Quilter autumn internationals

À friend of mine something of a rugby aficionado sent me a Guardian article forecasting this England side might provide expansive rugby. I had my doubts as over the years I have watched England i have found them plodding and in a formulaic era when coaches sit behind their computers I could see no change. To the extent that thete was any exciting rugby it came from Fiji but England ran out 38-18 winners . Moreover none of the the aspirants Chandler Cunningham South nor Marcus Smith advanced their claim for inclusion against the All Blacks this Sunday

Then came the rugby highlight of the weekend : France v world champions South Africa with memories of that epic World cup encounter in the same Stade de France. France even without Antoine Dupont started the brighter and when the Proteans went down to 14 after De Jäger was red carded the game was thete for les bleus but it was not to be with a resounding South African comeback to win 32-17. When the Boks emerged as a force there was some criticism not least from me that they were à team of behemoths reliant on a powerful pack but the the Performance behind it notably Sacha Freiberg -Mongemzulu belies that

Finally a fleeting reference to Scotland v All Blacks. The Scot’s are still to beat them but at 17-17 had the possibility to do so. The All Blacks gave them no such chance