, making a number of breaks and scoring a couple of tries as well. With performances like this, it would be very hard to drop him for the next Test.

And therein lies the issue, as the number 13 shirt has been well and truly secured in recent years by Chris Harris. A player who always feels like he has put in an 8/10 performance at worst, Harris is the lynchpin of the Scottish defence, one of the best 13s in the world and a leader in the team, while it’s also notable that he was one of the few backs getting regular minutes in the Six Nations who were not involved in that breach of protocol. And well defence may be his specialty, his attacking play has also improved during his years at Gloucester.

With Harris given the summer off, Gregor Townsend will have a big decision the next time he names a team. Does he stick with Mark Bennett, or return to Harris? Or is there some way that he can get both into the team without taking away from what they do best…?

South Africa v Wales: The 2022 Decider

After Wales’ historic win last week, everything was to play for in the third and final Test against South Africa. Following last week’s disappointment, the Springboks were back to a much more recognisable XV—including a 50ᵗʰ cap for Bongi Mbonambi and a 100ᵗʰ cap for Eben Etzebeth—and thought they had got off to the best possible start when Makazole Mapimpi collected a kick out wide to go over in the corner, ony for replays to show he had a foot in touch, leaving Handré Pollard to kick 3 points from a penalty. They were straight back on the attack however as Damian Willemse beat Dan Biggar to a high ball in the Welsh 22 to earn a penalty, and after kicking it to the corner for a 5m lineout, Damian de Allende’s drive to the line saw him stopped just millimetres short of the Welsh line. The pressure on the Welsh line just continued as each attack ended in a penalty, allowing South Africa to go again, and as he clock reached 14 minutes, Handré Pollard managed to crash over for the try then kicked the conversion for a 10-0 lead. Wales were finally able to get some possession of their own, and after George North and Louis Rees-Zammit made ground down the wings, Nick Tompkins released Josh Adams with a wide pass, and while the wing was stopped by the covering Willemse, he successfully offloaded to the supporting Tomy Reffell for the try that his performances in South Africa deserved. An injury to Cheslin Kolbe caused a reshuffle in the South Africa back line entering the second quarter—Lukhanyo Am moving to the wing, Willemse into centre and Willie le Roux coming on at 15—and the game entered a period of parity, with much of the play taking place between the 10m lines. A Dan Biggar penalty on halfway appeared to spark the home side back into life, and when they won a penalty of their own deep in the Welsh 22, they went to the corner and Mbonambi peeled off the back of the maul to power through Kieran Hardy’s tackle an score the try with 2 minutes left in the half, Pollard adding the extras. There was time for one more chance for the Boks as the ball was spread right from a Kwagga Smith turnover. De Allende sent a grubber kick down the 5m channel and while Am managed to outpace the Welsh defenders, his attempted hack on sent the ball into touch for a 17-8 halftime lead.

Dan Biggar was able to make it a one-score game just moments into the second half, but the Boks thought they had an immediate response through a try by Lukhanyo Am, only for the try to be chalked off for a forward pass from scrum half Jaden Hendrikse after he made the break. Biggar chipped away at the home team’s lead with another penalty, while the next Boks attack saw them go through a series of penalties to the corner Siya Kolisi eventually forced himself over next to the post. With a 10-point lead, South Africa continued to attack, but utilised the kick in behind more to ensure that even if the attack failed the Welsh would have to play from deep, while Wales could find no answer against the South African defence and a pair of late penalties from Pollard secured the victory and the Test series with a score of 30-14.

Making a point

After a couple of questionable performances in this series, South Africa were out to make a point today. They were carrying and tackling with an extra intensity that made clear they were not just up for the match, but determined to win.

But more than that, they varied their game. This wasn’t all about strong defence, kicking for territory and forward dominance at the set piece, they were doing everything. From Pollard’s high balls that were exactly on the mark for the South African back 3, to spreading the ball wide and stretching the defence, to the grubber kicks in behind the defence, to hitting hard and consistently in midfield for umpteen phases… this Springboks team looked much more dangerous and , more importantly, complete than they had of late.

And in doing so, this is a major statement from the Boks. We all know that they can win games the ugly way.. Today they decided to remind us that they do have other ways to win too. 3 weeks from now, South Africa host New Zealand twice in consecutive weeks to start their 2022 Rugby Championship campaign. Judging by today’s performances, the All Blacks could be in serious trouble.

Taking them on

Credit to Wales, after 2 weeks of barely even trying to fire a shot in attack, they took the game to South Africa in this deciding Test. Rather than kicking everything and only looking to play when a South African penalty or error gave them possession in an attacking position, the Welsh were varying the game and making things less predictable, which then led to them managing to find space and playing into it.

Most notably was the Reffell try, which was made after a George North break up the left wing—the first attacking thing we’d seen from him all series!—the ball then being spread to Rees-Zammit to break up into the 22 on the other wing, and then while things got a little less polished, the Welsh continued to look to keep the ball moving and create space to exploit, which they then managed, allowing Tompkins to release Adams, who may have finished himself were he not so heavily strapped up, but found Reffell on the supporting line inside for the try. In just one attack, we had seen more intent from Wales than the rest of the tour!

Unfortunately, they struggled to consistently win the scrums, while their hookers’ issues throwing at the lineouts reared its ugly head again—how so many professional hookers struggle in this area despite it being a crucial part of the game is beyond me—and that limited the platform they had to play off, while in defence they gave away penalties far too easily. But this was a timely reminder to the world: as great as the South African defence is, they are not infallible and a team that will spread the ball and play attacking rugby can cause them serious problems.

Australia v England: The 2022 Decider

With a win apiece over the last 2 weeks, Sydney was the venue for the deciding third Test between England and Australia. With all of the Home Nations losing their series opener but winning in week 2, Ireland’s win over New Zealand just an hour earlier will have left the Wallabies hoping that the pattern was not going o continue for a third week, and they had the first chance as the ball came right off a scrum on the England 22, only for Reece Hodge’s pass to go behind Tom Wright with just Freddie Steward trying to get across and cover. Instead it was Owen Farrell who opened the scoring with a penalty after 17 minutes as both teams fought for dominance. A period of England pressure saw Nic White and Michael Hooper force Jack Nowell to enter the breakdown from the side for a Wallabies penalty, and after clearing their lines to touch, the Wallabies worked a clever overlap on first phase to release Tom Wright on the wing, who then fed Nic White inside and remained up with play to take the return ball and go over in the corner for the opening try, Lolesio adding the extras from the touchline. Lolesio added a penalty, with Farrell kicking one of his own before hitting the post with another, but England had one more chance at the end of the half as they kicked a penalty to the corner, and after Tommy Freeman was stopped on the line by Wright, Jack van Poortvliet put his Tigers teammate Steward over in the corner for a 10-11 lead at the break.

It was England with the momentum after the restart, and with Ellis Genge carrying as if his life depended on it, Farrell was soon able to stretch the lead with another penalty, and when Noah Lolesio fumbled an overthrown lineout, Marcus Smith beat Samu Kerevi to the loose ball and accelerated through the gap to score under the posts. The Wallabies fought back though and started to gain some dominance as the replacements began to enter the fray, and after Pete Samu was denied in the corner by a last ditch tackle from Steward, Folau Fainga’a forced his way over from close range following a lineout in the corner, Lolesio’s conversion making it a 4-point game with 14 minutes left. Australia had the momentum, but the English defence held firm and the visitors ran out 17-21 victors to earn a 2-1 series victory.

Building to success

While australia will be disappointed to have lost the series, there are plenty of positives to take as they look ahead to next year’s World Cup.

The loss of Quade Cooper brought Lolesio back to the fore and he put in good displays to show that he has grown and fought back from being devastated at the hands of the All Blacks. Valentini has continued to grow as an 8 at Test level, Hunter Paisami continues to develop alongside Samu Kerevi, Angus Bell got plenty of minutes under his belt, while injuries and suspensions saw Nick Frost look impressive in his first Tests.

And it’s not just the youngsters, as David Porecki looked to bring some reliability to the set piece, which has been an area where the Wallabies have struggled, while James Slipper reminded us all of his versatility by returning to his preferred loosehead position this week after covering the tighthead side for 2 weeks, and Pete Samu looked super dangerous off the bench.

With players like Neville, Swain, Cooper, Perese and Petaia all to come back from injury and suspension—not to mention Tupou, who will only get better over the coming weeks as he returns to full fitness—the Wallabies are developing a strength in depth and are growing. If they continue to grow, they will be putting themselves in a great spot going into World Cup.

The end?

I hate to say it, but we may have just seen the end of Danny Care’s England career. The Quins scrum half has been in fantastic for with his club for the last couple of years and finally made his return to the national team after years out in the wilderness.

After last week’s wonderful performance from Jack van Poortvliet, many would have expected the Leicester 9 get another start, but Care was given the 9 shirt for the game… and honestly struggled. His first box kick was charged down, he got his arm scragged at a ruck by Michael Hooper as he tried to play the ball away, and there were other moments where he looked to be struggling. But to be pulled off before halftime was one of those brutal moves that we have seen a few times from Eddie Jones, an it has usually heralded the end of the player’s Test career, with Luther Burrell and Teimana Harrison disappearing and Nick Isiekwe having to fight hard for years to get back to the fringes of the squad.

Is Test rugby beyond Care? I don’t think so. I think that, much like Marcus Smith, he is struggling at properly adapt to this attacking gameplan, as the team doesn’t look to build on their breaks and instead appears to reset at every breakdown, which leads to the ball being kicked away after a couple of phases. That’s not the way the Quins boys play and it’s not the way that England should be either, while Care would have probably also benefited more from coming on later in the game to take advantage of the gaps as the Wallabies tire.

With van Poortvliet surely in line to be an ever-present in the 23 and young 9s like Alex Mitchell having impressed for Saints and Harry Randall for Bristol and England, it feels like this early replacement may have ended Care’s return to the Test scene before he got a chance to truly prove himself.

Thoughts from the world of sport

South Africa – 41

Tries

Conversions

Penalties

Cards

Wales – 13

Tries

Conversions

Penalties

Cards

Japan – 17

Tries

Conversions

Penalties

England – 52

Tries

Conversions

Cards

Curtis Langdon

Ollie Sleightholme

Zach Mercer

Harry Randall

Rusiate Tuima

Their own worst enemy

Lucky at number 13

Making a point

Taking them on

Building to success

The end?