2012 end-of-year rugby union internationals

The 2012 end of year rugby tests, also known as the 2012 Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, is a series of international rugby union matches predominantly played between the visiting Southern Hemisphere countries, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Tonga, and the European sides, England, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

During this year's end-of-year International season, the IRB set up a new scheme to improve competitiveness ahead of the next World Cup. They introduced an International Rugby Series that included Tier 2 nations Tonga, Canada, Russia, Samoa and the United States. The first tournament was held at Colwyn Bay's Eirias Park in North Wales.

The tournament matches are in addition to those tests played between Tier 1 and Tier 2 nations which are an opportunity for emerging rugby nations to play the world's best teams in June and November. Several matches were played between Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams in 2012. Wales and France hosted Samoa, England and Ireland hosted Fiji and Scotland and Italy hosted Tonga.

The IRB also applied non-test matches to the end-of year season to help increase competitiveness in Tier 2 nations.[1] English Domestic clubs hosted international sides to help towards the new scheme, with Gloucester hosting Fiji, and the Newcastle Falcons hosting Tonga. The scheme also helped Japan, by including fixtures against a Basque select side, and the French Barbarians for the third time in 2012. Touring representative side Māori All Blacks also faced an English domestic club, Leicester Tigers which was their first international match since Australia in 2010. The Māori All Blacks also faced an RFU Championship XV as well as the Canadian National side.[2][3]

Both Georgia and Romania hosted Japan, while Portugal travelled to South America to play a two test tour, where they earn victories over Uruguay and Chile. Namibia hosted a tournament including Spain and Zimbabwe, with Spain winning both tests to clinch the tournament.

As in recent seasons, New Zealand and Australia played the final Bledisloe Cup match. New Zealand entered the match with a winning streak of 16 tests, 1 win away from the current Tier 1 world record of 17 consecutive wins, which they hold jointly with South Africa, but the absolute record is 18 which is held by Lithuania which is in Tier 3. New Zealand drew the match 18–18 with Australia and therefore ended their consecutive winning streak. This is the same scenario as in 2010, when New Zealand entered the final Bledisloe Cup match with a winning streak of 15 but lost to Australia 26–24.[4]

End-of-year test matches

Bledisloe Cup – Part 3

20 October 2012
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia  18–18  New Zealand
Pen: Harris (5/5) 2', 27', 31', 40', 74'
Beale (1/2) 50'
Report Pen: Carter (6/8) 6', 10', 52', 54', 66', 70'
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 51,888
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Notes:

Week 1

4 November 2012
14:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Oxford University England 15–29  Russia
Try: Hudson
Lamont
Con: Marr (1/2)
Pen: Marr (1/4)
Report Try: Tsnobiladze
Garbuzov
Temnov
Simplikevich (2)
Con: Klyuchnikov (2/5)
Oxford University Sports Centre, Oxford
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth (England)
Oxford University Coach:
England James Wade
Russian Coach:
Wales Kingsley Jones

Touch judges:
Darren Gamage (England)
Roy Maybank (England)

Notes:

Week 2

10 November 2012
16:00 EET/GMT+02 (UTC+02)
Romania  23–34  Japan
Try: Lemnaru 60' c
Penalty try 73' c
Con: Florea (2/2) 61', 73'
Pen: Filip (3/5) 3', 17', 36'
Report
(In Romanian)
Try: Kikutani 42' m
Penalty try 70' c
Onozawa 71' c
Con: Goromaru (2/3) 71', 72'
Pen: Goromaru (5/5) 7', 12', 22', 39', 80'
10 November 2012
15:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Italy  28–23  Tonga
Try: Cittadini 6' m
Ghiraldini 39' c
Penalty Try 63' c
Con: Burton (2/3) 40', 64'
Pen: Burton (3/3) 13', 27', 52'
Report Try: Taumalolo 33' c
Vainikolo 67' c
Con: 'Apikotoa (2/2) 34', 68'
Pen: 'Apikotoa (3/3) 3', 10', 24'
Stadio Mario Rigamonti, Brescia[5]
Attendance: 18,756
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
10 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
England  54–12  Fiji
Try: Sharples 21' c, 57' c
Penalty Try 35' c
Monye 40' m
Johnson 47 c
Tuilagi 68' m, 75' c
Con: Flood (4/6) 22', 35', 49', 58'
Farrell (1/1) 76'
Pen: Flood (3/3) 18', 25', 42'
Report Try: Matawalu 55' m
Kalou 79' c
Con: Matavesi (1/2) 80'
Pen: Matavesi (0/2)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 82,000
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Notes:

10 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Wales  12–26  Argentina
Pen: Halfpenny (4/4) 5', 13', 26', 47'
Report Try: Imhoff 54' c
Camacho 59' c
Con: Sánchez (2/2) 55', 59'
Pen: Contepomi (1/2) 3'
Sánchez (1/3) 71'
Drop: Sánchez 9' 51'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 51,442
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Notes:

10 November 2012
17:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Ireland  12–16  South Africa
Pen: Sexton (4/6) 6', 10', 20', 30'
Report Try: Pienaar 44' c
Con: Lambie (1/1) 44'
Pen: Lambie (3/6) 17', 51', 69'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 49,781
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Notes:

10 November 2012
20:45 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
France  33–6  Australia
Try: Picamoles 12' c
Fofana 54' c
Penalty Try 63' c
Con: Michalak (3/3) 13', 55', 64'
Pen: Michalak (2/2) 4', 36'
Fritz (0/1)
Parra (1/1) 75'
Drop: Michalak 39'
Report Pen: Harris (2/2) 8', 21'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Notes:

11 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Scotland  22–51  New Zealand
Try: Visser 12' c, 50' m
Cross 40' c
Con: Laidlaw (2/3) 13', 40'
Pen: Laidlaw (1/1) 24'
Report Try: Dagg 18' c
Savea 29' c, 62' c
Jane 33' c
Hore 37' c
Smith 75' c
Con: Carter (6/6) 19', 31', 34', 39', 64', 77'
Pen: Carter (3/4) 1', 28', 53'
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 67,144
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

Notes:

11 November 2012[7]
17:30 UYST (UTC-3)
Uruguay  25–32  Portugal
Try: Martínez 7 m
Penalty Try 25' c
Mieres 61' c
Con: Etcheverry (2/3) 26', 62'
Pen: Etcheverry (2/4) 42', 48'
Report Try: Aguilar 14' m
Uva 38' c
Le Roux 65' c
Gonçalo Foro 70' c
Con: Leal (3/4) 39', 66', 71'
Pen: Leal (2/2) 10', 28'
Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Referee: Juan Sylvestre (Argentina)

Week 3

13 November 2012
19:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Leicester Tigers England 32–24  Māori All Blacks
Try: Morris 17' c
Thompstone 29' c
Con: Ford (2/2) 18', 30'
Pen: Ford (6/7) 2', 8', 12', 22', 43', 66'
Report Try: Wilson 5' c
Bateman 39' c
Ngatai 63' c
Con: Ripia (3/3) 6', 40', 64'
Pen: Ripia (1/3) 33'
Welford Road, Leicester
Attendance: 17,206
Referee: Andrew Small (England)

Notes:

13 November 2012
19:45 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Gloucester England 31–29  Fiji
Try: Cox 35' c
Penalty try 55' c, 62' c
Britton 74' c
Con: Robson (4/4) 36', 56', 63', 75
Pen: Robson (1/3) 67'
Report Try: Tuapati 19' m
Matanavou 32' c
Votu 44' m
Con: Ralulu (1/3) 33'
Pen: Ralulu (4/6) 6', 23', 58', 66'
Kingsholm, Gloucester[10]
Attendance: 8,147
Referee: JP Doyle (England)

Notes:

13 November 2012
19:45 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Newcastle Falcons England 24–13  Tonga
Try: MacLeod 27' c
Penalty try 57' c
Wilson 65' c
Con: Hodgson (3/3) 28', 58', 66'
Pen: Hodgson (1/2) 78'
Report Try: Fono 6' m
Helu 77' m
Con: Paea (0/2)
Pen: Paea (1/1) 43'
Kingston Park, Newcastle[11]
Attendance: 3,389
Referee: Sean Davey (England)

Notes:

16 November 2012
19:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Wales  19–26  Samoa
Try: Beck 32' c
Con: Halfpenny (1/1) 33'
Pen: Halfpenny (4/5) 15', 28', 49', 61
Report Try: Autagavaia 1' c
G Pisi 46' m
Leota 77' m
Con: T Pisi (1/3) 2'
Pen: T Pisi (3/6) 40', 56', 65'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 44,329
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
17 November 2012
15:00 GET (UTC+4)
Georgia  22–25  Japan
Try: Kvirikashvili 52' c
Con: Kvirikashvili (1/1) 52'
Pen: Kvirikashvili (5/6) 5', 7', 13', 43', 50'
Report Try: Onozowa 40' c
Con: Goromaru (1/1) 40'
Pen: Goromaru (5/5) 25', 35', 56', 66', 72'
Drop: Ono 80'
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
17 November 2012
12:05 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
RFU Championship XV England 21–52  Māori All Blacks
Try: Mama 22' m
Crane 78' c
Con: Roberts (0/1)
Sharp (1/1) 79'
Pen: Roberts (3/5) 4', 11', 42'
Report Try: O'Donnell 14' c
Baker 28' c
Ellot 33' c
Renata 53' c
Dixon 56' m
Wilson 63' c
Graham 72' c
Willison 75' m
Con: Ripia (5/7) 15', 29', 34', 64', 73'
Renata (1/1) 54'
Castle Park, Doncaster
Attendance: 4,956
Referee: David Rose (England)
17 November 2012
15:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+1)
Italy  10–42  New Zealand
Try: Sgarbi 25' c
Con: Orquera (1/1) 26'
Drop: Orquera 52'
Report Try: Read 16' c
Nonu 49' c
Jane 67' c
Savea 73' m, 75' c
Con: Cruden (4/5) 16', 50', 68', 76'
Pen: Cruden (3/3) 12', 19', 44'
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 73,000
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
17 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
England  14–20  Australia
Try: Tuilagi 38' m
Con: Flood (0/1)
Pen: Floos (3/3) 2', 23', 33'
Report Try: Cummins 34' m
Con: Barnes (0/1)
Pen: Barnes (4/5) 30', 43', 49', 52'
Drop: Barnes 12'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 81,361
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
17 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Scotland  10–21  South Africa
Try: Pyrgos 50' c
Con: Laidlaw (1/1) 51'
Pen: Laidlaw (1/2) 9'
Report Try: Strauss 20' m, 45' c
Con: Lambie (1/2) 46'
Pen: Lambie (3/3) 6', 13', 31'
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 58,893
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
17 November 2012
17:30 IST/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Ireland XV  53–0  Fiji[13]
Try: Gilroy 9 c, 67' m, 72' c
McFadden 20' c, 43' c
Cronin 21' c
Cave 30' m
Marshall 78' m
Con: Jackson (5/8) 10', 20', 22', 43', 72'
Pen: Jackson (1/2) 6'
Report
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 17,126
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Notes:

17 November 2012
21:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+1)
France  39–22  Argentina
Try: Clerc 17' c, 21' c
Nyanga 33' c
Con: Michalak (3/3) 19', 21', 34'
Pen: Michalak (5/6) 3', 59', 67', 72', 77'
Drop: Michalak 46'
Report Try: Bosch 4' c
Con: Sánchez (1/1) 5'
Pen: Sánchez (4/5) 9', 13', 44', 55'
Drop: Sánchez 65'
Grand Stade Lille Métropole, Villeneuve d'Ascq
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
17 November 2012[14]
17:00 CLST (UTC-3)
Chile  22–28  Portugal
Try: Huete 28' c
Con: Valderrama (1/1) 29'
Pen: Pizzaro (1/4) 12'
Valderrama (4/5) 24', 37', 45', 56'
Report Try: Foro 49' c
Con: Leal (1/1) 50'
Pen: Leal (7/8) 4', 21', 33', 41', 60', 68', 77'
Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo, Santiago, Chile
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Joaquín Montes (Uruguay)

Week 4

21 November 2012
19:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+01)
Basque Selection Basque Country (autonomous community) 19–3  Japan
Try: Gerber 30' c, 51' m, 65' c
Con: Yachvili (1/2) 53'
Potgieter (1/1) 66'
Report (In French) Pen: Tanabe (1/4) 5'
Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria
Attendance: 3,458
Referee: Andrew McMenemy
Basque Coaches:
France Didier Pouyau
France Jean-Michel Gonzalez
Japan Coach:
Australia Eddie Jones

Touch judges:
Andrew Macpherson (Scotland)
Adrian Graves (Scotland)

Notes:

23 November 2012
19:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Canada  19–32  Māori All Blacks
Try: Barkwill 70' c
Con: Braid (1/1) 71'
Pen: Pritchard (4/5) 24', 28', 39', 47'
Report Try: Taylor 25' c
Ngatai 79' c
Con: Ripia (2/2) 26', 80'
Pen: Ripia (6/7) 2', 11', 14', 32', 49', 57'
Oxford University Sports Centre, Oxford
Referee: Martin Fox (England)

Notes:

24 November 2012
15:00 GET (UTC+4)
Georgia  19–24  Fiji
Try: Khinchagishvili 28' c
Con: Kvirikashvili (1/1) 29'
Pen: Kvirikashvili (4/7) 7', 14', 33', 40
Report Try: Ratuva 11' c
Goneva 18' m
Con: Ralulu (1/2) 12'
Pen: Ralulu (4/6) 5', 35', 66', 76'
24 November 2012
14:00 IST/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Ireland  46–24  Argentina
Try: Gilroy 10' c
Sexton 15' c, 50' c
Strauss 21' m
Zebo 32' m
Bowe 46' m, 72' c
Con: Sexton (3/6) 12' 17', 52'
O'Gara (1/1) 73'
Pen: Sexton (1/1) 45'
Report Try: Leonardi 76' c
Fernández Lobbe 80' m
Con: Hernández (1/1) 77'
Pen: Sánchez (4/6) 13', 18', 30', 42'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 43,406
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
24 November 2012
15:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+1)
Italy  19–22  Australia
Try: Barbieri 40' c
Con: Orquera (1/1) 41'
Pen: Orquera (4/5) 3', 33' 49', 54'
Report Try: Cummins 18' c
Con: Barnes (1/1) 19'
Pen: Barnes (3/3) 6', 15', 24'
Beale (2/2) 27', 29'
Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence
Attendance: 32,500
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
24 November 2012
16:00 EET/GMT+02 (UTC+02)
Romania  3–34  United States
Pen: Filip (1/3) 4'
Report Try: Suniula 9' c
Emerick 24' m
Wyles 40' c, 45' m
Ngwenya 64' c
Con: Wyles (3/5) 10', 40', 65'
Pen: Wyles (1/3) 37'
Stadionul Naţional de Rugby, Bucharest
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
24 November 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
England  15–16  South Africa
Pen: Flood (2/3) 5', 12'
Farrell (3/4) 61', 72', 78'
Report Try: Alberts 43' c
Con: Lambie 43' (1/1)
Pen: Lambie (3/3) 8', 15', 25'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 81,151
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
24 November 2012
15:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Scotland  15–21  Tonga
Pen: Laidlaw (5/5) 10', 38', 46', 55', 61'
Heathcote (0/2)
Report Try: Lokotui 51' c
Vainikolo 65' m
Con: Apikotoa (1/2) 52'
Pen: Apikotoa (3/5) 5', 64', 72'
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Attendance: 20,306
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Notes:

24 November 2012
18:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+1)
France  22–14  Samoa
Try: Michalak 18' c
Con: Michalak (1/1) 19'
Pen: Parra (1/3) 35'
Michalak (4/4) 56', 60', 71', 78'
Report Try: Lemi 14' c
Tekori 41' c
Con: T Pisi (2/2) 15', 42'
Pen: T Pisi (0/2)
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
24 November 2012
17:15 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Wales  10–33  New Zealand
Try: S Williams 56' m
Cuthbert 76' m
Con: Halfpenny (0/2)
Report Try: Messam 25' c
Woodcock 38' c
Romano 48'
Con: Cruden (3/3) 27', 40', 49'
Pen: Cruden (4/4) 9', 18', 22', 42'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,732
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
25 November 2012
15:00 CET/GMT+01 (UTC+1)
French Barbarians France 65–41  Japan
Report
French Barbarians Coach:
France Laurent Travers
France Laurent Labit
Japan Coach:
Australia Eddie Jones

Notes:

Week 5

1 December 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
England  38–21  New Zealand
Try: Barritt 54' m
Ashton 58' m
Tuilagi 62' c
Con: Farrell (1/3) 63'
Pen: Farrell (4/4) 25', 32', 40', 42'
Burns (2/2) 66', 72'
Drop: Farrell 38'
Report Try: Savea 48' c, 75' c
Read 51' c
Con: Carter (2/2) 49', 53'
Cruden (1/1) 76'
Pen: Carter (0/2)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 81,416
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
1 December 2012
14:30 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Wales  12–14  Australia
Pen: Halfpenny (4/5) 18', 23', 55', 60'
Report Try: Beale  80' m
Con: Sharpe (0/1)
Pen: Beale (3/5) 15', 27', 36'
Harris (0/1)

Notes:

2012 International Rugby Series

For more details on this topic, see: 2012 International Rugby Series

Week 1

9 November 2012
18:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
United States  40–26  Russia
Try: Fry 6' c
L'Estrange 17' c
Doyle 36' c
Wyles 46' c
Shaw 50' m, 58' c
Con: Wyles (5/6) 7', 18', 37', 47', 59'
Pen: Wyles (0/1)
Report Try: Ostroushko 53' m
Temnov (2) 61' m, 71' c
Con: Klyuchnikov (1/3) 72'
Pen: Klyuchnikov (3/4) 2', 12', 25'
9 November 2012
20:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Canada  12–42  Samoa
Try: Moonlight 70' m
Briad 74' c
Con: Pritchard (1/2) 75'
Pen: Pritchard (0/1)
Report Try: Tuifu'a 4' c
Lilomaiava (4) 16' m, 21' c, 41' c, 66' c
Con: So'oialo (4/5) 6', 22', 42', 67'
Pen: So'oialo (3/3) 14', 50', 54'
Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, Wales
Attendance: 2,859
Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)

Week 2

17 November 2012
18:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
United States  13–22  Tonga
Try: Shaw 38' c
Con: Pangelinan (1/1) 39'
Pen: Pangelinan (2/4) 28', 45'
Report Try: Helu 2' m
Lilo 59' c
Piukala 75' c
Con: Lilo (2/3) 3', 60', 76'
Pen: Lilo (1/3) 51'
17 November 2012
20:00 WET/GMT+0 (UTC+0)
Canada  35–3  Russia
Try: Hassler 19' c, 57' c
Paris 42' c
Blevins 44' m
Con: Pritchard (3/4) 20', 43', 45'
Pen: Pritchard (3/4) 4', 10', 33'
Report Pen: Igor Klyuchnikov (1/3) 8'

Effect on 2015 Rugby World Cup Seeding

Much like the 2008 end of year series, the final IRB rankings at the end of the international window will play a massive part towards the seeding of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Like the 2011 tournament, the IRB rankings will play a pivotal role in proceedings with the top four placed sides at the end of the international window set to be kept apart in the draw. All 12 of the automatic qualifiers will be seeded based on their ranking and then split three bands of four teams.

Following the final matches on 1 December 2012, the 12 teams automatically qualified were seeded thus:

Pot 1

Pot 2

Pot 3

Pot 4

  • Americas 1
  • Asia 1
  • Europe 1
  • Oceania 1

Pot 5

  • Africa 1
  • Americas 2
  • Europe 2
  • Repechage Winner

See also

References

  1. IRB New Scheme for competitiveness matches in Tier 2 nations ahead of 2015 Rugby World Cup
  2. Background round IRB competitiveness Scheme
  3. Full Fixture list given by IRB
  4. O'Connor heroics stun All Blacks
  5. "Cariparma Test match, Italia V Tonga a Brescia il 10 Novembre" (in Italian). Italian Rugby Federation. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  6. Jenkins, Graham (12 November 2012). "10 Things we learned from the opening internationals". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  7. "Exciting schedule for Tier Two Unions". 19 September 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  8. Team news: Leicester Tigers v Maori All Blacks
  9. Rugby Tigers return to lettered jerseys for Australia
  10. "Gloucester v Fiji". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  11. "Newcastle Falcons facing an international test". The Journal. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  12. Georgia have appointed New Zealander Milton Haig as their new coach. "Georgia hand reins to Haig". espnscrum.com. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  13. RTÉ Accessed 15 April 2012
  14. "Portugal to tour Chile and Uruguay in November". 19 September 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.

External links