Rugby Union: Talking points from the second round of autumn Tests

1) England on the way back up

In 2012 England also went 15-0 up on New Zealand at Twickenham and went on to win 38-21. This time they could not score a point after the 25th minute, instead allowing the All Blacks to snatch a 16-15 victory in a classic encounter of its type. Which team, though, is on the steeper upward curve? If the heavy rain was a leveller, there was no disguising the fact England, after a tough year, are on the way back. They now know they can ruffle the All Blacks, even with a patched-up pack, and South Africa’s two shuddering recent games against New Zealand also showed the world’s No 1 side are not invincible. Brodie Retallick may have had the last laugh at Twickenham but the All Black pack will have to dig deep again to avoid being ambushed in Dublin on Saturday. Robert Kitson

• Match report: England 15-16 New Zealand

2) Springboks turn on the power

After Scotland’s demolition of Fiji their coach, Gregor Townsend, warned an increasingly expectant Edinburgh public to be wary of the threat of South Africa who come to town on Saturday. Tommy Seymour became the first Scotland player to score a hat-trick of tries since Chris Paterson in 2004 but the wing will not have the freedom of Murrayfield if the Scotland forwards do not front up against the biggest pack in world rugby. The Springbok eight helped them recover from a 23-9 deficit at Stade de France and with the scrum-half Faf de Klerk back to direct things behind them they are a real force. It was a pulsating contest in Paris with the replacement hooker Bongi Mbonambi completing a late rally with a try in the dying seconds that helped South Africa to a 29-26 triumph. Mbonambi started the winning move with a throw to the lineout, joined a driving maul and finished off with a try in the corner. France remain maddeningly inconsistent. They face a dangerous Argentina in Lille on Saturday and, for all their attacking flair, this was a hard defeat for a demanding French public to take. Ian Malin

3) Murray may return for All Blacks

Steve Hansen’s suspicion that Conor Murray could make his return from a neck injury against the All Blacks in Dublin on Saturday may be realised. The British & Irish Lions scrum-half has not played since the summer and was left out of the Ireland squad for the autumn series; but after a hard-earned 28-17 victory against Argentina, a record 10th in a row at home, Ireland’s coach admitted a comeback could not be ruled out. Joe Schmidt said: “I am going to chat to Conor to see how he is. It is highly unlikely he will be involved but I will talk to him and it will be his call.” Another 2017 Lion, the flanker Sean O’Brien, will miss out after breaking an arm in his first Test appearance for a year. Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki and Kieran Marmion face fitness tests. Paul Rees

• Match report: Ireland 28-17 Argentina

4) Italy end Georgia debate – for now

With Italy continuing to underperform in the Six Nations the clamour from some to replace them with Georgia may continue but Conor O’Shea’s team silenced any debate in the sunshine in Florence with a 28-17 win over Georgia. It was the third meeting of the sides and Italy have won them all. Tommaso Allan may not be the steadiest of fly-halves but his talent is unquestionable. He rounded off the win by running in the fourth Italy try in some style. Michele Campagnaro, the Exeter centre, was particularly impressive while Braam Steyn up front was the man of the match as Italy bounced back from their defeat by Ireland in Chicago. The South Africa-born flanker helped Italy cope with Georgia’s physical onslaught and O’Shea will be optimistic he has a side who can give Scotland a real contest by the time they travel to Murrayfield for a Six Nations opener in February. IM

5) Scotland’s home record faces major test

Scotland continue to be Dr Jekyll at home and Mr Hyde away. Their 54-17 win against Fiji at Murrayfield was their 10th in front of their own supporters in 11 Tests and the one defeat, a year ago, was against the All Blacks by five points. An improving South Africa will test that record on Saturday after their narrow defeat at Twickenham and comeback from 23-9 down against France on Saturday night. The return of Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell sharpened Scotland’s attack but Greig Laidlaw’s shrewdness and experience, at the end of a year that started when he was dropped for Ali Price, remain valuable commodities for a side whose burgeoning physicality will be tested by the heavyweight Springboks. PR

• Match report: Scotland 54-17 Fiji

Team of the weekend

15 Damian McKenzie New Zealand

14 Tommy Seymour Scotland

13 Michele Campagnaro Italy

12 Bundee Aki  Ireland

11 Jonny May  England

10 Beauden Barrett New Zealand

9 Ben Youngs England

1 Karl Tu’inukuafe New Zealand

2 Bongi Mbonambi South Africa

3 Tadgh Furlong Ireland

4 James Ryan Ireland

5 Brodie Retallick New Zealand

6 Ryan Wilson Scotland

7 Sam Underhill England

8 Ross Moriarty Wales

Try of the weekend

Chris Ashton England v New Zealand 

There may not have been a happy ending for England but the beginning was blissful. Less than two minutes had gone when the Sale wing, making his first start for four years, ran on to Ben Youngs’s lovely floated pass to splash down in the corner.

France have a bad night in Paris

France’s captain, Guilhem Guirado, emerged from the Stade de France dressing room late on Saturday night to say his team was “devastated” by their agonising 29-26 defeat against South Africa. “On the whole we were satisfied but we ruined things in the last minutes. The changing room is devastated. We had the match in our hands but we let it slip,” he said. France’s coach, Jacques Brunel, called the defeat – when they squandered a 14-point lead – “cruel”.

Ireland in no state to beat the All Blacks

Ireland’s 28-17 victory against Argentina came at a heavy cost. Joe Schmidt’s side have now won 10 successive games at the Aviva Stadium but the Ireland captain, Rory Bestm warned that his team would have to perform much better than this if they are to beat the All Blacks this Saturday. Ireland will face New Zealand without Sean O’Brien who broke his arm but Schmidt hinted that his talismanic scrum-half Conor Murray may return to the side.

Ian Malin