Quick Read
- Autumn Nations Series 2025 features five weekends of top-level international rugby across Europe.
- England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, and others face southern hemisphere giants like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Fiji.
- England Rugby League lost the Ashes series to Australia, raising concerns ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
- Belgium’s national team is three matches away from historic World Cup qualification.
- Rugby legend Richard Sharp, England’s 1963 Five Nations captain, passed away at 87.
Autumn Nations Series 2025: Europe’s Stage for Rugby’s Elite
Five weekends. Sixteen teams. The Autumn Nations Series 2025 has returned, and the continent’s rugby fans are in for a feast. After the British and Irish Lions’ dramatic tour in Australia, attention shifts north, where Europe’s best host the southern hemisphere’s powerhouses in a packed November calendar.
England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales headline the home sides. Fresh off their eighth consecutive win, England dispatched Australia 25-7, with Henry Pollock’s breakaway try sealing victory at Allianz Stadium. Scotland, meanwhile, made headlines with an 85-0 demolition of the USA, while South Africa crushed Japan 61-7. New Zealand, still smarting from last year’s narrow defeat, came from behind to topple Ireland 26-13 in Chicago, a result echoing their relentless hunger.
This weekend’s fixtures promise further intrigue: Ireland hosts Japan, Scotland faces the All Blacks, England meets Fiji, Italy battles Australia, and France looks for revenge against South Africa. Wales and Argentina round out Sunday’s schedule.
Full Autumn Nations Series Fixtures
- Saturday, November 1: England 25-7 Australia, Japan 7-61 South Africa, Scotland 85-0 USA, Ireland 13-26 New Zealand
- Saturday, November 8: Ireland v Japan, Scotland v New Zealand, England v Fiji, Italy v Australia, France v South Africa
- Sunday, November 9: Wales v Argentina
- Saturday, November 15: Italy v South Africa, England v New Zealand, Wales v Japan, France v Fiji, Ireland v Australia
- Sunday, November 16: Scotland v Australia
- Saturday, November 22: Wales v New Zealand, Ireland v South Africa, France v Australia, Italy v Samoa
- Sunday, November 23: Scotland v Tonga, England v Argentina
- Saturday, November 29: Wales v South Africa
For viewers in the UK and Ireland, TNT Sports and discovery+ will stream every match, while BBC Radio 5 Live provides audio coverage. In France, TF1 screens Les Bleus’ contests; beIN SPORT covers the rest. Italy’s fans can tune in via Sky Italia.
England Rugby: Squad Revamp and Tactical Evolution
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick has shaken up the lineup for the clash against Fiji. Marcus Smith starts at full-back, Fin Smith at fly-half, and Ellis Genge captains alongside Maro Itoje, who returns to the bench after a long absence. Only eight players remain from the Australia win, as Borthwick experiments to build depth—especially at No 8, with Chandler Cunningham-South making his first start following Tom Willis’s move to Bordeaux.
Ollie Lawrence returns after injury, partnering Fraser Dingwall in midfield, while Ben Earl shifts to openside flanker. The bench features a six-two split, with Henry Pollock retaining his “super-sub” role, and Freddie Steward ruled out due to a hand injury. Fiji, meanwhile, field a squad loaded with Gallagher Premiership experience, including Saracens prop Eroni Mawi and Bristol’s Viliame Mata.
Last autumn was challenging for England, with only one win from four matches. Scotland fared better, registering victories over Fiji, Portugal, and Australia. Ireland rebounded from a home defeat to New Zealand to win three straight, while Wales suffered three losses, extending a winless streak that lasted nearly two years. France swept their fixtures, and Italy managed a solitary win over Georgia.
Rugby League Ashes: England’s Search for Answers
In the Rugby League Ashes, England’s defeat to Australia has left players and coaches searching for positives. Despite being competitive in stretches, missed chances and tactical lapses proved costly. England fell 26-6 in London and 14-4 in Liverpool. Coach Shaun Wane points to a crowded domestic schedule as a hurdle, noting the lack of international fixtures for player development.
St Helens’ Matty Lees and veteran Kallum Watkins insist the gap with Australia isn’t widening, citing England’s physicality and improved performances against Tonga and Samoa. But clinical execution remains elusive, with individual Australian brilliance—Reece Walsh at Wembley, Nathan Cleary at Everton—deciding both Tests. Wane’s defensive focus has faced criticism, especially after recalling older players, but team unity and pride in the shirt persist.
The upcoming final Test at Headingley, though a dead rubber, could be England’s last match before next year’s World Cup in Australia. The pressure is mounting, but the squad remains determined to avoid an Australian whitewash and use the series as a springboard for future success.
Belgium’s Black Devils: Chasing World Cup History
Far from rugby’s traditional heartlands, Belgium’s national team—the Black Devils—are three matches away from their first-ever Rugby World Cup qualification. Ranked 22nd globally, Belgium faces Namibia, Brazil, and Samoa in Dubai in a decisive round-robin tournament. The winner claims the 24th and final spot at the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Belgium’s recent progress has been remarkable. Once outside the top 50, the team now competes in the Rugby Europe Championship and boasts wins over Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Canada. Full-back Matias Remue, signed by Stade Toulousain, leads a squad blending Brussels-based talent with France-based professionals. Head coach Laurent Dossat’s efforts to unite the team have paid dividends, and qualification could transform rugby’s profile and resources in Belgium.
“To be three matches away from qualifying shows the progress we’ve made,” Remue told The Brussels Times. “Qualifying would show how serious we are, and might get us more recognition.”
The Changing Game: Reflection and Legacy
The sport’s transformation isn’t just on the pitch. Richie McCaw, legendary All Blacks captain, reflected recently on how the game has evolved since his debut in 2001. He noted the increasing physicality, the changing body types, and the relentless need for adaptation. Off the field, the rise of social media has added new pressures for players, but McCaw insists that the essence of rugby—resilience, adaptation, and camaraderie—remains.
“If you don’t adapt, you end up not surviving,” McCaw told RugbyPass. “Maybe I would have kept up, maybe not. But the athletes now, they’re powerful. That’s what I liked about rugby: you didn’t need to tick every box, you just had to work at it.”
Tribute: Richard Sharp, England’s Elegant Fly-Half
In England, rugby mourns the passing of Richard Sharp, former captain and 1963 Five Nations champion, who died at 87. Sharp’s legacy spans 14 England caps, a Lions tour to South Africa, and a cherished connection to his hometown Redruth. “He never forgot his roots,” recalled Redruth RFC president Dave Penberthy to BBC Sport. “He was the most humble man you’ll ever meet, and always loved playing here.” Sharp’s elegance at fly-half and commitment to his club inspired generations—and his name remains etched among England’s rugby greats.
2025’s rugby calendar is a microcosm of the sport’s shifting landscape. From Europe’s grand stages to Belgium’s underdog quest, from England’s tactical soul-searching to tributes for legends, rugby continues to evolve—demanding resilience, unity, and the courage to chase history, one fixture at a time.