The teams are rolling in for another big week of November internationals, headlined by the Ireland-New Zealand blockbuster.
IRELAND vs NEW ZEALAND
Saturday November 17, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 7pm Saturday, Sunday 6am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Channel 515.
Josh van der Flier will start for Ireland in their Test match with world champions New Zealand on Saturday after fellow flanker Dan Leavy dropped out, an IRFU spokesman said on Friday.
Van der Flier played in the 54-7 win over Italy a fortnight ago but did not feature in last Saturday's 28-7 victory against Argentina.
The 25-year-old, whose Dutch grandparents emigrated to Ireland in the 1950s, has played well for Leinster this season after returning from a cruciate ligament injury he suffered in Ireland's Six Nations win over France in February.
His Leinster team-mate Leavy, who was one of the new faces to star in Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam exploits last season, impressed against Argentina last weekend but failed to train on Thursday, with a spokesman saying he had general muscle tightness.
Jordi Murphy fills van der Flier's place on the bench.
"From our point of view it doesn't affect us that much, we are replacing one quality player with another," said captain Rory Best.
"I think Josh and Dan are rather similar players. Josh will bring his game and fit in seamlessly," Best added.
Ryan Crotty is the only new face in the All Blacks' starting XV for Sunday morning's highly-anticipated clash.
Crotty comes into the starting side in place of the injured Sonny Bill Williams, who hurt his shoulder in the All Blacks' 16-15 win over England last weekend.
Anton Lienert-Brown comes into the matchday 23 to replace Crotty on the pine.
Halfback Aaron Smith will play his 82nd Test for the All Blacks in the clash, making him the most capped Kiwi Test nine of all time, surpassing Justin Marshall.
Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock will start together for the 50th time , a New Zealand record.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the entire team was ready for this one.
"This will be another great challenge for our squad and one that we're all really looking forward to," he said.
"These are the types of Test matches that gets everyone up - it's number one versus number two - and there's a real excitement that's building as we get closer to Saturday."
TEAMS
Ireland to face New Zealand
IN: Josh Van der Flier, Jordi Murphy, Rob Kearney, Garry Ringrose
OUT: Sean O'Brien, Dan Leavy, Will Addison, Andrew Conway,
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. CJ Stander
9. Kieran Marmion
10. Johnny Sexton
11. Jacob Stockdale
12. Bundee Aki
13. Garry Ringrose
14. Keith Earls
15. Rob Kearney
Reserves
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Iain Henderson
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Luke McGrath
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour
New Zealand to face Ireland
IN: Anton Lienert-Brown
OUT: Sonny Bill Williams (shoulder)
1. Karl Tu'inukuafe (11)
2. Codie Taylor (40)
3. Owen Franks (105)
4. Brodie Retallick (73)
5. Samuel Whitelock (107)
6. Liam Squire (22)
7. Ardie Savea (33)
8. Kieran Read - captain (116)
9. Aaron Smith (81)
10. Beauden Barrett (71)
11. Rieko Ioane (22)
12. Ryan Crotty (43)
13. Jack Goodhue (6)
14. Ben Smith (75)
15. Damian McKenzie (21)
16. Dane Coles (58)
17. Ofa Tuungafasi (24)
18. Nepo Laulala (15)
19. Scott Barrett (27)
20. Matt Todd (16)
21. TJ Perenara (53)
22. Richie Mo'unga (6)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (31)
SCOTLAND vs SOUTH AFRICA
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has warned his side will have to up their game when they face an "ambitious" South Africa at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Scots ran in eight tries during a 54-17 thrashing of Fiji last weekend.
But South Africa, edged out 12-11 by England at Twickenham in their tour opener and fresh from a 29-26 comeback win over France in Paris, are set to provide Scotland with a tougher test.
Townsend has responded to the challenge of the Springboks by making six changes to his side for the upcoming encounter in Edinburgh, which will see both sides continue their preparations for next year's World Cup in Japan.
Sam Skinner, Scotland's man-of-the-match against Fiji, has been switched to blindside flanker after making his Test debut at lock.
Jonny Gray and Ben Toolis return to form the second-row partnership, while Hamish Watson returns to the back row.
Vice-captain Stuart McInally starts at hooker, with London Irish prop Gordon Reid at loosehead prop.
The only change in the back division sees the return of try-scoring centre Huw Jones.
"South Africa have made a lot of improvements over the last three or four months, beating the All Blacks in New Zealand and putting in an 80-minute performance to defeat France in Paris, which underlines their quality," said Townsend after naming his matchday 23.
South Africa scrum-half Embrose Papier will make his first Test start after being selected Thursday in the run-on XV to face Scotland at Murrayfield this weekend.
All of Papier's five previous caps have come off the bench.
But with Faf de Klerk released back to English club side Sale, following last week's come from behind 29-26 win against France in Paris, Papier gets a chance in the No 9 shirt.
Ivan van Zyl is on the bench.
In the pack, Duane Vermeulen moves to No 8 in place of the injured Warren Whiteley, while Pieter-Steph du Toit packs down at blindside flanker, moving from lock, where he started in both the tour-opening 12-11 defeat by England and against France.
RG Snyman starts at lock, with the Springboks deciding not to rush Eben Etzebeth back from the ankle injury he sustained against England.
Scotland named their team for Saturday's match in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
TEAMS
Scotland to face South Africa
IN: Huw Jones, Simon Berghan, Ali Price, Hamish Watson
OUT: Grant Gilchrist, Matt Fagerson, Alex Dunbar, Alex Allan
1. Gordon Reid
2. Stuart McInally
3. Willem Nel
4. Ben Toolis
5. Jonny Gray
6. Sam Skinner
7. Hamish Watson
8. Ryan Wilson
9. Greig Laidlaw
10. Finn Russell
11. Sean Maitland
12. Pete Horne
13. Huw Jones
14. Tommy Seymour
15. Stuart Hogg
Reserves
16. Fraser Brown
17. Allan Dell
18. Simon Berghan
19. Josh Strauss
20. Jamie Ritchie
21. Ali Price
22. Adam Hastings
23. Chris Harris
South Africa to face Scotland
IN: Ivan van Zyl, Lood de Jager
OUT: Warren Whiteley, Faf de Klerk,
1. Steven Kitshoff
2. Malcolm Marx
3. Frans Malherbe
4. RG Snyman
5. Franco Mostert
6. Siya Kolisi
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Duane Vermuelan
9. Embrose Papier
10. Handre Pollard
11. Aphiwe Dyantyi
12. Damian de Allende
13. Jesse Kriel
14. Sbu Nkosi
15. Willie le Roux
Reserves
16. Bongi Mbonambi
17. Thomas du Toit
18. Vincent Koch
19. Lood de Jager
20. Francois Louw
21. Ivan van Zyl
22. Elton Jantjies
23. Cheslin Kolbe
WALES vs TONGA
Saturday November 17, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 2:30pm local, Sunday 1:30am AEDT
Leicester back Jonah Holmes will make his Wales debut against Tonga this week, the Welsh Rugby Union announced on Thursday.
Holmes, born in Stockport, northwest England, qualifies for Wales through his Welsh grandmother.
He takes his place in a Wales side, fresh from last week's 9-6 win over Australia in Cardiff, alongside Saracens wing Liam Williams will earn his 50th cap.
Cardiff Blues flanker Ellis Jenkins captains a team where there are also starts for centre Tyler Morgan, scrum-half Tomos Williams, No. 8 Seb Davies, flanker Aaron Wainwright and prop Leon Brown in 14 changes from the victory over the Wallabies.
TEAMS
Wales to face Tonga
IN: Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Jake Ball, Aaron Wainwright, Seb Davies, Steff Evans, Owen Watkin, Tyler Morgan, Ryan Elias, Jonah Holmes, Aled Davies, Rhys Patchell
OUT: Nicky Smith, Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Gareth Davies, Gareth Anscombe, Hadleigh Parkes, Jonathan Davies, George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Dillon Lewis,
1. Wyn Jones
2. Elliot Dee
3. Leon Brown
4. Jake Ball
5. Adam Beard
6. Aaron Wainwright
7. Ellis Jenkins
8. Seb Davies
9. Tomos Williams
10. Dan Biggar
11. Steff Evans
12. Owen Watkin
13. Tyler Morgan
14. Liam Williams
15. Jonah Holmes
Reserves
16. Ryan Elias
17. Rob Evans
18. Tomas Francis
19. Cory Hill
20. Ross Moriarty
21. Aled Davies
22. Rhys Patchell
23. Josh Adams
Tonga to face Wales
TBC
ENGLAND vs JAPAN
Saturday November 17, Twickenham, London, 3pm local, Sunday 2am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Channel 513
Bath powerhouse wing Joe Cokanasiga was handed an England debut on his 21st birthday as coach Eddie Jones made 11 changes to his starting side announced Thursday for this weekend's international against Japan at Twickenham.
Fiji-born flyer Cokanasiga -- his full name is Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga -- takes over on the right wing from Chris Ashton, who shifts across to take over from Jonny May on the left wing.
Cokanisiga, who is 1.95m and 110 kilos, moved to England with his parents when he was just three. He began his rugby career with London Irish before moving to Bath this season.
"This weekend is a good opportunity for us to test the depth of the squad," said Jones.
"A number of players have changed their roles going from finishers to starters and starters to finishers so that is the essential change to the squad.
"It is exciting to be able to give starting opportunities to Zach Mercer and Joe Cokanasiga and young Ted Hill on the bench."
Leicester's George Ford starts at fly-half and captains the side in his 50th Test, having come off the bench for last week's agonising 16-15 loss to world champions New Zealand.
TEAMS
England to face Japan
IN: Ted Hill, Zach Mercer, Alex Lozowski, Joe Cokanasiga, Richard Wigglesworth
OUT: George Kruis, Brad Shields, Ben Youngs, Jonny May, Ben Te'o
1. Alec Hepburn
2. Jamie George
3. Harry Williams
4. Charlie Ewels
5. Maro Itoje
6. Courtney Lawes
7. Mark Wilson
8. Zach Mercer
9. Danny Care
10. George Ford
11. Chris Ashton
12. Alex Lozowski
13. Jack Nowell
14. Joe Cokanasiga
15. Elliot Daly
Reserves
16. Dylan Hartley
17. Ben Moon
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Ted Hill
20. Sam Underhill
21. Richard Wigglesworth
22. Owen Farrell
23. Henry Slade
Japan to face England
IN: Jiwon Koo, Masakatsu Nishikawa, Kazuki Himeno, Akihito Yamada, Koki Yamamoto, Shunsuke Nunomaki
OUT: Hirohi Yamashita, Kazuki Himeno, Jamie Henry, Ryohei Yamanaka, Masataka Mikami, Vakautalsileli Nakajima
1. Keita Inagaki
2. Atsushi Sakate
3. Jiwon Koo
4. Wimpie van der Walt
5. Uwe Helu
6. Michael Leitch
7. Masakatsu Nishikawa
8. Kazuki Himeno
9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Yu Tamura
11. Kenki Fukuoka
12. Ryoto Nakamura
13. Timothy Lafaele
14. Akihito Yamada
15. Will Tupou
Reserves
16. Yusuke Niwai
17. Koki Yamamoto
18. Asaeli Ai Valu
19. Samuela Anise
20. Hendrik Tui
21. Shunsuke Nunomaki
22. Yutaka Nagare
23. Rikiya Matsuda
FRANCE vs ARGENTINA
Saturday November 17, Stade de France, Paris, 9:05pm local, Sunday 7:05am AEDT, LIVE on beIn Sports Channel 515
Scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou replaces Tomas Cubelli in the only change by Argentina coach Mario Ledesma from the Pumas team that lost to Ireland last week ahead of Saturday's Test against France.
Bertranou started in Argentina's final match of the Rugby Championship, a 45-34 defeat to Australia on October 6, but was replaced by Cubelli for last week's 28-17 reverse in Dublin.
Cubelli will be among the replacements in Lille where France will be looking to make amends for their 29-26 defeat to South African in Paris last week.
Replacement fly-half Joaquin Diaz pays the price for Ledesma's decision to go with six forwards and only two backs on the bench by being left out of the squad.
He is replaced on the bench by lock forward Mariano Galarza, who last played for Argentina at the 2015 World Cup.
France coach Jacques Brunel called up Top 14 leading try-scorer Gael Fickou and the experienced Yoann Huget on Thursday for this weekend's Test against Argentina in Lille.
They are the only two changes to the side that started last weekend's match against South Africa which the French lost in the last minute.
Fickou will start at inside centre against the Pumas, replacing Geoffrey Doumayrou who suffered a concussion against the Springboks.
It will be his first run at centre since the 2017 tour to South Africa, since when he has largely featured on the wing.
TEAMS
France to face Argentina
IN: Yoann Huget, Benjamin Fall
OUT: Damian Penaud, Geoffrey Doumayrou
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Cedate Gomes Sa
4. Sebastien Cahaamahina
5. Yohann Maestri
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Arthur Iturria
8. Louis Picamoles
9. Baptiste Serin
10. Camille Lopez
11. Yoann Huget
12. Gael Fickou
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
14. Teddy Thomas
15. Maxime Medard
Reserves
16. Camille Chat
17. Danny Priso
18. Rabah Slimani
19. Paul Grabrillagues
20. Mathirew Babillot
21. Antoine Dupont
22. Anthony Belleau
23. Benjamin Fall
Argentina to face France
IN: Mariano Galarza
OUT: Joaquin Diaz
1. Santiago Garcia Botti
2. Agustin Creevy
3. Santiago Medrano
4. Matias Alemanno
5. Tomas Lavanini
6. Pablo Matera
7. Javier Desio
8. Guido Petti
9. Gonzalo Bertranou
10. Nicolas Sanchez
11. Ramiro Moyano
12. Jeronimo De La Fuente
13. Matias Orlando
14. Bautista Delguy
15. Emiliano Boffelli
Reserves
16. Julian Montoya
17. Juan Pablo Zeiss
18. Lucio Sordoni
19. Mariano Galarza
20. Rodrigo Bruni
21. Tomas Lezana
22. Tomas Cubelli
23. Matias Moroni