Weekend International Rugby Forecasts – Strategies for Crucial Matchups Ahead
Rewritten Article:
Let's Rumble! *The Springboks* steal into one of rugby's grand sanctuaries, Twickenham, to address a beleaguered England squad on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
Following a triumphant outing from Southern Hemisphere teams last weekend, the host nations from the north need to respond, as the Autumn Nations Series heats up.
It's a vibrant night in Dublin, where Ireland faces Argentina before six teams collide on Saturday, with Scotland showdown against Portugal at Murrayfield and France dueling the All Blacks in Saint-Denis, preceding and following the Boks' encounter with England.
The action continues on Sunday when Italy confronts Georgia in Genoa and Wales clashes with the Wallabies in Cardiff.
Get Ready: Rugby
Ireland vs Argentina
Friday, 15 November - 22:10
The Irish will be brimming with anger following their 23-13 stumble against the All-Blacks last Friday.
Under Andy Farrell's command, Ireland must put the pieces back together after their home defeat resulted in them relinquishing the world No. 1 ranking to South Africa and ending their 19-match home winning streak.
Indiscipline was their downfall as they conceded 13 penalties to New Zealand's 5, allowing Damian McKenzie to exact revenge with his kicking prowess. Struggling with efficiency at the breakdown and in the lineouts, Ireland will concentrate on precision this week to return to their sharpness.
The Pumas displayed a thrilling performance, racking up 50 points against Italy in their opening tour match last weekend. Sensing an opportunity to shock the Irish like they did the Springboks and All Blacks in the Rugby Championship, Argentina will bring plenty of enterprise in attack and a solid kicking game. However, they can still be too erratic for my preferences.
A furious Ireland should return to their dynamic best and bounce back with a statement victory to apologize to their supporters.
**Prediction: Ireland by 15**
**Suggested Bet: Ireland -12.5 at 1.84**
Scotland vs Portugal
Saturday, 16 November - 17:10
After giving South Africa a run for their money, Scotland need to discover a means to stay motivated against what will be only their second-ever meeting with Portugal.
In a hard-fought battle, the Scots managed to keep South Africa at bay, with the 32-15 scoreline exaggerating the visitor's ascendancy. Gregor Townshend's troops will rue failing to convert any of their try-scoring opportunities, which will be a focal point this week, particularly against Portugal.
That points to trouble for Portugal, who endured losses to the Boks (64-21) and USA (21-17) in July and September respectively. Scotland won the only previous encounter between the teams 56-10 at the 2007 World Cup and should cruise to victory once again.
**Prediction: Scotland by 40**
England vs South Africa
Saturday, 16 November - 19:40
The Boks will be attentive as they take on a desperate England side at Twickenham.
The defending champions will be looking to enhance their performance after managing a mere 17-point victory over Scotland last weekend, which fell short of their own standards. Rassie Erasmus' troops will be keen to tighten up, having committed 22 handling errors during their match against the Scots.
On the other hand, England has suffered two consecutive heartbreaking losses against southern visitors due to lapses in energy and a lack of composure, particularly in their defense. With 36 missed tackles against Australia and a late collapse in their most recent match, England has a lot of work to do to prevent being wiped out by South Africa.
Despite England's determination, the power, depth, and defensive capabilities of South Africa, both structurally and in their ability to scramble, will prove too much for England to handle.
**Prediction: South Africa by 10**
**Suggested Bet: South Africa -7.5 at 1.83**
France vs New Zealand
Saturday, 16 November - 22:10
With Scotland's dominating display over Japan, Argentina's impressive victory against Italy, England's nail-biting loss against the Boks, and Wales' stunning defeat to Fiji, all eyes will be on the All Blacks to maintain New Zealand's reputation as champions in rugby.
*Quintin van Jaarsveld is a seasoned sports writer with over 15 years of experience, having won multiple awards for his work in the field. He currently covers rugby and other sports for various publications.*
In the world of sports betting, a possible betting option might be placing a wager on the South Africa vs England match, based on the current form of the teams, with South Africa as the likely winner by a margin of 10 points.
Another intriguing sports prediction could be the Ireland vs Argentina game, with Ireland expected to victory by 15 points, given their determined response after their recent loss and Argentina's potential inconsistency.
