Autumn Nations Series 2021: What to look out for
Ahead of the Autumn Nations Series kicking off on Saturday 30 October, we sat down with our National Rugby & Communities Manager, Matt Mitchell to get his thoughts on the upcoming international matches and who to look out for.
How does it feel to see rugby tournaments back on again with crowds in the stadiums?
“Some rugby nerds like me enjoyed hearing what the referee had to say when we had empty stadiums. But I’m over that now – let’s fill the arena and make some noise (but respect the kickers).“
How do you think the home nations are going to get on?
“I am looking forward to seeing Louis Rees-Zammit and Marcus Smith but also looking forward to seeing the all the Women’s games live on BBC.
Games of week one will certainly be England Women vs BlackFerns and Wales Men v All Blacks which should warm them up nicely for the World Champions (RSA) the following week.
Don’t miss Ireland’s men vs Japan on 6 November and Scotland v Australia the next day. With the British & Irish Lions tour over and the Women’s World Cup rescheduled for 2022, I’m sure all teams will now be looking to build momentum towards their respective World Cup campaigns.”
What players should we look out for?
“As above Rees-Zammit and Smith but a shame not to see Finn Russell after he showed us in South Africa what he can bring to the game.
Sarah Hunter’s Women should be the leading Home Nation but need to be careful not give too much away ahead of the ‘21 World Cup in ‘22.”
Don’t miss a game! Click here for the Autumn Nations Series fixtures.
We would love to know your predictions for the Autumn Nations Series! Let us know by following us on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
There are lots of ways you can help Wooden Spoon support more vulnerable children and young people. You can donate, join our membership scheme or take part in a fundraising challenge.
