The final weekend of November internationals is upon us and the teams are starting to roll in.
It's a big weekend of rugby, kicking off with Italy vs New Zealand and continuing with a host of other interesting clashes.
SCOTLAND vs ARGENTINA
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Saturday November 24, 2:30pm local, Sunday 1:30am AEDT
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made eight changes to his starting line-up for Saturday's final autumn Test against Argentina, experimenting with Finn Russell and Adam Hastings as dual playmakers.
Racing 92's star number 10 Russell will shift to inside centre to allow his former Glasgow teammate Hastings to start at fly-half.
A new front row of Allan Dell, Fraser Brown and Simon Berghan start, while lock Grant Gilchrist is joined in a new-look pack by flanker Jamie Ritchie and number eight Josh Strauss.
In the backs, Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn is also given a run-out against the Pumas on the right wing.
Scotland, who lost to South Africa last week, will be looking to repeat their record 44-15 trouncing of Argentina in Resistencia during the summer but Townsend is warning the visitors will be a tough proposition.
"While it was a great effort from the players to win in Argentina last summer, we are under no illusions as to how different a prospect their team will be on Saturday," said Townsend.
"Under Mario Ledesma, Argentina delivered some outstanding performances and they were hugely impressive in their victories over South Africa and Australia in the recent Rugby Championship.
"I'm sure that they will throw everything at us to end their international season on a high note."
TEAMS
Scotland to face Argentina
IN: Grant Gilchrist, Blair Kinghorn, Alex Dunbar, Byron McGuigan, Alex Allan, George Horne
OUT: Gordon Reid, Ben Toolis, Pete Horne, Tommy Seymour, Ali Price, Chris Harris
1. Allan Dell
2. Fraser Brown
3. Simon Berghan
4. Grant Gilchrist
5. Jonny Gray
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Josh Strauss
9. Greig Laidlaw
10. Adam Hastings
11. Sean Maitland
12. Finn Russell
13. Huw Jones
14. Blair Kinghorn
15. Stuart Hogg
Reserves
16. Stuart McInally
17. Alex Allan
18. WP Nel
19. Sam Skinner
20. Ryan Wilson
21. George Horne
22. Alex Dunbar
23. Byron McGuigan
Argentina to face Scotland
1. Santiago Garcia Botta
2. Agustin Creevy
3. Santiago Medrano
4. Guido Petti
5. Tomas Lavanini
6. Pablo Matera
7. Rodrigo Bruni
8. Javier Ortega Desio
9. Gonzalo Bertranou
10. Nicolas Sanchez
11. Ramiro Moyano
12. Jeronimo de la Fuente
13. Matias Moroni
14. Bautista Delguy
15. Emiliano Boffelli
Reserves
16. Julian Montoya
17. Juan Pablo Zeiss
18. Lucio Sordoni
19. Matias Alemanno
20. Tomas LEzana
21. Martin Landajo
22. Matias Orlando
23. Sebastian Cencelliere
ITALY vs NEW ZEALAND
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Saturday November 24, 3pm local, Sunday 1am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Foxtel Channel 513
Steve Hansen has ignored mounting calls for Richie Mo'unga to start at five-eighth for the All Blacks in naming a heavily-changed to team to face Italy in Rome on Saturday.
Coach Hansen has made 11 changes to the starting team toppled 16-9 by Ireland in Dublin last week but has chosen to persist with Beauden Barrett at five-eighth and Damian McKenzie at fullback.
McKenzie's lack of impact against the Irish sparked calls for veteran Ben Smith to be shifted from wing to his favoured fullback spot.
However, Smith is among a host of first-choice players rested for the world champions' last Test of 2018.
Brilliant Crusaders playmaker Mo'unga remains on the bench, with Barrett retained at No.10 despite failing to fire in the narrow win over England and against Ireland.
In both Tests, the All Blacks looked more fluent when Mo'unga was introduced late and Barrett was shifted to a wider role against tiring defences.
However, Hansen indicated Mo'unga's is shaping as an impact player at next year's World Cup.
"That's the three guys that we see at the moment that would most likely go to the World Cup, so getting those three guys combining, either at the beginning of the game or during the course of the game is important," Hansen said.
"We haven't got too many games left so the more we play them together, the better it will be."
The two other retained starters are captain Kieran Read and fellow-loose forward Ardie Savea.
Six players from last week's reserve bench are promoted to start, including the entire front row. Prop Nepo Laulala and hooker Dane Coles will start, both finishing seasons ruined by injury on what they hope is a high note.
Jordie Barrett's ninth Test appearance will be his first as a starting winger. The regular fullback is on the right wing while Waisake Naholo is recalled in a less familiar role on the left wing.
"After two big Tests, it's been necessary to make some changes and those guys who have come in have provided a real energy and enthusiasm to our week's preparation," Hansen said.
Italy have dropped to 14th on the world rankings, below the United States, and aren't expected to trouble the world champions.
In 13 Test wins out of 13, the average score for the All Blacks against the Azzurri is 58-10. They won 68-10 in their most recent clash in Rome two years ago.
TEAMS
Italy to face New Zealand
1. Andrea Lovotti
2. Leonardo Ghiraldini
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Alessando Zanni
5. Dean Budd
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Jake Polledri
8. Abraham Steyn
9. Tito Tebaldi
10. Tommaso Allan
11. Luca Sperandio
12. Tommaso Castello
13. Michele Campgnaro
14. Tommaso Benvenuti
15. Jayden Hayward
Reserves
16. Luca Bigi
17. Cherif Traore
18. Tiziano Pasquali
19. Marco Fuser
20. Johan Meye
21. Guglielmo Palazzani
22. Luca Morisi
23. Edoardo Padovani
New Zealand to face Italy
IN: Patrick Tuipulotu, Vaea Fifita, Waisake Naholo, Jordie Barrett, Nathan Harris, Angus Ta'avao, Dalton Papali'i, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
OUT: Aatron Smith, Matt Todd, Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Liam Squire, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks
1. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
2. Dane Coles
3. Nepo Laulala
4. Patrick Tuipulotu
5. Scott Barrett
6. Vaea Fifita
7. Ar'die Savea
8. Kieran Read
9. TJ Perenara
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Waisake Naholo
12. Ngani Laumape
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Jordie Barrett
15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves
16. Nathan Harris
17. Karl Tu'inukuafe
18. Angus Ta'avao
19, Brodie Retallick
20. Dalton Papali'i
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
22. Richie Mo'unga
23. Rieko Ioane.
WALES vs SOUTH AFRICA
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday November 24, 5:20pm local, Sunday 4:20m AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Foxtel Channel 515
Coach Warren Gatland has stuck with Gareth Anscombe at fly-half for a Wales team bidding for a ninth consecutive victory when they take on South Africa on Saturday.
The Welsh squad, which will don rainbow laces in support of former captain Gareth Thomas after he was the victim of a homophobic attack earlier in the week, shows just one injury-enforced change from the one that edged Australia 9-6 a fortnight ago.
Saracens back Liam Williams, who scored a brace of tries from the wing as he won his 50th cap in the 74-24 victory over Tonga last weekend, comes in at fullback in place of Leigh Halfpenny.
Halfpenny suffered concussion after a late shot by Wallaby centre Samu Kerevi, an action that went unpunished.
Gatland made 14 changes for the victory over Tonga but has reverted to the side that defeated the Wallabies.
Williams lines up in the backline alongside fellow British and Irish Lion George North and Josh Adams.
Scarlets duo Hadleigh Parkes and Jonathan Davies are named in midfield with Gareth Davies and Anscombe continuing their partnership at half-back.
In the pack Nicky Smith, Ken Owens and Tomas Francis are again named in the front-row with Adam Beard, unbeaten in a Wales jersey, lining up alongside captain Alun Wyn Jones.
Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty pack down in the back-row for a third time together this autumn.
"We have rewarded the team that faced Australia with another start this weekend," said Gatland.
"Leigh (Halfpenny) misses out with concussion but it's a great opportunity for Liam (Williams) at full-back.
"We are really pleased with how the bench has gone in the first three games so we will be looking for that impact again on Saturday."
Gatland admitted that picking the team had been tough, notably given the sterling shows fly-halves Dan Biggar and Rhys Patchell produced against Tonga.
"There were a lot of tough selection calls, but that is what we want. The team that played last week was hugely impressive and there are some disappointed boys who miss out," the Kiwi said.
"We want to end the campaign with a big performance against a very good South African side."
TEAMS
Wales to face South Africa
IN: Nicky Smith, Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Gareth Davies, Gareth Anscombe, Hadleigh Parkes, Jonathan Davies, George North, Dillon Lewis
OUT: Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Jake Ball, Aaron Wainwright, Seb Davies, Steff Evans, Tyler Morgan, Jonah Holmes, Ryan Elias, Aled Davies, Rhys Patchell
1. Nicky Smith
2. Ken Owens
3. Tomas Francis
4. Adam Beard
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Ross Moriarty
9. Gareth Davies
10. Gareth Anscombe
11. Josh Adams
12. Hadleigh Parkes
13. Jonathan Davies
14. George North
15. Liam Williams
Reserves
16. Elliot Dee
17. Rob Evans
18. Dillon Lewis
19. Cory Hill
20. Ellis Jenkins
21. Tomos Williams
22. Dan Biggar
23. Owen Watkin
South Africa to face Wales
1. Steven Kitshoff
2. Malcolm Marx
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Rg Snyman
5. Franco Mostert
6. Pieter-Steph du Toit
7. Duane Vermeulen
8. Embrose Papier
9. Handre Pollard
10. Aphiwe Dyantyi
11. Damian de Allende
12. Jesse Kriel
13. Sby Nkosi
14. Willie Le Roux
15. Bongi Mbonambi
Reserves
16. Thomas Du Toit
17. Vincent Koch
18. Eben Etsebeth
19. Francois Louw
20. Ivan van Zyl
21. Elton Jantjies
22. Cheslin Kolbe
IRELAND vs USA
Aviva Stadium, Dublin Saturday November 24, 6pm local, Sunday 5am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Foxtel Channel 513
Garry Ringrose is the only starter from Ireland's epic victory over world champions New Zealand to be included in the starting XV for Saturday's one-off rugby union Test with the United States.
The 23-year-old centre returned to the starting line-up for the 16-9 win over the All Blacks after missing the Argentina game with a head injury.
As expected, coach Joe Schmidt has rung the changes for the final Test of their November series with a fresh half-back partnership of Joey Carbery and John Cooney filling the fly-half and scrum-half posts respectively.
Flanker Josh van der Flier, who started against the All Blacks, is on the replacements bench as is prop Cian Healy.
The likes of star fly-half Johnny Sexton and captain Rory Best are rested completely with Rhys Ruddock taking the captain's armband instead.
Ireland will seek to extend their record home Test winning run to 12 -- they have won 17 of their last 18 Tests in all -- against the Americans.
TEAMS
Ireland to face USA
1. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 23
2. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 10
3. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht) 8
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 3
5. Iain Henderson (Queen's University/Ulster) 41
6. Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster) (capt) 20
7. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Ulster) 25
8. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 10
9. John Cooney (Terenure College/Ulster) 3
10. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 15
11. Darren Sweetnam (Cork Constitution/Munster) 2
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster) 2
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 16
14. Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 8
15. Will Addison (Enniskillen/Ulster) 2
Reserves
16. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 6
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 83
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 15
19. Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 7
20. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 12
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 9
22. Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) 1
23. Sam Arnold (Garryowen/Mu
USA to face Ireland
1. Titi Lamositele
2. Joe Taufete'e
3. Paul Mullen
4. Greg Peterson
5. Nick Civetta
6. John Quill
7. Hanco Germishuys
8. Cam Dolan
9. Shaun Davies
10. Will Magie
11. Marcel Brache
12. Paul Lasike
13. Bryce Campbell
14. Blaine Scully (C)
15. Will Hooley
Reserves
16. Dylan Fawsitt
17. Chance Wenglewski
18. Dino Waldren
19. Samu Manoa
20. David Tameilau
21. Ruben de Haas
22. Gannon Moore
23. Ryan Matyas
FRANCE vs FIJI
Stade de France, Paris, Saturday November 24, 9:05pm local, Sunday 7:05am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports Foxtel Channel 515
TEAMS
France to face Fiji
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Rabah Slimani
4. Sebastien Vahaamahina
5. Yoann 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. Benjamin Fall
Reserves
16. Julien Marhand
17. Danny Priso
18. Demba Bamba
19. Felix Lambey
20. Kelian Galletier
21. Antoine Dupont
22. Anthon Belleau
23. Geoffrey Doumayrou
Fiji to face France
1. Campese Maafu
2. Sam Matavesi
3. Manasa Saulo
4. Tevita Cavubati
5. Leone Nakawara
6. Dominiko Waqaniburotu
7. Peceli Yato
8. Viliame Mata
9. Frank Lomani
10. Ben Volavola
11. Vereniki Goneva
12. Jale Vatubua
13. Semi Radradra
14. Josua Tuisova
15. Metuisela Talebula
Reserves
16. Mesulame Dolokoto
17. Eroni Mawi
18. Kalivati Tawake
19. Albert Tuisue
20. Semi Kunatani
21. Henry Seniloli
22. Alivereti Veitokani
23. Eroni Sau