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Senior Writer- • Joined ESPN in 2011
• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours
• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 - Close
Deputy Editor, espn.com.au- Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPN after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia's digital rugby coverage.
Week 2 of this year's autumn internationals came and went with England maintaining their perfect run, New Zealand denying Scotland in a Murrayfield thriller, Australia suffering another defeat and Wales on the receiving end of a familiar drubbing.
In perhaps the highest-quality Test of the weekend, South Africa reminded everyone why they are two-time reigning World Cup champions with a statement victory over France.
It leaves plenty of food for thought, but are those reactions irrational or legitimate? It's time to judge.
ESPN's Tom Hamilton and Sam Bruce weigh in on the weekend's talking points.
- Hamilton: Fiji test leaves England ready for All Blacks
- Scotland vs New Zealand: All Blacks cling on in Murrayfield thriller
- Wales vs. Argentina: Steve Tandy era begins with record defeat
England on course to beat All Blacks
England are on a nine-match winning run, while the All Blacks have had to wrestle their way past Ireland and Scotland. But with a growing injury list, England have an incredible opportunity ahead of them to end their 13-year wait for a win over New Zealand at Twickenham.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Despite attempts for him to sell the match and talk up their chances, Steve Borthwick stuck to his mantra.
"It's just the next step, it's the next game. I know you like to build things up into other things, it's the next game for us," he said soon after England's 38-18 win over Fiji. The players echoed the sentiment but you sense underneath that calm and measured outlook are a group who are desperate to get one over the All Blacks.
"We look forward to that. Can't wait, I love playing against the best in the world," Ellis Genge said.
England are on a superb run at the moment, and have forge depth and understanding with one another. You feel they are playing with confidence, and even when they're not at their best, they still find ways to get the job done. But the All Blacks will be their acid test. It has been 13 long years since England knocked over New Zealand at Twickenham.
In the midst of that spell was their memorable win over the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal but victories are oh so very rare and treasured -- Tom Hamilton.
Siya Kolisi the most selfless Springbok ever
The numbers behind the latest round of international Rugby in the Autumn Nations Series.
It was Kolisi's big day -- his 100th cap. But his match lasted just 40 minutes as the Boks had to readjust their gameplan to cope with second-rower Lood de Jager's red card. As ever, Kolisi took it on the chin, putting the team first. There's no one like him.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
At the start of the second-half in Paris, the television camera panned to the bench and focused on Kolisi. It was his 100th cap, a game where he became the Springboks' ninth centurion, and he'd been hooked at half time.
You could forgive him for having a face like thunder. Some have interpreted his thousand-mile stare as seething anger. But those who know Kolisi well interpret it differently: it was him processing what just happened, refocusing and channelling the adrenaline into a way beneficial to the team.
"On a day like today, having to leave the field was a fitting example of putting the team first," Kolisi said. "When coach Rassie came to ask me, it was a case of putting the emotion aside because the team comes first, and I applaud them for the way they fought."
About an hour later, he was carried away on the shoulders of RG Snyman and Eben Etzebeth. The Boks had beaten France 32-17, having played with just 14 men for 41 minutes, and Kolisi was there on the touchline throughout the second half, shouting encouragement as if he was on the field.
"I want to say thank you to our captain, who was taken off because Andre [Esterhuizen] can play loose forward and centre, which was a tough call," Rassie Erasmus said post-match. "But when I told him, he just took it on the chin and understood." -- Tom Hamilton.
Wales facing miserable autumn
Take a look at the numbers behind Argentina's 52-28 win over Wales.
In Steve Tandy's first match in charge of Wales, there were hopes the team would get the new head coach-bounce and find a way to get past the Pumas, a team six places above them in the World Rugby rankings. But Wales were second best, and look destined for an autumn of further doom and gloom.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
Okay, hear me out. Yes, Argentina won seven tries to four. The Pumas were the better team. Wales were given a stark reminder of how far off the best sides they are. But, there are reasons for optimism. Wales can correct their ill-discipline: Ben Thomas simply won't be that rash again as he kicked out at Pablo Matera for a yellow card.
The attacking shape showed improvement and the team will gel. Dan Thomas looked assured at fly-half, and the pack will get more efficient with time. Louis Rees-Zammit will improve as he gets more minutes back in those lightning feet. This was Tandy's first match -- the team will improve with familiarity. And you also won't be playing a team every wee capable of scores like the one Matera created for Mateo Carreras.
The bad news though is Jac Morgan -- who was outstanding -- will miss the rest of the autumn. But there was enough about this Wales showing to give some little reasons for optimism. Wales should knock over Japan next week, and if they manage to keep the All Blacks within 10 points, then that is progress -- Tom Hamilton.
Wallabies loss down to brutal 15-game schedule
Australia suffered a surprise 26-19 defeat to Italy. It was their 13th game in a long, long 2025, and that's before they face Ireland and France to round out this autumn series.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
With a sobering defeat to the All Blacks behind them, and an ageing squad, coach Andy Farrell needs to mix things up to keep Ireland as fearsome as ever.
Much has been made of the Wallabies' gruelling Test calendar, as they limp to the finish line of a busy 2025. Given Australia's performance in their loss to Italy at the weekend, their fifth defeat in six Tests, pointing the finger at a brutal schedule is an easy excuse for a team that appears to be getting worse as the year goes on.
But it is exactly that -- too easy -- for a team that had supposedly turned the corner of Test rugby with their comeback wins over South Africa and Argentina, particularly the drought-breaking win over the world champions in August.
Sure, there have been some key injuries and a couple of retirements, namely Nic White and James Slipper, but coach Joe Schmidt had already bitten the bullet of introducing a broader spread of players to Test rugby in 2024 when he handed out 17 Test debuts. Australia's depth should better than it has been in years because of it.
And the game Down Under can't lament a "lack of high-quality, intense" Test matches at World Cup time, as it has in early exits at the last two global showpieces, and then trot out the excuse that 15 is too many in one season. The Wallabies can't have it both ways.
This Wallabies playing group has two more Tests before it can put the feet up for a six-week break, at least. -- Sam Bruce