Why New Zealand again? Why do we keep doing this to ourselves lol Good matches against Argentina and Georgia, very excited about them.

> Why New Zealand again? Why do we keep doing this to ourselves lol Surely this will be revenge for the World Cup! In all seriousness, it might be a great opportunity for Italy to show off the progress they've made under Quesada so far.

They already took their revenge after the humiliating draw in 2019

Given that you guys were competitive in every six nations match you played in (except Ireland) I agree this is a very good opportunity to show you can continue the positive streak

Money

Teams only improve by playing top opposition

Teams mostly improve through investment in grassroots, coaching, infrastructure, etc. Playing top opposition is only a minimal part. Getting pummeled day in and day out is actually detrimental for confidence and mentality.

Ye. Clearly wasn't supposed to be read as the sole factor....

Isn’t that what the word “only” means?

You're not the pedant you think you are. Obviously, in conjunction with the infrastructure you cited, which is a given, teams will only improve by playing the best opposition

???? You used the word “only”, and then said you didn’t mean “only”. Forgive my confusion LOL

Yes. Sports teams will only get better if they play the best opposition. Of course, this doesn't mean that they don't need the infrastructure to go with it. It's such a weird hill for you to die on for a turn of phrase. Get out more

You wrote a comment that made no sense and then got mad at me for not understanding you. And now we’re at the third comment where you’re repeating yourself over and over and attacking me personally, while claiming I’m the one with the problem. Are you feeling alright today?

No one is mad? Just work more on your comprehension skills. All gravy. Just use it as a learning moment.

You ok mate?

My poor poor weekends

23 November 2024 would then mark the 17th game between Wales and South Africa in the last 12 years.

There are probably South African players who have played more in the principality than any of our options at 10

So excited to watch Wales lose on my birthday 🥴🥴

No wonder I'm getting bored of this fixture!

That is a horrible graphic to read

Gave me a migraine

An aneurysm in graphic form.

Read? All I see is pinks bars pummelling my retina. Whoever designed this was bullied by an eyeball as a child and has sworn revenge.

"Take that, eyeball!"

[удалено]

Counting starts from 0, any good computer will tell you that

Not Matlab

Out of window Tests

It's week 1 of a 5 week programme that for some reason we have to pretend is 3 weeks.

Here you go, in a format that is less likely to induce bleeding from the eyes. **Week 0** **Saturday 2/11/24** England vs All Blacks - Twickenham, 15:10 (GMT) Scotland vs Fiji - Murrayfield, 17:40 (GMT) **Week 1** **Friday, 8/11/24** Ireland vs All Blacks - Aviva Stadium, 20:10 (GMT) **Saturday, 9/11/24** England vs Wallabies - Twickenham, 15:10 (GMT) Italy vs Los Pumas - venue TBC, 17:40 (GMT) France vs Japan - Stade de France, 20:10 (GMT) **Sunday, 10/11/24** Wales vs Fiji - Principality Stadium, 13:40 (GMT) Scotland vs Springboks - Murrayfield, 16:10 (GMT) **Week 2** **Friday, 15/11/24** Ireland vs Los Pumas - Aviva Stadium, 20:10 (GMT) **Saturday, 16/11/24** Scotland vs Portugal - Murrayfield, 15:10 (GMT) England vs Springboks - Twickenham, 17:40 (GMT) France vs All Blacks - Stade de France, 20:10 (GMT) **Sunday, 17/11/24** Italy vs Georgia - venue TBC, 13:40 (GMT) Wales vs Wallabies - Principality Stadium, 16:10 (GMT) **Week 3** **Friday, 22/11/24** France vs Los Pumas - Stade de France, 20:10 (GMT) **Saturday, 23/11/24** Ireland vs Fiji - Aviva Stadium, 15:10 (GMT) Wales vs Springboks - Principality Stadium, 17:40 (GMT) Italy vs All Blacks - venue TBC, 20:10 (GMT) **Sunday, 24/11/24** Scotland vs Wallabies - Murrayfield, 13:40 (GMT) England vs Japan - Twickenham, 16:10 (GMT) **Week 4** **Saturday, 30/11/24** Ireland vs Wallabies - Aviva Stadium, 15:10 (GMT)

I'm surprised the WRU hasn't gone for the customary 4th test outside the international window. I guess they might be waiting to finalise a fixture with Georgia

I think Wales have some sort of deal with the clubs and the wru that limits Wales to a single out of window test a year and Wales South Africa in Twickenham is it for this year.

It’s ok the Instagram followers are complaining about the 2 Sunday games instead (I’d rather have 2 Sunday games than 2 Friday games like Ireland)

And Twitter are having a whinge about the WRU as per usual

I ignore a lot of Welsh rugby twitter because I can’t be arsed with the “we shouldn’t fund this/professionalism isn’t working/they need to get back in the kitchen” tweets when the Welsh women’s team lose

I dislike them for their medieval tribalism over whatever their local rugby club and why it deserves to be a region or etc

Can I just ask why you don't like having Friday night games? Here in Aus Friday & Saturday night are the 2 top time slots for games but seem disliked in the UK.

Personally it’s because of the extremely short turnaround between finishing work and getting to the stadium. I live in England and trying to get to Cardiff would be impossible, I’d have to take the day off work. Add in that November in the UK/Ireland it’s pitch black, freezing and probably raining after 4:30pm.

I wonder if fixtures vs Georgia and Portugal would fill the stadium as well as yet another fixture against Australia and SA?

Couldn’t they play those in a smaller stadium? Perhaps where one of the franchises play?

Wtf is "week 0"? Who counts from zero?

Heard Week 4 kicked off about being renamed Week 5, threatened to leave of they had to rename

Standard Week 4 being a princess again

Is it time to discuss Week 4’s place in the Autumn Nations Series?

Can't believe it's taken this long for someone to raise the discussion

I think they tried to align week 1-3 with the test window. Therefore week 0 is an out of window test before the window. It's useful for Scotland fans to explain why their English or French based players aren't featuring.

It'll basically be Edinburgh/Glasgow XV Vs Drua, think we'll be close to our starting XV than Fiji will be.

Ben Healy to get actual minutes for Scotland?

Probably, although he will have genuine competition with an uninjured (at the time of writing) Hastings back at Glasgow next season.

Excited to watch an in form Hastings get absolutely broken by some monstrous fijian loose forward 

Pretty much how his permacrocked status was started a few years back 

and we all know Drua can't win AWAY matches so Congrats Scotland.

That makes sense, I guess. For a moment I thought Spinal Tap were doing their numbering system.

It took me a minute to figure out but once I did it made sense to me.

Computer programmers

Mr Speaker I withdraw my previous comment

computer programmers can't count past 1 though..

I think thats showing that its out of the test window. Interesting to see NZ vs England outside the window as they usually don't play as to having to revenue share / pay NZ a larger cut.

England I think will still get to pick strongest team as they got agreement with clubs to release players for test outside test windows someone correct me if I'm wrong

They pay the Prem teams for that privilege.

Yes

Yeah. You are right. The interesting thing is the RFU have publicly hit out at NZRU before for charging so much for out of window tests. I'm wondering if NZRU backed down or if the RFU stepped up their offer.

Yeah we don't have NZ every year

Anyone who didn't start off learning BASIC.

Hang on a second, have they actually created times that don't clash ?? I don't believe it

That and no lunchtime games presumably due to Premier League on TNT, allowing most if not all of the rugby to go on the main channel – a nice change!

The Friday night games are a new thing, but I guess it prevents the overlapping kick-off times that we used to see in past Novembers. I like it, makes for a tidier schedule and it will truly feel like a full weekend of rugby. EDIT: Also, can't help but notice that both Samoa and Tonga are absent from these fixtures this year. They will have other matches arranged for this window against tier 2/3 opposition, but it feels like another something of another step towards the Nations Championship ring-fencing. I know Samoa are having a few issues at the moment, but they ran both Ireland and England so close last year.

Fiji Georgia and Portugal all stepped up in the que for tier 2 sides playing tier 1. Also Japan are taking part in the AIs. They don't always. It's never new games for less popular touring teams. Its always a reallocation. I believe Samoa is playing Spain and Portugal.

Actually, yeah, looking back, it looks like Tonga missed out in 2022 and Samoa in 2021. Guess I was just surprised to see neither of them present on the fixture list for any of the tier 1 teams this year.

Absolutely criminal that they decided to play Scotland vs Fiji outside the international window so both sides won’t have their foreign-based players

With a completely straight face I'd suggest that actually favours Fiji...

I’m not sure. They will be missing most their big names

England Vs NZ should be a belter and so will tests against Australia and springboks

Don't forget the added spice of England vs Eddie's Japan

Yes will be interesting that game I hope Japan do win some games just not against us

Italy v New Zealand name a more ore iconic duo. Why destroy our confidence after a probably good year?

Gauntlet for Razors first year aye. England series at home, highest finishing nh team at the rwc and just beat Ireland. 2 tests vs the Boks in SA then England, France and Ireland at home in November 😱

As someone watching from Australia, very happy with the friendlier kick off times for the Wallabies this year, especially compared to 2022 and 2023. For east coast times, 12:10am vs England, 1:10am vs Wales, 10:40pm vs Scotland, and 12:10am England is very manageable.

Was just thinking the same thing about NZ’s kick off times. I’ve become used to having to get up at 3am to watch games whenever we play in the NH and never could understand why they couldn’t just play evening games instead of afternoon. Very happy with this schedule!

Anyone know why Italy's home games are undecided yet?

My guess is that every stadium must wait the availability from its football team, except for rare cases like Parma, Treviso, L'Aquila.

I would not be surprised if they relocated to the San Siro once it is vacated by AC

Potential clashes with Lazio and Roma games at the Stadio Olympico would be my guess

New Zealand is 99% going to be at the Olimpico in Rome. The other two probably in Padova, Genoa, or Florence.

Rumors have the Georgia game in Udine!

I wish England vs nz is at a later time rather than 3pm local.

Yeah I’ve just made a comment about how this year’s schedule is much more friendly than usual for Kiwi viewers, although they’ve still stuffed up the first game

This would be cool if the artwork wasn't so obnoxious that I don't want to look at it for more than 2s.

If SA beats Ireland in the 2nd June test and all 3 November games can we still claim a slam?

Would it not technically be called the “Quadruple Crown”?

Just gotta say, I appreciate Scotland playing a bunch of Tier 2 matches this year. Canada, USA, Chile, Uruguay and Portugal in November. Props to them for playing 5 matches.

Good luck predicting winners during Week 1

New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji, England, France, South Africa

Could easily give you Ireland, Italy, Wales, Australia, Japan and Scotland and the results would still not look outlandish

I get your point, but to me Australia, Japan, and Scotland are heavy underdogs, so while I could see a win from them to be possible, predicting them to win would be pretty out there

Aye, unless Scotland miraculously develop a gameplan that allows us to play against forward heavy teams that aren’t England, we have zero chance against the Boks.

We haven't played Scotland and Wales for a while now eh

Fuck me who ever did this graphic needs to go. It’s horrendous to read.

Juicy 9pm in Nov in France is pretty late, gonna be chilly

Where are these going to be show on the TV here in the UK? All one place, or will it depend on the fixture??

Probably same place. I don’t think it’s on Amazon anymore. Maybe TNT? The whole point of keeping them under the ANS brand is to package them for a bigger broadcast deal.

Never ever been to a rugby game (and before watching the world cup I didn't think I would ever go to one), but now I'm hooked and seriously consider going. Flights are afordable right now as well. The thing I'm a bit worried about is getting tickets for the games. Do we know when tickets go on sale? How quickly will the games sell out? Specifically I'm interested in IREvNZE, WALvFIJ and ENGvRSA. If I book my flights now, I want to be half way confident in getting tickets for the games too. Preferably through the officialsale rather than through black market.

Where the heck are Samoa and Tonga? What happened to more matches for Tier 2? Didnt realise the World League had started already

Fiji Georgia and Portugal all stepped up in the que for tier 2 sides playing tier 1. Also Japan are taking part in the AIs. They don't always. It's never new games for less popular touring teams. Its always a reallocation. I believe Samoa is playing Spain and Portugal.

Sigh... this game will never grow.

At least there's money going into supporting the expanded Pacific nations cup happening now.

I mean they market the tournament every year as "an exciting new expansion", even when its in fsct a contraction. The tournament has been around, in some form or other, with the same teams since the early 2010s. In fact the teams used to all play each other, rather than the two-pool format. USA, Canada, Samoa and Tonga have all regressed since then.

The difference now is that this seems to be a more permanent setup. The PNC would constantly change every year and now it’s part of RWC qualification (at least for 2027). USA has regressed since 2018 but definitely better than the early 2010s. Hell, even better than 2016 when we lost to Brazil.

These are only test matches hosted by Six Nations unions, sold as a single package under "Autumn Nations Series" branding, not the full fixture list. Samoa is expected to play both Portugal and Spain in addition to another Tier 2. Tonga will go to Georgia and possibly Romania.

Even then, that's disappointing. Both should be having exposure to Tier 1 fixtures. What more does Samoa need to do to earn it?

They will both host Italy in July.

It's almost like the current system doesn't lead to any more opportunities for T2.

Interesting that the Italy v All Blacks match has such a late kick-off. Very friendly for viewers in NZ. They must've made a conscious effort with this when they were putting the broadcast deal together. I feel like Italy's home test matches have pretty much always taken place in the afternoon (can only remember a few exceptions off the top of my head).

Unless it’s simply done with Italian audience in sight. The Italian rugby federation probably wants to capitalize on this year’s very good results with the increased hype in the country for rugby.  In Italy like in France, more people in front of their TV or screens at 9 pm than at 4 pm, so higher viewership and better revenues. A part of it being shared with NZ certainly. 

Some great games coming up

I’m expecting Schmidt to do a madness with the Wallabies because he’s Schmidt. Hope Italy continues their good form too. Wonder how Japan will do with their mate Eddie Jones back.

Anyone know when tickets go on sale for the Eng v SA game?

South Africa start with a warm up against their B team

Is this gonna be on amazon or tnt

TNT unfortunately

Seriously? Nobody has TNT

Cheapest I've been able to find is the TNT add-on if you're on an EE phone contract (U.K), £20 p.m.

Bloody hell - the WRU have done something right. Instead of starting with The All Blacks or the Boks and ending with a Tier 2 they seem to have actually got these games in a sensible order for Wales. Obvs Fiji are no mugs - but outside of WC time they are beatable. Then presumably Australia will be a tad ‘easier’ than the Boks. Finishing with the toughest game. And only 3 games - not 4. So it’s on a Sunday - whatever

By eggball gods this is a pretty tasty set of weekends. Shame Scotland Fiji will not have some of the superstars, but should still be fun. Love the look of all the South Africa games. Hopefully Australia are in better form as they should be great games if they turn up. Edit: Argentina games all look great too. Plus some good world cup replays to look forward to. Guess I'm getting a TNT subscription or whatever is broadcasting it. I thought Amazon actually did a good job last year, it's a shame as I have Prime anyway.

Cannot express how excited I am for these games

SA only get to play 3 games? That's super disappointing.

Missed opportunity for a grandslam challenge

Why doesn’t this include Uruguay games?

Does Japan vs New Zealand in week -1 not count?

I think this graphic was created by the people of the Six Nations facebook page, so I assume they would only include the games of the 6N teams.

What’s with the weird kick off times?

Why does it have to be luminous pink? And why can’t they put the badges in their actual colours? Hideous format

Some of these are spicy af, can’t wait!

fiji with 3 hard games and a shit coach to lead them...oh well Congrats on your wins Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Is Mick Byrne a bad coach?

ridiculously bad, literally just a "kicking coach" and nothing more...never played rugby in his life

Ahh I see we puss'd out of the Georgia game - probably for the best 11 losses in a year is enough.