Autumn Internationals Rugby: France meet South Africa, Scotland tackle New Zealand in stacked Week 2 schedule

by Devesh Jaganath

image Autumn Internationals Rugby: France meet South Africa, Scotland tackle New Zealand in stacked Week 2 schedule
After a thrilling opening weekend in the 2025 Autumn Nations Series, Week 2 is shaping up to be another banger, with nine of the world’s top-ranked sides all in action. The jam-packed schedule kicks off in Dublin at lunchtime, while the final curtain sees Les Bleus and the Springboks clash in Paris.

France vs. South Africa - Stade de France (20:10 GMT)

The headline fixture in Week 2 of the 2025 Autumn Nations series comes from Stade de France in Paris, where France will be looking to get their revenge against South Africa, who beat them at this very ground 29-28 in the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. 

Les Bleus will be without the services of their leaders and one of the greatest players ever, Antoine Dupont, with Nolann Le Garrec stepping into the number nine jersey. Romain Ntamack starts at fly-half, opposite rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, which makes for a mouth-watering head-to-head. 

Rassie Erasmus will be taking charge of his 50th Test for the Springboks, and Siya Kolisi will reach 100 Tests for the world champions. Don’t forget to check out our rugby predictions for all our expert insights and key stats. 

Erasmus has left nothing to chance for this match, recalling most of his big-hitters to the squad. There are six changes made to the teams that steamrolled Japan last week, including the returns of Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Malcolm Marx. 

France: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Nolann le Garrec, 8 Mickael Guillard, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Regis Montagne, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Baptiste Erdocio 

Replacements: 16 Guilaume Cramont, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Dorian Aldegheri, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Hugo Auradou, 21 Oscar Jegou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Nicolas Depoortere.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter 

Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Ruan Nortje, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.

Scotland vs. New Zealand - Murrayfield (15:10 GMT)

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It has been 120 years since Scotland and New Zealand first faced off in an international Test, and few would have thought that after a century, the Scots would still be searching for their maiden victory over the All Blacks. 

Indeed, Scotland have failed to win any of their 32 matches against New Zealand - the only team they have never beaten in Test rugby. Here at Murrayfield, the All Blacks have won 17 times and drawn twice over the years. 

Granted, the last three matches between these sides were much more closely contested, but the three-time World Cup champions still came out on top, which is something that Gregor Townsend will hope to change this weekend by defying the betting odds. 

However, the hosts have been playing very well recently, while the visitors lost a second consecutive Rugby Championship to the Springboks earlier this year and were far from their best against Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago last weekend. 

Scotland vs. New Zealand Squads

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (c), 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan

New Zealand: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Ardie Savea (c), 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.

Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Damian McKenzie

England vs. Fiji - Allianz Stadium (17:40 GMT)

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England will return to Twickenham on Saturday and will face a Fiji side that has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, now ninth in the world rankings, while they have gotten as high as seventh just after the 2023 World Cup.

The Red Roses pulled off a stunning 25-7 victory over Australia here last weekend, marking their eighth consecutive victory since the Six Nations, and our experts are leaning toward a big win for Steve Borthwick’s side, according to our England vs Fiji prediction.

However, that is not to say that Fiji aren’t expected to put up a fight in this clash. The Pacific Islanders gave the English a proper test the last time they met and pulled off a stunning 30-22 victory over them a few months earlier - their first in nine previous meetings. 

One of the biggest talking points coming into this clash is the return of Marcus Smith, though he is now set to line up at full-back, with Fin Smith retaining the number 10 jumper. Notably, British & Irish Lions skipper Maro Itoje will start on the bench.

England vs. Fiji Squads

England: 15 Marcus Smith, Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge 

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Henry Arundell

Fiji: 15 Salesi Rayasi, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 12 Josua Tuisova, 11 Jiuta Wainiqolo; 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Simi Kuruvoli, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Elia Canakaivata, 6 Kitione Salawa, 5 Temo Mayanavanua, 4 Isoa Nasilasila; 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Eroni Mawi

Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Hereiti Hetet, 18 Samuela Tawake, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Motikai Murray, 21 Sam Wye, 22 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 23 Sireli Maqala