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Northern Ireland’s Conor Bradley says there is “no point” being intimidated by the level of opposition they will face in their play-off for the 2026 World Cup.

Defeat by Slovakia in Kosice on Friday night ensured Michael O’Neill’s side will go into those pivotal fixtures in March by virtue of winning their Nations League group last year rather than as the higher seed afforded to runners-up from qualifying groups.

As such, in Thursday’s draw they will be paired against one of the highest ranked sides in the hat for the semi-finals, a group which currently would include the likes of Italy, Turkey and Poland.

“I think we’ve come on quite a lot in the last few campaigns, the Nations League and this [qualifying] campaign and I think we just need to try and keep continuing on that upwards trajectory,” said Liverpool defender Bradley.

Pot Three and Pot Four teams in the play-offs are automatically away from home in semi-finals, something Bradley acknowledges will be an additional challenge.

The side have won just two competitive fixtures on their travels since O’Neill returned as manager in December 2022 with those victories coming against San Marino and Luxembourg.

Bradley described the difficulty of winning away from home as his “biggest learning” across 29 international caps to date.

“Any game where you come away from home, it’s always going to be so difficult but I think the more you get experience of these situations the more you can definitely learn from it and hopefully we can do that,” he said.

“It’s nice to get a play-off. Obviously it’s going to be brilliant.

Ultimately the margins in Group A came down to Slovakia beating Germany at home while Northern Ireland were beaten twice by the four-time World Cup winners.

Indeed, while it matters little in terms of the final table, Northern Ireland were much more convincing in their 2-0 victory over Slovakia at Windsor Park last month than their hosts were in Kosice on Friday night.

After Tomas Bobcek’s stoppage-time winner, frustrations appeared to boil over with words exchanged between the two sets of players following the final whistle, while O’Neill said opposing manager Francesco Calzona did not shake his hand after the game.

“It was disappointing, really. I think when we beat them in Belfast, I think we had a bit more class about us after the game,” Bradley said.

“They were sort of giving it a bit more. It’s disappointing but I’m sure we’ll see them again.”

Midfielder Isaac Price was equally unimpressed with Slovakia’s response to the win which kept alive their hopes of qualifying not just for the play-offs but automatically at the expense of Germany for the tournament in North America next summer.

“I think some of their players had a lot to say especially ones that didn’t play,” said the West Bromwich Albion player. “I think if you’re playing in the game and you want to have a pop then that’s fine, but if you’re a third choice goalkeeper and you’re not playing, I think just be quiet.

“They had a few words to say. They looked overly excited but that’s a compliment to us. I think they took that as a really big result and it is a big result for them.

Quilter Nations Series

Italy (3) 14

Try: Capuozzo Pens: Garbisi 3

South Africa (10) 32

World champions South Africa overcame a first-half red card to win for the second match in succession as they followed last weekend’s victory against France with a 32-14 success against Italy in Turin.

Seven days after Lood de Jager’s dismissal in Paris, fellow lock Franco Mostert was sent off in the 12th minute.

Mostert was deemed to have made shoulder contact to the head of opposing fly-half Paolo Garbisi and did not attempt to wrap his arms in the tackle.

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus, who had selected a rotated starting XV, brought on four of his replacements inside the first 26 minutes and the Springboks led 10-3 at half-time thanks to Marco van Staden’s converted try.

Two Garbisi penalties reduced Italy’s deficit to a point, but they were unable to take advantage of a brief spell with a two-player advantage following Van Staden’s yellow card for a ruck infringement.

Williams’ match-clincher was the pick of South Africa’s four tries and was created superbly by Canan Moodie, who stepped in off the left wing and fired a pass inside for the replacement back to touch down unopposed.

Italy, who were 26-19 victors against Australia in their previous outing, were bidding to beat the Springboks for only the second time in 19 attempts.

They had chances to do so, with Garbisi missing two first-half penalty attempts and also failing to convert Capuozzo’s second-half try, but once again South Africa found an extra gear in the closing stages to ensure the hosts fell short.

Later on Saturday France beat Fiji 34-21 to end a run of four defeats, although Fiji gave the Six Nations champions a huge scare in Bordeaux.

The hosts scored three converted tries without reply in the opening 20 minutes, but Fiji fought back from 21-0 behind to level the match at 21-21 just after the interval.

Thomas Ramos kicked two penalties to restore France’s lead before Nicolas Depoortere’s second try of the match clinched victory.

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v New Zealand

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 22 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

Wales head coach Steve Tandy admitted he could not watch Jarrod Evans’ last-gasp penalty that snatched a 24-23 win against Japan.

Tandy enjoyed a first success of his reign in dramatic fashion in Cardiff thanks to the Harlequins fly-half staying cool with the clock in the red.

Evans slotted a penalty to the delight of the Principality Stadium crowd – whose roars let Tandy know that a 10-Test losing streak on home soil had been ended.

“I was hiding away in the side,” said the head coach. “I could see the crowd and I could see him going to take the kick, but not the posts.

While there was delight in the Wales coaching box – with Tandy embracing Welsh Rugby Union head of performance Dave Reddin before going back to his management team – there was anguish in Japan’s.

“It was terrible, I wanted to kill somebody,” said head coach Eddie Jones. “That is what I felt like – anybody I could find!

“When you lose the game in the last minute at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff it’s tough.

“The atmosphere is electric, the ground lights up and you have to handle that pressure.

“In the last five minutes we did not do that well. We had a lead and should have been able to keep that for the rest of the game.”

Japan would have gone above 12th-placed Wales in the world rankings with victory before December’s World Cup draw.

Evans was memorably the hero at the death when Cardiff beat Leinster at the Arms Park in 2022 and he also conquered the Galway wind for a success at Connacht in 2017.

The 29-year-old from Pontypridd now has a Test moment to add to his highlights reel.

“I’ve experienced it for my club, but it’s the first time that I have done it for my country,” said Evans.

“I was pretty relieved that it went over, but that’s why you put all those hours and hard work in.”

The replacement fly-half was only called onto the pitch in the 79th minute with Wales pinned in their own half and needing something special.

“The longer the time goes on the more you think that you might not get on, but you have to be ready to impact the game,” said Evans, who came on for Dan Edwards.

“I am just the guy that is fortunate to get that moment at the end, but I was more proud with how we worked our way up the field.

“We retained the ball and didn’t cough it up, which we probably did for large parts of the game to give Japan a leg up.”

A penalty just out of range meant that Evans kicked to the 22 and the pack almost ensured his right foot was not needed.

“The forwards were unbelievable with the maul and rolled us all the way – we were unlucky not to come away with the try.

“We did think about a quick tap, but then I took the decision out of the boys’ hands.”

Wales now prepare for New Zealand next Saturday, knowing that their performance level needs to go up dramatically.

“We’ll be tough on ourselves,” said Tandy. “There’s never a lack of effort whenever I’ve watched this group and you can build on that.

Quilter Nations Series

Ireland (19) 46

Tries: Hansen 3, Doris, Baird, Henshaw Cons: Prendergast 2, Crowley 3 Pen: Crowley Drop-goal: Prendergast

Australia (14) 19

Mack Hansen scored a superb first-half hat-trick to help lift Ireland to a comprehensive win over Australia in an entertaining Test at Aviva Stadium.

Starting an Ireland game at full-back for the first time, Canberra-born Hansen starred in a slick Irish attack on his return from a foot injury with three tries inside the opening 30 minutes.

The Wallabies – coached by former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt – stayed in touch at half-time thanks to Len Ikitau and Fraser McReight tries.

But after Sam Prendergast stretched Ireland’s lead with a drop-goal and Tommy O’Brien had a try ruled out for a knock-on, Caelan Doris’ 70th-minute try ensured a comfortable Irish victory.

Despite losing Nick Frost to a yellow card for his hit on Thomas Clarkson during the Doris score, Billy Pollard went over for Australia’s third try.

However, the hosts surged to the finish line as late Ryan Baird and Robbie Henshaw scores capped a much-improved Ireland performance and a fifth successive win over Australia.

Saturday’s game presented an opportunity for both sides to deliver a much-needed statement performance, with the wounded Wallabies chasing a first win in Dublin since 2013 after bruising defeats by England and Italy.

But Australian confidence was further punctured by a fired-up Ireland, who immediately set about atoning for their sluggish start in last week’s uninspiring win over Japan with renewed intent and aggression.

After the Japan game, Farrell told his players to “get over themselves” and, led by the irrepressible Hansen, they took his words to heart.

Having already claimed his first high ball with ease, Hansen finished a couple of sharp Irish attacks under the posts, the first coming after neat offloads from Sam Prendergast and Stuart McCloskey, whose game was ended prematurely by a recurrence of a groin injury.

Prendergast, restored at fly-half ahead of Jack Crowley, was the chief architect of the second, his quickly-taken kick to the corner forcing a knock-on from the retreating Max Jorgensen as the full-back tried to prevent a 50:22.

From there, Ireland quickly worked the ball to Hansen for his second.

With 28 minutes on the clock, he had his hat-trick when he darted through a gap in the Wallabies defence after Tommy O’Brien did well to claim a Prendergast kick under pressure from Jorgensen.

Hansen’s second and third tries came either side of Australia’s opener, scored by returning centre Ikitau, who made a spell of sustained Wallaby pressure count when he barged past Prendergast under the posts.

Ireland were initially frustrated in the first half. While Prendergast – who like Hansen was given a standing ovation when he was replaced – nailed a drop-goal, Dan Sheehan was held up on the try line by Harry Potter.

Then, after a wonderful piece of Prendergast playmaking, O’Brien’s celebrations were cut short when his try was ruled out for a knock-on from James Lowe.

But after replacement fly-half Jack Crowley slotted over a penalty, Hansen caught a ball inside Australian territory to launch the attack that ended with Doris – who missed out on facing the Wallabies with the British and Irish Lions because of injury – crashing over.

Pollard then scored in the corner for Australia, but as they faded, Ireland raced clear as Baird and Henshaw both crossed to put gloss on the scoreline and fuel Irish confidence before next week’s meeting with the Springboks.

Ireland: M Hansen, T O’Brien, R Henshaw, S McCloskey, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; P McCarthy, D Sheehan, T Furlong ; J Ryan, T Beirne; R Baird, C Doris (capt), J Conan.

Replacements: R Kelleher, A Porter, T Clarkson, C Prendergast, N Timoney, C Casey, J Crowley, B Aki.

Australia: M Jorgensen; F Daugunu, J-A Suaalii, L Ikitau, H Potter; J O’Connor, J Gordon; A Bell, M Faessler, A Alaalatoa, J Williams, T Hooper; R Valetini, F McReight, H Wilson (capt).

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)

Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR) and Adam Leal (RFU)

Television match official (TMO): Ian Tempest (RFU)