The Autumn Nations Series has begun, with two excellent matches last week, and it is back this weekend with a full schedule of six thrilling matches to look forward to.
On Saturday, there is a full set of games, with the first match starting at 1pm and the final match starting at 8pm, whilst there is also a Sunday afternoon game to look forward to.
There are two lunch-time kick offs, with Ireland hosting Japan at the Aviva Stadium and Italy hosting the world No.1 side New Zealand in Rome.
England then host Tonga at Twickenham in their first match of the Autumn Nations Series, Tonga looking to recover from their 60-14 defeat to Scotland last week.
Following that, Wales host South Africa in Cardiff, in a match that sees the Guinness Six Nations champions face the world champions.
In the final match of the day, France play Argentina in Paris in a repeat of the 2019 Rugby World Cup group match.
On Sunday, Scotland welcome a resurgent Australia to BT Murrayfield, which is set to be a sell-out.
Ireland v Japan, Aviva Stadium, KO 1pm (GMT) Saturday
Jonathan Sexton is set for his 100th cap for Ireland in their match with Japan, a repeat of the fixture that saw the hosts run out 39-31 winners in the summer Test match.
Andy Farrell also calls back a whole host of Lions, including Tadhg Furlong who will win his 50th Ireland cap.
Ireland: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. James Lowe, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Jamison Gibson Park; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Ronan Kelleher, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. James Ryan, 6. Caelan Doris, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Jack Conan
Replacements: 16. Dan Sheehan, 17. Cian Healy, 18. Finlay Bealham, 19. Iain Henderson, 20. Peter O’Mahony, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Joey Carbery, 23. Keith Earls
Japan have made changes following their 32-23 loss to Australia in Oita, with Kotaru Matsushima coming into full-back and Yu Tamura starting at fly-half.
At openside flanker is Pieter Labuschagne who will captain the side in absence of Michael Leitch.
Japan: 15. Kotaro Matsushima, 14. Dylan Riley, 13. Tim Lafaele, 12. Ryoto Nakamura, 11. Siosaia Fifita, 10. Yu Tamura, 9. Yutaka Nagare; 1. Keita Inagaki, 2. Atushi Sakate, 3. Jiwon Gu, 4. Jack Cornelsen, 5. James Moore, 6. Ben Gunter, 7. Pieter Labuschagne, 8. Kazuki Himeno
Replacements: 16. Yusuke Niwai, 17. Craig Millar, 18. Asaeli Valu, 19. Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 20. Tevita Tatafu, 21. Naoto Saito, 22. Rikiya Matsuda, 23. Ryohei Yamanaka
Italy v New Zealand, Stadio Olimpico, KO 1pm (GMT) Saturday
Kieran Crowley names his first side as Italy boss, with the daunting challenge of the All Blacks awaiting his side first up.
Mateo Minozzi is back into the side at full-back, playing for the Azzurri for the first time since November, with Renato Giammarioli recalled to the Italy back row for the first time in two years.
Italy: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Federico Mori, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Montanna Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney; 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 3 Marco Riccioni, 4 Marco Fuser, 5 David Sisi, 6 Sebastian Negri, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 8 Renato Giammarioli
Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Federico Ruzza, 21 Abraham Steyn, 22 Callum Braley, 23 Carlo Canna
Ian Foster has named a mixed team for the visit to Rome, with a mixture of experience and new players to the All Blacks side.
Tupou Vaa’i, 21, and Josh Lord – earning his second cap for his country – pair up in the second row, while in the centres there is also a youthful look, with Braydon Ennor playing outside Quinn Tupaea.
New Zealand: 15. Damian McKenzie, 14. Sevu Reece, 13. Braydon Ennor, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 11. George Bridge, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 9. Brad Weber; 1. George Bower, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Tupou Vaa’i, 5. Josh Lord, 6. Luke Jacobson, 7. Sam Cane (c), 8. Hoskins Sotutu
Replacements: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Ethan de Groot, 18. Ofa Tuungafasi, 19. Sam Whitelock, 20. Shannon Frizell, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. David Havili, 23. Jordie Barrett
England v Tonga, Twickenham Stadium, 3.15pm (GMT) Saturday
Eddie Jones has named his side to take on Tonga at Twickenham, which sees some new faces as well as some more experienced ones.
Freddie Steward starts at full-back, with Adam Radwan on the wing, but Owen Farrell, who is due to captain the side Owen Farrell will miss today’s Captain’s Run training session after receiving a positive PCR test result for COVID.
England: 15. Freddie Steward, 14. Adam Radwan, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Jonny May, 10. TBC, 9. Ben Youngs, 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Jamie George, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Courtney Lawes, 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Tom Curry
Replacements: 16. Jamie Blamire, 17. Joe Marler, 18. Will Stuart, 19. Charlie Ewels, 20. Alex Dombrandt, 21. Alex Mitchell, 22. Marcus Smith, 23. George Furbank
Tonga have made nine changes from the side that lost to Scotland last week, with Telusa Veainu slotting in at full-back and Afusipa Taumoepeau starting in the centres after good form for Perpignan.
Tonga: 15. Telusa Veainu, 14. Walter Fifita, 13. Malietoa Hingano, 12. Afusipa Taumoepeau, 11. Solomona Kata, 10. Kurt Morath, 9. Sonatane Takulua (c), 1. Sigfried Fisi’ihoi, 2. Paula Ngauamo, 3. Ben Tameifuna, 4. Halaleva Fifita, 5. Tanginoa Halaifonua, 6. Lopeti Timani, 7. Mateaki Kafatolu, 8. Sione Vailanu
Replacements: 16. Siua Maile, 17. Loni Uhila, 18. Ma’afu Fia, 19. Setofano Funaki, 20. Onehunga Havili, 21. Leon Fukofuka, 22. James Faiva, 23. Viliame Fine
Wales v South Africa, Principality Stadium, 5.30pm (GMT) Saturday
Wayne Pivac has made several changes, including a couple of forced ones due to injury.
Alun Wyn Jones is robbed of his 150th cap due to his shoulder injury, whilst Ross Moriarty is also ruled out, but the likes of Dan Biggar and Louis Rees-Zammit return.
Wales: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Jonathan Davies (Capt), 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Rhys Carré, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Ellis Jenkins, 7 Taine Basham, 8 Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: 16 Bradley Roberts, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Ben Carter, 20 Seb Davies, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Liam Williams
Jacques Nienaber makes three changes to the South Africa side that beat the All Blacks, with Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel and Herschel Jantjies all coming into the side.
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies; 1 Ox Nché, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi, 7 Kwagga Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn
France v Argentina, Stade de France, 8pm (GMT) Saturday
Fabien Galthié names both Romain Ntamack and Matthieu Jalibert in the same French side for the first time.
Meanwhile Antoine Dupont captains the side from scrum-half, whilst Sekou Macalou is on the bench covering both the back row and the outside backs.
France: 15. Melvyn Jaminet, 14. Damian Penaud, 13. Gaël Fickou, 12. Romain Ntamack, 11. Gabin Villière ; 10. Matthieu Jalibert, 9. Antoine Dupont (c), 1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand, 3. Mohamed Haouas, 4. Thibaud Flament, 5. Paul Willemse, 6. François Cros, 7. Cameron Woki, 8. Anthony Jelonch
Replacements: 16. Peato Mauvaka, 17. Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18. Demba Bamba, 19. Romain Taofifenua, 20. Sekou Macalou, 21. Grégory Alldritt, 22. Maxime Lucu, 23. Jonathan Danty.
Argentina have named an experienced side to face France, with Julian Montoya captaining from hooker.
Facundo Isa starts at No.8, with Pablo Matera and Marcos Kremer in the back row, whilst young prop Thomas Gallo starts at loosehead.
Argentina: 15. Emiliano Boffelli, 14. Bautista Delguy, 13. Matias Moroni, 12. Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11. Mateo Carreras, 10. Santiago Carreras, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 1. Thomas Gallo, 2. Julian Montoya (c), 3. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4. Guido Petti, 5. Tomas Lavanini, 6. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Facundo Isa
Replacements: 16. Facundo Bosch, 17. Rodrigo Martinez, 18. Santiago Medrano, 19. Lucas Paulos, 20. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21. Gonzalo Bertranou, 22. Nicolas Sanchez, 23. Lucio Cinti
