April brought us the Grand National, July Wimbledon, September an epic Ryder Cup while December equals festive football – and, of course, the darts.
November, meanwhile, is ruled by the Autumn Nations Series, a four-week feast of rugby where the best of the north face the best of the south in the driving rain, howling winds and beer-soaked stadiums from Edinburgh to Rome, via Dublin, Cardiff, London and Paris.
Ahead of this year's mouthwatering fixtures, we have produced the Ultimate Guide to the Autumn Internationals previewing what is set to be a month of dramatic action.
After winning the Rugby Championship title last month, the Springboks head into the month full of confidence after inflicting a record 43-10 defeat on New Zealand away from home. Their renowned and – judging by the size of the humans involved – aptly named ‘bomb squad’ of replacement forwards are still very much at the forefront of everything they do, but head coach Rassie Erasmus is also experimenting with a more free-flowing brand of rugby these days. After racking up 208 points in six matches, it is fair to say it is working.
The Springboks’ seismic clashes against France and Ireland might just be the standout ties of the month, especially their return to the Stade de France to face the Six Nations champions for the first time since beating them by just a point en route to winning the World Cup two years ago. It is not to be missed. And what of the home nations? As ever, a mixed bag.
Much of the focus will inevitably fall on England and their bid to take the fabled ‘next step’. Always seemingly on the precipice of disaster or an ascension to the top, they have quietly had a strong year – with four wins in the Six Nations and a 2-0 series victory
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