The November rugby scene is dominated by the autumn internationals with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland playing four matches starting this weekend with a trip to Chicago where they’ll take on Italy.
As a game it doesn’t have the same allure as two years ago when the national team recorded a first ever victory over New Zealand at senior men’s level, a memorable occasion, notably for the manner in which the Irish side honoured the late Anthony Foley in facing the Haka in a figure of eight formation.
The All Blacks will be back in Dublin on Saturday, November 17th in a game that pits the number one team in the world against their closest pursuers in the world rankings.
Following on from this weekend’s clash with Italy, Ireland will host Argentina at the Aviva stadium on Saturday week, a year after they last squared off against each other in a game Ireland won 28-19. The Pumas though have the most important bragging rights in recent times with their quarter-final win in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand will be at Twickenham the week prior to their game against Ireland and there’ll be huge interest in that match as Eddie Jones tries to lift an England team that finished fifth in the Six Nations and lost a summer Test series in South Africa.
Ireland complete their November programme with a game against the USA, a match in which Schmidt is likely to give fringe players a chance as it offers a final opportunity to test squad depth ahead of the Six Nations.
The New Zealander is also due to confirm at the conclusion of the four Tests whether he is willing to extend his Ireland contract past its current finishing point; after Ireland’s final match in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
The Ireland women’s XV are also in action, playing two Tests in November.
Adam Griggs’s side host the United States at Donnybrook on Sunday 18th before heading to London to take on England at Twickenham on Saturday 24th, the game taking place after the England v Australia men’s Test match.
FRIDAY 2nd
Pro 14: Edinburgh v Scarlets (7.35, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports); Ospreys v Glasgow (7.35, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports)
AIL Division 1A: Clontarf v UCD, Terenure v Dublin University (8.0)
Division 1B: Old Belvedere v St Mary's (8.0)
Division 2A: Cashel v Nenagh Ormond (8.0)
SATURDAY 3rd
November internationals: Japan v New Zealand, Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo (5.45am); Wales v Scotland, Principality stadium (2.45, BBC One); England v South Africa, Twickenham (3.0, Sky Sports); Ireland v Italy, Soldier Field, Chicago (8.0, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports); USA v Maori All Blacks, Soldier Field, Chicago (10.15)
Pro 14: Benetton Rugby v Ulster (3.0, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports); Connacht v Dragons (5.15, TG4/Premier Sports/S4C)
AIL Division 1A (2.30): Cork Constitution v Garryowen; Shannon v UCC; Young Munster v Lansdowne
Division 1B (2.30): Ballymena v City of Armagh; Banbridge v Old Wesley; Buccaneers v Malone; Naas v Ballynahinch
Division 2A (2.30): Dolphin v Galwegians; Navan v UL Bohemian; Old Crescent v Highfield; QUB v Blackrock
Division 2B (2.30): Corinthians v Dungannon; Greystones v Sligo; MU Barnhall v Sunday's Well; Rainey OB v Skerries; Wanderers v Belfast Harlequins
Division 2C (2.30): Ballina v Thomond; Bruff v Seapoint; City of Derry v Omagh; Midleton v Malahide; Tullamore v Bangor
SUNDAY 4th
Pro 14: Southern Kings v Leinster (12.45, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports); Cardiff Blues v Zebre (2.45, Premier Sports); Cheetahs v Munster (2.45, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports)
FRIDAY 9th
Representative game: Uruguay v Ulster, Kingspan stadium (7.30)
AIL Division 1B: Old Wesley v Naas (8.0)
SATURDAY 10th
November internationals: Italy v Georgia, Florence (2.0, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports); Scotland v Fiji, Murrayfield (2.30, BBC One/BT Sport 2); England v New Zealand, Twickenham (3.0, Sky Sports); French Barbarians v Tonga, Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux (3.0); Wales v Australia, Principality stadium (5.20, BBC Two); USA v Samoa, Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastian (5.30); Ireland v Argentina, Aviva stadium (6.30, RTÉ/Channel 4); France v South Africa (8.05/Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports)
AILDivision 2A (2.30): Blackrock v Cashel; Galwegians v Old Crescent; Highfield v Navan; Nenagh Ormond v Dolphin; UL Bohemian v QUB.
Division 2B (2.30): Belfast Harlequins v Greystones; Dungannon v MU Barnhall; Skerries v Corinthians; Sligo v Rainey OB; Sunday's Well v Wanderers.
Division 2C (2.30): Bangor v Bruff; Malahide v City of Derry; Omagh v Tullamore; Seapoint v Ballina; Thomond v Midleton.
SUNDAY 11th
November internationals: Canada v Kenya, Stade Dellort, Marseille (12.0)
SATURDAY 17th
November internationals: Romania v USA, Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, (12.0); Italy v Australia, Stadio Euganeo, Padua (2.0, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports); Wales v Tonga, Principality Stadium (2.30, BBC One); England v Japan, Twickenham (3.0, Sky Sports); Georgia v Samoa, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, (3.0); Canada v Germany, Stade Dellort, Marseille (3.0); Scotland v South Africa, Murrayfield (5.20, BBC Two/BT Sport 2); Ireland v New Zealand, Aviva stadium (7.0, RTÉ/Channel 4); France v Argentina, Lille (8.05, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports)
SUNDAY 18th
Women's international: Ireland v USA, Donnybroook (1.0)
FRIDAY 23rd
November international: Hong Kong v Canada, Stade Dellort, Marseille (8.0)
Pro 14: Glasgow v Cardiff Blues (7.35/Premier Sports); Leinster v Ospreys (7.35, Eir Sport 1); Scarlets v Ulster (7.35, Eir Sport 2)
AIL Division 1A (8.0): Garryowen v Young Munster; Lansdowne v Terenure.
SATURDAY 24th
November internationals: Romania v Uruguay, Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest (12.0); Italy v New Zealand, Stadio Olimpico , Rome (2.0, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports); Japan v Russia, Kingsholm stadium (2.05); Scotland v Argentina, Murrayfield (2.30, BBC One); Spain v Samoa, Estadio Central Ciudad Universitaria (2.45); England v Australia, Twickenham (3.0, Sky Sports); Georgia v Tonga, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (3.0); Wales v South Africa, Principality stadium (5.20, BBC Two); Ireland v USA, Aviva stadium (6.30, RTÉ/Channel 4); France v Fiji, Stade de France (7.45/Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports)
Women's international: England v Ireland, Twickenham (5.40)
Pro 14: Cheetahs v Benetton Rugby (12.30, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports)
AIL Division 1A (2.30): Dublin University v Shannon; UCC v Clontarf; UCD v Cork Constitution.
Division 1B (2.30): Ballynahinch v Banbridge; City of Armagh v Old Belvedere; Malone v Naas; Old Wesley v Ballymena; St Mary's v Buccaneers.
SUNDAY 25th
Pro 14: Southern Kings v Connacht (1.0, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports); Zebre v Munster (3.30, Eir Sport/Premier Sports); Dragons v Edinburgh (5.30, Eir Sport 2/Premier Sports)
FRIDAY 30th
Pro 14: Munster v Edinburgh, Musgrave Park (7.35, Eir Sport 1/Premier Sports); Ospreys v Zebre (7.35, Eir Sport 2?Premier Sports)
AIL Division 2A (8.0): Cashel v UL Bohemian; Old Crescent v Nenagh Ormond.
