Autumn Internationals 2018: Who are England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales playing, what TV channel, when are they, kick-off times
Everything you need to know about this November’s autumn internationals
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With the Rugby World Cup under a year away, this November’s autumn internationals will be the final time the north and south hemispheres face off against each other before they meet in Japan next year.
For England, it is a chance to get regain their form under Eddie Jones after a 2018 that did not go to plan as they lost more matches than they won, finishing the Six Nations in fifth position and suffering a series defeat against South Africa.
However, revenge will be up for grabs on the first Saturday in November when the Springboks return to Twickenham to kick off a busy month of rugby. But while taking on Rassie Erasmus’ side for the fourth time this year will prove a big enough challenge in itself, the chance to face the All Blacks for the first time in more than four years the following week will no doubt be thee main attraction.
Fresh from winning the Rugby Championship, the world’s best side and reigning world champions visit Twickenham for the first time since November 2014 as New Zealand bid for another grand slam European tour.
If the first two weekends for England are against the big hitters of world rugby, the third weekend poses an intriguing encounter as Jones’ side take on Japan for the first time in 31 years – and just the second time in history – in a match that sees the Cherry Blossoms return to the UK for the first time since their memorable 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign and that memorable victory over the Springboks in Brighton.
Finally, as if the autumn programme wasn’t hard enough, the final weekend of the months sees England take on an Australia side that find themselves in just as much a desperate situation – and probably worse, given their poor performances in the Rugby Championship – as England, with both sides needing to find some form ahead of the World Cup.
Ireland will also face the All Blacks this autumn in what will most likely be the big clash of the month as the No 1 and No 2 sides in the world collide.
There’s also the unique occasion of two Six Nations rivals facing off in November as Wales take on Scotland in Cardiff, before the two sides crack on with their respective campaigns.
Autumn Internationals in full
(All times GMT)
Saturday 3 November
Japan vs New Zealand (Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo), 5.45am – TBC
Wales vs Scotland (Principality Stadium, Cardiff), 2.45pm – BBC One/S4C
England vs South Africa (Twickenham, London), 3.00pm – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action
Ireland vs Italy (Soldier Field, Chicago), 8.00pm – Channel 4
Saturday 10 November
Italy vs Georgia (Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence), 2.00pm – TBC
Scotland vs Fiji (BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh), 2.30pm – BBC One
England vs New Zealand (Twickenham, London), 3.00pm – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action
Wales vs Australia (Principality Stadium, Cardiff), 5.20pm – BBC Two/S4C
Ireland vs Argentina (Aviva Stadium, Dublin), 6.30pm – Channel 4
France vs South Africa (Stade de France, Paris), 7.45pm – TBC
Saturday 17 November
Italy vs Australia (Stadio Euganeo, Padua), 2.00pm – TBC
Wales vs Tonga (Principality Stadium, Cardiff), 2.30pm – BBC One/S4C
England vs Japan (Twickenham, London), 3.00pm – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action
Scotland vs South Africa (BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh), 5.20pm – BBC Two
Ireland vs New Zealand (Aviva Stadium, Dublin), 7.00pm – Channel 4
France vs Argentina (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille), 7.45pm – TBC
Saturday 24 November
Italy vs New Zealand (Stadio Olimpico, Rome), 2.00pm – TBC
Scotland vs Argentina (BT Murrayfield Stadium), 2.30pm – BBC One
England vs Australia (Twickenham, London), 3.00pm – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action
Wales vs South Africa (Principality Stadium, Cardiff), 5.20pm – BBC Two/S4C
Ireland vs USA (Aviva Stadium, Dublin), 6.30pm – Channel 4
France vs Fiji (Stade de France, Paris), 7.45pm – TBC
Saturday 1 December
Barbarians vs Argentina (Twickenham Stadium, London), 2.30pm – BBC Two
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