AS teams prepare for the upcoming November internationals in the north, the focus is very much on how the All Blacks will perform after a less than brilliant year so far, in which they lost twice and drew once.
The world champions travel to France and Britain with a squad of 37, possibly one of their biggest if not the biggest ever. They will also have the services of five players who will be playing against them for the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 4 for the France segment that follows.
Apart from that Wallaby win against the All Blacks in Brisbane last weekend, teams in the north are buoyed by what they consider to be a successful Lions tour, despite the series being drawn and over three months after the tour, stories kept appearing in the British and Irish press, especially about how they could have won it.
Several key All Blacks players are missing due to a variety of reasons but rugby fans will get to see some young talents in the squad who could possibly play a crucial role in the next World Cup in 2019. The planning by the coaches is centred on preparations for the World Cup and developing the depth with enough experience by the time that tournament comes around.
Many fans were hoping a game against England could be included but this is not to be. Instead both teams will only play a game on next year’s November tour.
While teams are now more optimistic of their chances against the All Blacks, everyone knows that they don’t play too many under par games in a year and they usually bounce back after a poor patch.
Both the Springboks and Wallabies are upbeat, the former after losing by just one point in their last game against the All Blacks three weeks ago and the latter following that success in Brisbane.
What that win to end a run of seven consecutive losses meant to the Wallabies could be seen from the way they celebrated after the final whistle — it was as if they had won the World Cup!
Despite inconsistencies from the June internationals right through to the Rugby Championship, Australia’s commentators, coaches and players alike are feeling stoked and enthusiastic about the future and what the present squad can deliver.
So too the Springboks which have a comparatively young team compared to their previous sides. They play against Ireland, France, Italy and Wales.
In the last four northern tours since after the World Cup in 2011, the Springboks went through unbeaten in six Tests in 2012 and 2013 but lost two of four in 2014 and lost all three Tests last year, while drawing the game against the Barbarians. (There was no tour in 2015 because of the World Cup.)
In this respect the Springboks would be mindful that while they are feeling more confident this time after a dreadful 2016 season, their success rate during the northern autumn international has not been great.
To an extent it’s the same with the Wallabies who lost one of four in 2012, one of five in 2013, lost three of four Tests the following year and lost two of five last year.
Before they head the other way, the Wallabies first play a game against a local Barbarians side and then travel to Japan for a one-off Tests on November 4.
Many in the north say that the momentum since the last few years has shifted to the north, with their rugby more competitive and at the highest level there – the Six Nations – with the exception of Italy, you can’t argue with that but their teams too have yet to establish a supremacy over the south in November.
Will it be different this time?