Biggest talking points ahead of the upcoming Rugby Autumn Internationals

The rugby world stands at a crossroads as the Autumn Internationals approach.

So far this summer, the British and Irish Lions wrapped up a white-hot 2-1 series win over Australia in the Land Down Under thanks to blistering performances from Scotland’s Finn Russell and Duhan van der Merwe.

The Wallabies, however, have since bounced back, thriving in the ongoing Rugby Championship.

Wild Rugby Championship nears its end

The thrilling showdown between the Southern Hemisphere’s three heavyweights and Argentina is currently on a knife-edge, with all four teams sitting on identical 2-2 records with just two rounds remaining.

The Pumas picked up a historic victory against New Zealand, while Australia bounced back from their Lions disappointment with an upset victory against reigning world champions South Africa in Pretoria. Now, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion.

The Aussies are the shock leaders with two games to go, but even so, they remain a distant 12/1 shot to win the title, well behind favourites South Africa (4/5) and New Zealand (7/5).

However, the shock victories for the Wallabies and Argentina against the two frontrunners have caused odds to shift dramatically.

As such, should one already have a bet placed on the action, now is the perfect time to bust out a betting calculator tool and ensure a win.

The popular arbitrage calculator at Thunderpick would be an ideal option to use. The tool calculates precise wagers, taking into account old odds and the current odds to help punters hedge their bets and snag a definite win, no matter who lifts the trophy.

And ultimately, whoever does reign over the southern hemisphere as champions will be immediately thrust back into the fire as they head north to contest the end-of-year Autumn Internationals.

As the northern stage rises to meet its giant Southern counterparts, and with the road to the 2027 Rugby World Cup looming ever closer, what are the defining questions, the stories that will shape the upcoming month-long festival of rugby? Let’s take a look.

Springboks’ relentless dominance

To the surprise of absolutely no one paying close attention, South Africa arrives armed and dangerous.

Rassie Erasmus has redefined bench impact with his “bomb squad,” expertly rotating a mind-bending 51 players across major Tests to continue the Springboks’ imperious undefeated streak through 2025’s key fixtures.

In the Rugby Championship, the reigning world champions absorbed early blows – losing to both Australia and New Zealand – then returned fire with cold vengeance, grinding out statement wins in the reverse fixtures against both of their rivals.

Soon, the Springboks will head north with Pieter-Steph du Toit – now a two-time World Rugby Player of the Year – at the spearhead, flanked by the indomitable presence of Siya Kolisi, whose return from injury adds vital heartbeat and leadership. But the touring party faces questions of its own.

Eben Etzebeth, the talismanic lock, is nursing a knock, and with the likes of Boan Venter standing by for his debut, can the engine keep firing?

Schedules don’t lie – the stakes are immense: France in Paris, Ireland at the Aviva, and Wales in Cardiff to close represents as tough a schedule as one could envision north of the equator.

That Paris collision? Pure grudge match. 2023’s World Cup quarter-final between the two was seismic, and one can expect further chaos as Les Bleus look for revenge.

Erasmus’s hybrid game plan blends Kolbe’s agility with a ferocious “Jackal” turnover rate, threatening to shred any northern defensive pattern that dares blink.

The Springboks swept the north in 2024. Can they repeat in 2025?

All Blacks at a crossroads

New Zealand finds itself in a state of flux unseen in generations. The Scott Robertson era began with the weight of a nation’s expectations, but now staggers beneath the burden of results.

Two losses in the Rugby Championship have already opened up quite the wound.

However, Argentina managed to add salt, winning 29-23 to secure a first-ever home win against the All Blacks and destroy any remaining aura that the All Blacks had left.

Following that loss to the Pumas, battle-hardened stars like Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane now find themselves fighting to justify selection.

Head coach Robertson brings with him a record seven Super Rugby crowns from the Crusaders dynasty, but international scrutiny is a different beast.

And in the cauldron-like stadiums in Europe, neither he nor his veteran leaders can afford to wilt under the pressure.

His squad? A blend of old and new: Captain Scott Barrett, vice-captains Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett, and youthful talent like Noah Hotham are usually stars of the show.

Their tour will begin with Japan in Tokyo, but the real acid tests – the ones that will define the reset narrative – come against England at Twickenham, a much-improved Scotland at Murrayfield, and perhaps most dramatically, a neutral-site sizzler against Ireland in Chicago.

Can Damian McKenzie, a fly-half with a stat line that hints at genius, inspire an attack robust enough to evoke echoes of the 2010 Grand Slam?

Will Robertson’s aerial tweaks hold against English and Irish minds honed to exploit every flicker of weakness?

This isn’t merely a tour; it’s the All Blacks’ soul under the microscope. Another stumble and the rugby world will sense blood.