The Autumn Nations Series certainly delivered over the weekend, with gripping contests played out in Dublin, Paris and London.
And did the All Blacks finally turn the corner of their topsy-turvy season in a runaway victory over Wales in Cardiff?
Perhaps Scotland can halt New Zealand's mini resurgence this weekend in Edinburgh?
Read on for all the line-ups and key team news as it comes to hand, plus our match previews and odds.
Ireland vs. Fiji | Italy vs. Australia | England vs. Japan | Wales vs. Argentina | France vs. South Africa | Scotland vs. New Zealand
Saturday, November 12
Ireland vs. Fiji, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 1pm GMT [12am Sun, AEDT]
Ireland: Jimmy O'Brien, Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen, Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson Park, Jeremy Loughman, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Kieran Treadwell, Tadhg Beirne, Caelan Doris, Nick Timoney, Jack Conan. Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Tom O'Toole, Cian Prendergast, Max Deegan, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose.
Fiji:
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] N/A
Preview: Ireland made nine changes to the side that beat South Africa last weekend for Saturday's visit of Fiji, with centre Robbie Henshaw fit again, Jeremy Loughman handed a debut and fellow prop Tadhg Furlong captaining the side for the first time.
With their final November Test against Australia next week, coach Andy Farrell was always likely to make wholesale changes but still named a team with plenty of experience and players likely headed to next year's World Cup.
After an injury ruled Henshaw out the day before the 19-16 win over South Africa, the Leinster man gets a run out ahead of the Wallabies test and will partner Stuart McCloskey, whose impressive start last week was cut short by a first half knock.
Jimmy O'Brien, who made an assured debut off the bench in place of McCloskey in Saturday's bruising encounter, makes his first start at fullback while Leinster teammate Joey Carbery comes in at fly-half with Johnny Sexton rested.
The sole debut goes to Munster loosehead Loughman, who was called up to last year's Six Nations squad and travelled on the recent tour to New Zealand. Ulster's Kieran Treadwell and Nick Timoney are also given the chance to impress in an otherwise well seasoned pack.
Italy vs. Australia, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, 2pm [1pm GMT; 12am Sun AEDT]
Italy: Ange Capuozzo, Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannone, Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti. Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera, Ivan Nemer, Pietro Ceccarelli, David Sisi, Toa Halafihi, Alessandro Garbisi, Tommaso Allan, Tommaso Menoncello.
Australia: Jock Campbell, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami, Tom Wright, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon, Pete Samu, Fraser McReight, Ned Hanigan, Will Skelton, Darcy Swain, Allan Alaalatoa (capt), Folau Fainga'a, Matt Gibbon.. Replacements: Lachlan Lonergan, Tom Robertson, Taniela Tupou, Cadeyrn Neville, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Jordan Petaia
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] Italy $5.70, +16.5 $1.85; Australia $1.12, -16.5 $1.90
Preview: Allan Alaalatoa will captain Australia in their Test against Italy in Florence on Saturday as coach Dave Rennie on Thursday made 11 changes to his starting lineup for the third test of their European tour.
Alaalatoa was injured for last weekend's one-point loss to France in Paris but returns in a heavily altered team as several Wallaby regulars are given a rest after the Tests against Scotland and France over the last fortnight.
"Allan's a great man and an exceptional leader. There was a massive roar in the team room when he was named captain this week and that shows the respect and standing he has within the group," Rennie said.
Mark Nawaqanitawase will win his first cap on the right wing, while Noah Lolesio returns at flyhalf, having lost his place to veteran Bernard Foley during the Rugby Championship in September.
Lolesio will combine with scrumhalf Jake Gordon with Hunter Paisami the other change in the backline, having come on early against France last Saturday when Lalakai Foketi was injured.
Meanwhile, Italy return experienced loose forward Sebastian Negri and fullback Ange Capuozzo to their lineup.
There are three changes from last week's win over Samoa with French-based Capuozzo taking over from Tommaso Allan with Negri in for Manuel Zuliani on the side of the scrum. Niccolo Cannone replaces David Sisi in the second row in the other change for the Test in Florence.
England vs. Japan, Twickenham, London, 3:15pm GMT [2.15am Sun AEDT]
England: Freddie Steward, Jack Nowell, Guy Porter, Owen Farrell (captain), Jonny May, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, David Ribbans, Jonny Hill, Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, Sam Simmonds. Replacements: Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Joe Heyes, Alex Coles, Billy Vunipola, Ben Youngs, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi.
Japan: Ryohei Yamanaka, Kotaro Matsushima, Dylan Riley, Ryoto Nakamura, Gerhard van den Heever, Takuya Yamasawa,Yutaka Nagare, Tevita Tatafu, Kazuki Himeno, Michael Leitch, Jack Cornelsen, Warner Dearns, Jiwon Koo, Atsushi Sakate (captain), Keita Inagaki. Replacements: Kosuke Horikoshi, Craig Millar, Yusuke Kizu, Wimpie van der Walt, Pieter Labuschagne, Naoto Saito, Seungsin Lee, Siosaia Fifita.
Odds: [tab.com.au, Aus only] N/A
Preview: England boss Eddie Jones has shaken up the side that suffered defeat at the hands of Argentina last weekend, with five changes made for this weekend's clash with Japan.
Leicester's Guy Porter getting the nod at outside centre while Northampton lock David Ribbans will make his Test debut. Jones is starting Jack van Poortvliet at scrum-half while Sam Simmonds is in at No.8 and Jonny May returns on the wing.
The partnership of Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell at fly-half and centre will continue, while Manu Tuilagi, Billy Vunipola and Joe Cokanasiga move to the bench.
"We've worked hard this week to improve on last week's performance," Jones said. "We've taken a good look at our preparation and we are happy with our position going into the game.
Wales vs. Argentina, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 5.30pm GMT [4.30am AEDT]
Wales: Louis Rees-Zammit, Alex Cuthbert, George North, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer, Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams, Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Dillon Lewis, Ken Owens, Gareth Thomas. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Rhodri Jones, Sam Wainwright, Ben Carter, Jac Morgan, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Priestland, Owen Watkin.
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Mateo Carreras, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou, Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (captain), Thomas Gallo. Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Eduardo Bello, Lucas Paulos, Facunda Isa, Eliseo Morales, Tomas Albornoz, Matias Orlando.
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] Wales $1.80, -1.5 $1.95; Argentina $1.95, +1.5 $1.80
Preview: Louis Rees-Zammit will make his first international start at fullback for Wales against Argentina on Saturday, with Alex Cuthbert back from injury to take his place on the wing.
Wales are smarting from a 55-23 mauling at the hands of New Zealand this past weekend, and now face an Argentina side buoyant from their shock win over England at Twickenham.
Rees-Zammit replaces Gareth Anscombe in the No. 15 jersey after the latter moved to his more regular flyhalf position, with Wales facing something of an injury crisis in their back three due to the absence of Leigh Halfpenny and Josh Adams.
"Last week we had Leigh Halfpenny unavailable at the last minute and we'd trained a certain way so we went with Gareth Anscombe at fullback, who's done that before at this level," Wales coach Wayne Pivac said in a media release from Welsh Rugby.
"We're back to Gareth at 10 and we have Louis Rees-Zammit at fullback. He's trained there the entire week and looked good, and it's something we've explored in the background, so it will be good information going forward with the Six Nations around the corner and the Rugby World Cup."
Meanwhile, Argentina have made no changes to their lineup as they look for a second victory on their British tour after last weekend's shock win over England.
"We've been working on self-belief, understanding what we can do and what we are capable of and making ourselves capable to go to the new standard and get better," Argentina head coach Michael Cheika said.
"We've put together one or two results on the road this year but with time off in between. Now we can try and win away for a second successive weekend."
France vs. South Africa, Stade Velodrome, Marseille, 9pm [8pm GMT; 7am AEDT]
France: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki, Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille. Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Bastien Chalureau, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert.
South Africa: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Marvin Orie, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi.
Odds: [tab.com.au Aus only] France $1.48, -4.5 $1.87; South Africa $2.55, +4.5 $1.87
Preview: South Africa have recalled the experienced duo of fullback Willie le Roux and scrumhalf Faf de Klerk for their autumn international against France in Marseille on Saturday, while they have also added some goal-kicking insurance on the bench.
Le Roux comes into the side in the No.15 jersey, with Cheslin Kolbe moving to the wing in the place of Makazole Mapimpi, and De Klerk taking over from Jaden Hendrikse.
"We opted to make a few tactical personnel changes for the challenge that we expect France to pose," Nienaber said.
"We know what each of the players in this squad can do, and we thought these combinations fit this specific game."
Sunday, November 13
Scotland vs. New Zealand, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, 2.15pm GMT [1.15am Mon, AEDT]
Scotland: Stuart Hogg, Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ali Price, Matt Fagerson, Hamish Watson, Jamie Ritchie (captain), Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, WP Nel, Jonny Gray, Jack Dempsey, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn, Mark Bennett.
New Zealand: Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Ardie Savea, Dalton Papali'i, Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock (captain), Nepo Laulala, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ethan de Groot. Replacements: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tuou Vaa'i, Shannon Frizell, TJ Perenara, Stephen Perofeta, Rieko Ione.
Odds: [tab.com.au Australia only] Scotland $5.70, +14.5 1.90; New Zealand $1.12, -14.5 $1.85
Preview: Winger Mark Telea will make his New Zealand debut on Sunday after being named in the starting lineup to take on Scotland at Murrayfield.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster on Friday again tinkered with his selection with three changes in the forward pack and six switches in the backline for Sunday's game, their third on tour after beating both Japan and Wales.
Beauden Barrett has been switched from fullback to fly-half in place of Richie Mo'unga, who kicked 11 points in last Saturday's dominant 55-23 win over Wales in Cardiff, with brother Jordie Barrett moving from centre to fullback.
Finlay Christie will win a third cap at scrumhalf playing against the country of his birth, where he lived until his family moved to New Zealand when he was seven years old.
Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell was named in the team to face New Zealand, days after being called up as injury cover and weeks after his test career looked to be at an end.
It is a dramatic return for the 30-year-old, who was initially left out of Scotland's squad by coach Gregor Townsend for their four autumn Tests, leaving his international future looking bleak.
But after Adam Hastings suffered an injury in last weekend's win over Fiji, Russell was recalled, despite having had a strained relationship with the coach since walking out on the squad before the 2020 Six Nations Championship, when he publicly criticised Townsend's methods.
Scotland will field seven players on Sunday from the side that faced New Zealand in their last meeting five years ago when the All Blacks won 22-17 in a closely contested test at Murrayfield.