The Rugby Pod delivers its round one Autumn Nations Cup predictions

The brand new four-round Autumn Nations Cup kicks off in Dublin on Friday and The Rugby Pod have been busy making their round one match predictions. 

Ireland open the tournament by hosting Wales at Aviva Stadium and the action then switches to Florence on Saturday where Italy take on Scotland. 

Next up after that is the Twickenham meeting between England and Georgia. 

Ex-All Black John Kirwan claims rugby doesn’t need red cards

Ex-All Black John Kirwan claims rugby doesn’t need red cards

The Eastern Europeans received an invite to participate after Japan pulled out of the tournament, while the round one schedule is then completed on Sunday when France play Fiji at Vannes.  

The Six Nations teams have all been in action recently with the conclusion of the delayed 2020 championship culminating in a title victory for Eddie Jones’ England.

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— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) November 11, 2020

Now the champions have been tipped by Rugby Pod hosts Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode to get off to a handsome start versus the Georgians.

Here is how the panel’s Autumn Nations Cup predictions for this weekend unfolded on the latest episode of their show:

IRELAND vs WALES (Friday, Aviva Stadium – 7pm)

JH: Ireland by eight. No, Ireland by ten. No, Ireland by twelve. Wales will be better. 

AG: I’m going to go Ireland by ten. 

ITALY vs SCOTLAND (Saturday, Stadio Artemio Franchi – 12.45pm)

AG: It’s got to be Italy. I really want to go Italy but I can’t do it because of Stuart Hogg, how good Stuart Hogg is. Although did you see the advert for Amazon Prime Sport? 

WATCHLIST

– @alexshawsport ??? picks 7 to watch ahead of the @autumnnations https://t.co/AiynjLPmB0

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 9, 2020

JH: He came through the TV. 

AG: The kick-off came off his shin. 

JH: Well, that’s why it went through the TV.

AG: Exactly. I’m going to have to go Scotland by twelve.

JH: That’s what I was going to do because it will be closer than you think. Not because of Duncan (Weir) but because it is in Italy and the travel. 

AG: Why are you being horrible to Duncan?

JH: I’m not being horrible to Duncan. I was just about to talk up Jake Polledri… Scotland by 13. 

David Humphreys in back in rugby…

And the ex-Ireland outhalf is once against plotting England's downfall, among other things.

– writes @heagneyl ???https://t.co/QzhYbp7atG

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2020

ENGLAND v GEORGIA (Saturday, Twickenham – 3pm) 

JH: I don’t want to be horrible but David Humphreys, you’ve got to keep it under 50. Who knows what Eddie Jones is going to do. England by 50. 

AG: Having spoken to David Humphreys and realised they haven’t played too much, it has been difficult, they have lost a load of senior players, I might go a few more, England by 58. 

JH: England are as good as New Zealand now arguably. New Zealand would put 50 on an Italy or a Georgia. That is what we are talking about here.      

FRANCE vs Fiji (Sunday, Stade de la Rabine – 3pm)

JH: Closer than you think. 

AG: France by twelve. 

JH: France by ten. I might change it when the teams come out. 

"We went down every morning at 7am 100 metres underground, never knowing if we were going to come up. A lot of people died down there"https://t.co/u5mIrEAZjK

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 11, 2020