Summer International Update, Paris Olympics and the upcoming season
In June and July, several nations packed their bags and played in friendly fixtures around the world. These “off-season” matches are designed to entertain the fans, try out some new players looking for permanent spots on their national squads and keep them in good condition for the new European season just a few weeks away.
Starting in late June, England went to the Pacific, winning in Japan and losing 2 tight matches against New Zealand. The All Blacks have a new coach and several untested players and were not at their best but were able to hold off a new-look England who have played a much more attack-focused game since the middle of the 6 Nations earlier in 2024.
Wales visited South Africa and Australia and despite coming away with 3 losses played some entertaining rugby and must have higher hopes for next year’s 6 Nations. Scotland played a series of Tier 2 countries and returned home 4-0 with wins against Canada, the US, Chile and Uruguay. But the biggest series on the summer card was world #2 Ireland playing world #1 South Africa in Pretoria and Durban, with Ireland heading back home having drawn the series, a terrific feat in the home of the Springboks.
Fiji had 2 major matches, against the Barbarians in London and against New Zealand in San Diego, US, losing both but entertaining everyone with their style of play. Argentina and France played 2 tests in Argentina, with 1 win apiece and the US played 1 other international against Tier 2 Romania, also losing that match.
At end of the summer season the World Rankings are essentially unchanged: 1) South Africa; 2)Ireland; 3) New Zealand; 4) France; 5) England; 6) Scotland; 7) Argentina; 8) Italy; 9) Australia; 10) Fiji. Wales is ranked #11; Japan #14 and the USA #19.
In America’s Major League Rugby, the Final will be played on August 4 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego between the Western Conference winners, the Seattle Seawolves, and the Eastern Conference winners, the New England Freejacks, last year’s champions.
At the Paris Olympics, the Men’s Rugby 7s tournament finished on July 27 with hosts, France defeating Fiji for the Gold Medal and South Africa taking Australia for the Bronze. Great Britain didn’t even qualify for the Olympic tournament, and the USA lost in the Quarters as did Ireland, another disappointing result for one of the top squads in the world. In the Women’s tournament, New Zealand repeated as gold medalists defeating Canada in the Final, an unfavored team at the start of the tournament but who dispatched France and Australia enroute to the Silver medal. The USA won Bronze with a win over the Aussies.
The rest of the northern hemisphere’s professional rugby population gets to take some well-deserved time off now ahead of the start of the new season in the Fall. Details are:
In France’s Top 14, Round 1 of a 26 match season starts on September 7 with 5 matches including losing finalist Union Bordeaux-Begles against quarter-finalist, Stade Francais Paris
In England’s Gallagher Premiership: Round 1 of 18 starts September 20 with Newcastle v. Bristol and a replay of last season’s Final with Bath at home to Champions Northampton Saints
The United Rugby Championship: also kicks off Round 1 of 18 on September 20 with Edinburgh v, Leinster and Cardiff v. Zebre Parma
The Investec Champions Cup starts on December 6 with Bath Rugby v. Stade Rochelais