Category News

England v. Australia: Quilter Nations Series

Date: Saturday, November 1 Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

On Saturday against Australia at Allianz Stadium, a significant autumn for English rugby will begin.

Steve Borthwick’s England will look to continue winning against the best two years before the Rugby World Cup.

If Borthwick can find a way to unleash their potential, the team will enter an exciting new era with a number of young players in good form.

The teenage sensation made a single Prem debut, and Borthwick’s squad was made up of it.

As much of an impact as you can hope to make with his first Prem start against Sale Sharks, five tries against them.

The 19-year-old Saracens wing, who has been playing development rugby for England, was immediately recruited.

He was undoubtedly impressed, and he made the final four Test squad ahead of Leicester Tiger Adam Radwan.

His air-handling prowess have won him rave reviews from players and pundits because of his point of difference.

On the biggest stage, Caluori’s ability to hang high and take a ball over his head could be a powerful weapon, but he also has pace and power in abundance, twice letting George Ford flail in the air as he drove past him.

Former England wing Ugo Monye described his raw athleticism as “unreal” according to BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly.

“The law changes with escorting, which has removed the protection for the catcher, which is being celebrated, is now seeing the most skilled and athletic guys in the air.”

Two years until the World Cup, it is obvious that Borthwick wants to accelerate Caluori’s development.

Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina are all teams that qualified for the last World Cup quarter-finals, and England’s opponents in this autumn are all teams.

On paper, the game will be played against Fiji on November 8, but could Caluori anticipate a lot more than just a brief run-out this autumn?

Former England wing Chris Ashton said, “I know we have good wingers and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman will probably start, but he [Caluori] is not too far away.”

Pollock, age 20, only started playing for England in the Under-20 Six Nations when they won the tournament.

The back rower from Northampton Saints scored twice against Wales in his senior team debut for England in March.

Pollock was chosen for the British and Irish Lions after a stellar performance for Saints in their semi-final match against Leinster. He was disappointed not to make the matchday 23 for the Test matches.

Now that Pollock is not yet a prominent player in a Test for England, it seems hard to believe.

Pollock hasn’t settled in one position because he has played in the entire back row since making his professional debut.

England have a vacancy at number eight following Tom Willis’ decision to play in France next year.

The 22-year-old has already participated in two Six Nations campaigns but is yet to secure a starting spot.

Cunningham-South for the Harlequins started out as a blind-side flanker against Japan last summer and then in New Zealand for three of their final four games in that capacity last fall.

His vicious demeanor and stature made him popular with Courtney Lawes, a former England star who also played in the second row.

England has a serious athlete on their hands, according to the player. Former England captain Sam Warburton stated on BBC’s Six Nations Special last year, “I hope he gets more game time because I think he can be a big name for England.”

He “could be the real deal” for England’s future.

Cunningham-South has also been tried at lock by Quins and Borthwick, and his appearances this season have been equally divided between number eight and second row.

Cunningham-South will want to claim a starting spot after playing in the two summer tests against Argentina and in the 2016 Six Nations, which are becoming a regular theme in modern rugby.

Will it hurt his chances of getting a starting role given that England has him highly regarded and he can fill a number of positions?

Feyi-Waboso, a wing for the Exeter Chiefs, made his debut for England last year and scored twice in Test matches against New Zealand.

The 22-year-old continued playing the right wing last fall and once more scored against the All Blacks, but injuries have prevented his development.

Feyi-Waboso, who had shoulder surgery and missed this year’s Six Nations, only made four club matches in his two international appearances last year.

Following a red card against France A, both Tests against Argentina were suspended.

Feyi-Waboso was still present on Borthwick’s summer tour, and he played him in the final game against the United States, but his inability caused Tom Roebuck to take advantage of it.

It ended up being a frustrating campaign from its initial year as a genuine contender for the British and Irish Lions.

Feyi-Waboso is a talented athlete who can break a game open on his own, with his recovery defense also making a difference.

As a 19-year-old, Bath wing Arundell attempted to play against Australia on the international stage.

Arundell moved to Racing 92 after the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to the demise of London Irish, where he scored a viral length-of-the-pitch solo try.

Fans were angry that he paused his international career to play in the Top 14 after five tries against Chile at the World Cup.

Arundell, who has faced criticism for his play in the high ball and defense, stated that he wanted to improve his game and improve.

Arundell has shown his quick footwork and ability to keep the ball moving in tight spaces at Bath, and his four tries in five Prem games indicate that he is on the right track.

Is he now more balanced to fit in on England’s wing, along with his remarkable pace and sharp finishing abilities?

Wales vs. Poland: friendly international

Newport, Rodney Parade Date: Tuesday, October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Rhian Wilkinson, Wales’ manager, anticipates a “tough, tough game” on Tuesday night against Poland in Newport.

Poland qualified for its first major tournament, joining Wales in December of last year, with victories over Austria at home and away qualifying them for Euro 2025.

After falling to Germany and Sweden in their final group game in Switzerland, Nina Patalon’s team defeated Denmark 3-2.

Following a goalless draw away to the Netherlands on Friday at home, they advance to Tuesday’s friendly.

They are a really good test for us, said Wilkinson. They are both an aggressive and strong attacking force.

In areas of the game where we have our strengths and they have ours, “I believe it will be equally matched.”

It’s going to be a bit of a chess game, in my opinion, because they work together really well as a team.

Wales have faced the lowest ranking opposition since their famous night in Dublin, when they are ranked 26th in the world.

I’m anticipating a tough, tough game because we saw them defeat Denmark, and we know that they’re going to really push us,” said Wilkinson.

We’re going to go out there to win, as they do, like every game.

Wales’ final ten games:

Despite encouraging home and away victories for Sweden and the third-place team, Wales endured some troubling days in 2025.

We know that learning lessons like that is difficult because we talked about it last year.

However, “We do it together,” and I believe it depends on how we support them as staff rather than just the players.

“We need to work hard to get there now that Wales has seen what top teams can deliver,” said the statement.

I don’t believe we can lose perspective because some of the games have been really painful, and others are getting so close and knocking on the door.

Wilkinson is confident that her team can fulfill their potential by playing to their full potential.

We want to raise standards, Wilkinson added.

We leave every game, discuss the performance, and I discuss the outcome.

We are aware that, in contrast to Australia, we can live there for a while, he said.

“We have to be more ruthless and make sure our chances count more,” he said.

I really liked the game, but I find it frustrating because I want the media to hold me accountable.

Why did the tie not occur? Why did we not receive the victory? The next step will be that.

We were proud of our performance, but I don’t want to be a team of “we almost did it.”