November, we barely knew you. Another year of autumn internationals has passed and you’d be forgiven if they barely registered with you at all.
Rugby union is dying on its feet, so last month’s Test matches being stuck behind a paywall in the UK really grated.
At a time when the sport needs as much exposure as possible some of its biggest fixtures were available to only a fraction of their potential audience.
And it was an enjoyable window. Post-World Cup years often come with a hangover, but as the 2025 Lions Tour lurks tantalisingly on the horizon it has been a case of looking forward rather than back.
Supporters in Ireland were able to watch their side on terrestrial television, and saw an under-cooked team turned over 23-13 by New Zealand in their opening fixture.
Despite that, Ireland remain the dominant force in Northern Hemisphere rugby and should justify 6-4 favouritism in next year’s Six Nations, even without the stewardship of Andy Farrell.
Farrell was the obvious choice to lead the Lions in Australia and he signed off from Ireland duty with a 22-19 win over the Wallabies before swapping green for red, with Simon Easterby taking the reins during his absence.
However, if there is one coach who could define next summer’s tour it is his opposite number and predecessor.
Joe Schmidt helped to transform Irish rugby. He turned Ireland from happy-go-lucky, competent contenders into the best side in the world with a mentality to match, and Farrell has been able to build on his legacy.
Schmidt is now taking on an even bigger task as he tries to resurrect the Wallabies and breathe life back into Australian rugby.
If rugby union in the UK is a sickly patient then in Australia it is on life support. Dwarfed in the popularity stakes by rugby league, Aussie rules and cricket, the glory days of 1999 are a distant memory.
Australia have been beaten by the All Blacks nine times in a row, a run stretching back to 2020. In the same period, Ireland have turned over the Kiwis three times – something that would have been unthinkable in pre-Schmidt Ireland.
Last month, however, green and gold shoots of recovery began to emerge. Australia began their window with an uproarious 42-37 win over England at Twickenham. A 52-20 thumping of an abject Wales – more on them later – in Cardiff followed, before 27-13 and 22-19 defeats to Scotland and Ireland.
Ireland and Scotland are miles ahead of Australia in terms of development, so the Wallabies’ window can be considered a strong one – and it augurs well for next summer.
Watching Australia lose in any sport will never get boring, but the Lions heading down under and winning all three Tests heavily wouldn’t be a good look for the game.
With Schmidt at the helm the Aussies are at least likely to be well organised and competitive, while retaining their old school attacking ethos.
And Joseph Sua’ali’i – a 21-year-old league convert who has strutted seamlessly into the Test arena – can be the figurehead of Schmidt’s revolution.
As Australia rebuild, competition intensifies for a place on the plane Down Under. Who looks set to make Farrell’s touring party?
You could easily argue no English or Welsh players should make the Lions starting side, a damning indictment of where both teams currently stand.
Politics and tradition will mean there are some Welsh representatives in Australia next summer – but there couldn’t be any complaints if there weren’t.
Wales have lost 12 consecutive Test matches, and this season they don’t have a team in the Champions Cup for the first time in the competition’s history.
Maybe their likeliest tourist isn’t even a rugby player, if Louis Rees-Zammit’s NFL odyssey is over in time for him to join the Lions reckoning.
Scotland are fourth favourites for the Six Nations at a general 7-1 but they look set to provide the second-biggest Lions contingent and Finn Russell is the outstanding candidate to start at outside half.
However, with two of their greatest coaches watching on from the stands, the Lions squad looks set to be dominated by Irish players.
Farrell might be saying goodbye to Ireland for the rest of the season, but he’ll be surrounded by familiar faces next summer.
Potential Lions XV: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
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