A review of five other test matches from this past weekend, including matches in Italy, Scotland, England, France, and Georgia.

ITALY 6 vs 22 SOUTH AFRICA
Saturday, November 22, 14:00 GMT, Padova

An uneventful game at the Stadio Ferraris ended with a Bryan Habana try to stretch a slightly flattering points differential to 16 in favour of the Springboks. Italy came out well, even showing a bit of ambition, but once South Africa got the ball they killed the momentum with their traditional forward dominated approach. The scrum favoured the home side, but the lineouts were completely one sided, with Victor Matfield and Eben Etzebeth making a mess of any Italian throws that happened to be straight.

The Azzurri should have put up more points but just lacked in finishing class. Kelly Haimona missed a couple difficult but makeable shots at goal, and the outside backs just didn’t see enough ball. Their only real defensive slip-up was allowing Nizaam Carr to break through and offload to Cobus Reinach, but it was a crucial mistake that allowed them to slip out of reach from which the Italians never recovered.

SCORING
11 mins – K. Haimona pen 3-0
15 mins – P. Lambie pen 3-3
21 mins – C. Oosthuizen try 3-8
40 mins – K. Haimona pen 6-8
59 mins – C. Reinach try 6-13
60 mins – H. Pollard con 6-15
79 mins – B. Habana try 6-20
80 mins – H. Pollard con 6-22

ITALY
A. Masi; L. Sarto (G. Toniolatti 76), M. Campagnaro, L. Morisi, L. McLean; K. Haimona (L. Orquera 76), E. Gori (G. Palazzani 65); M. Agüero (A. de Marchi 34), L. Ghiraldini (A. Manici 63), M. Castrogiovanni (D. Chistolini 63); Q. Geldenhuys, J. Furno (M. Bortolami 71); A. Zanni (F. Minto HT), S. Vunisa, S. Parisse (capt.).

SOUTH AFRICA
J. Goosen (W. le Roux 57); J.P. Pietersen, J. Serfontein, J. de Villiers (capt.), B. Habana; P. Lambie (H. Pollard 57), C. Reinach (F. Hougaard 60); T. Nyakane (G. Steenkamp 57), A. Strauss (B. du Plessis 51), C. Oosthuizen (J. Redelinghuys 60); E. Etzebeth (L. de Jager 71), V. Matfield; M. Coetzee (N. Carr 57), T. Mohoje, D. Vermeulen.

Referee: J. Garcès (FFR)
Assistants: P. Gaüzère (FFR) & A. Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: G. Simmonds (WRU)

SCOTLAND 37 vs 12 TONGA
Saturday, November 22, 14:30 GMT, Kilmarnock

A strong second half went entirely Scotland’s way as the Tongans ran out of steam and lost their discipline. The first half was fairly even. Thought both tries went to Scotland, Tonga made good on their chances through the boot of Latiume Fosita, and looked confident on attack. Stuart Hogg’s try came from a dropped ball completely against the run of play, otherwise the Ikale Tahi might have been in the lead at the break.

After taking a raft of soft penalties in the first half, Scotland tightened up their game and kept things in close with the forwards. Tonga had no answer for their lineout drive, and took numerous penalties of their own. The Scots looked in total control and took 23 points to end their November series on a positive note.

SCORING
10 mins – L. Fosita pen 0-3
15 mins – B. Cowan try 5-3
16 mins – G. Laidlaw con 7-3
21 mins – L. Fosita pen 7-6
23 mins – L. Fosita pen 7-9
27 mins – L. Fosita pen 7-12
32 mins – S. Hogg try 12-12
33 mins – G. Laidlaw con 14-12
48 mins – A. Dunbar try 19-12
54 mins – G. Laidlaw pen 22-12
64 mins – G. Laidlaw pen 25-12
67 mins – G. Cross try 30-12
68 mins – G. Laidlaw con 32-12
76 mins – T. Seymour try 37-12

CARDS
13 mins – N. Latu yellow (professional foul)
24 mins – A. Dunbar yellow (foul play)

SCOTLAND
S. Hogg; T. Seymour, S. Lamont (D. Taylor 74), A. Dunbar, T. Visser; F. Russell (D. Weir 77), G. Laidlaw (capt.) (C. Cusiter 73); A. Dickinson (G. Reid 65), R. Ford (F. Brown 71), G. Cross (R. Grant 77); R. Gray (K. Low 74), J. Gray; R. Harley, B. Cowan, J. Beattie (A. Strokosch 65).

TONGA
V. Lilo; T. Halaifonua (S. Piukala 68), S. Piutau, H. Paea, F. Vainikolo; L. Fosita (K. Morath 70), T. Takulua (T. Palu 70); T. Mailau (S. Lea 55-68), A. Lutui (E. Taione 55), P. Fa’anunu (S. Puafisi 52); L. Lokotui, J. Tu’ineau (L. Fa’aoso 65); S. Kalamafoni, N. Latu (capt.), V. Ma’afu (H. T-Pole 65).

Referee: J.P. Doyle (RFU)
Assistants: G. Garner (RFU) & M. Mitrea (FIR)
TMO: C. Damasco (FIR)

ENGLAND 28 vs 9 SAMOA
Saturday, November 22, 19:00 GMT, London

England won convincingly but were far from clinical against a committed but under-prepared Samoan side. The Manu fared reasonably well in the loose, and had their lineout not been a complete disaster they would have scored a try or two. England was a mixed bag offensively, and never really got going like they might have, instead resorting to the rolling maul to earn penalties and control the tempo.

Though the five match losing streak has ended, Stuart Lancaster will not be supremely confident with the Wallabies arriving this week. He still doesn’t know his preferred backline and England’s attack is stuttering at the moment. Samoa meanwhile go their separate ways after a disappointing tour, and now focus on winning the battle of the board room.

SCORING
03 mins – T. Pisi pen 0-3
18 mins – G. Ford pen 3-3
20 mins – J. May try 8-3
20 mins – G. Ford con 10-3
24 mins – T. Pisi pen 10-6
27 mins – G. Ford pen 13-6
42 mins – G. Ford pen 16-6
45 mins – M. Brown try 21-6
46 mins – G. Ford con 23-6
50 mins – T. Pisi pen 23-9
52 mins – J. May try 28-9

CARDS
51 mins – J. Leota yellow (foul play)

ENGLAND
M. Brown; A. Watson, B. Barritt, O. Farrell (B. Twelvetrees 64), J. May (M. Yarde 9-17, 61); G. Ford, B. Youngs (R. Wigglesworth 64); J. Marler (M. Mullan 59), R. Webber (D. Hartley 70), D. Wilson (K. Brookes 59); D. Attwood, C. Lawes (G. Kruis 54); J. Haskell (T. Wood 68), C. Robshaw (capt.), B. Morgan.

SAMOA
K. Pisi; A. Leiua, R. Lee-Lo, J. Leota, D. Lemi (capt.); T. Pisi (M. Stanley 68), K. Fotuali’i; S. Taulafo (V. Afatia 78), T. Paulo (M. Leiataua 61), C. Johnston (A. Perenise 55); F. Paulo (D. Leo 51), K. Thompson; M. Fa’asavalu, J. Lam (T.J. Ioane 55), O. Treviranus.

Referee: J. Peyper (SARU)
Assistants: L. Hodges (WRU) & D. Phillips (IRFU)
TMO: S. McDowell (IRFU)

FRANCE 13 vs 18 ARGENTINA
Saturday, November 22, 20:00 GMT, Paris

The Pumas just held on in an absorbing match at the Stade de France to put the skids on another French renaissance. Argentina were exceptional in the first half, scoring points at nearly every opportunity including three drop goals, two from Nicolas Sánchez and one from Juan Martín Hernández. Sánchez added another early in the second half, but a Wesley Fofana try brought France back into the game for the final quarter.

Neither side will have been pleased with the officiating crew, and particularly referee George Clancy who made several questionable calls. Penalising a dominant Argentine scrum with two minutes to go led directly to a scoring opportunity for France, and when Scott Spedding was held up over the line Clancy blew the final whistle instead of coming back for a penalty advantage. In the end Argentina were deserving winners, and Philippe Saint-André will be wondering who to chop next ahead of the Six Nations after a very disappointing finish to November.

SCORING
01 mins – N. Sánchez pen 0-3
16 mins – N. Sánchez drop 0-6
25 mins – N. Sánchez pen 0-9
28 mins – J.M. Hernández drop 0-12
30 mins – N. Sánchez drop 0-15
37 mins – C. Lopez pen 3-15
46 mins – N. Sánchez drop 3-18
56 mins – W. Fofana try 8-18
57 mins – C. Lopez con 10-18
64 mins – R. Kockott pen 13-18

FRANCE
S. Spedding; Y. Huget, M. Mermoz (M. Bastareaud 42-58), W. Fofana, M. Médard (M. Bastareaud 58); C. Lopez (R. Talès 69), S. Tillous-Borde (R. Kockott 47); X. Chiocci (A. Menini 37), B. Kayser (G. Guirado 47), N. Mas (U. Atonio HT); P. Papé, S. Vaha’amahina (Y. Maestri 49); T. Dusautoir (capt.), B. le Roux, D. Chouly (C. Ollivon 75).

ARGENTINA
J. Tuculet (L. González Amorosino 61); J. Imhoff, M. Bosch (S. González Iglesias 17), J.M. Hernández, M. Montero; N. Sánchez, T. Cubelli (M. Landajo 61); M. Ayerza (L. Noguera Paz 64), A. Creevy, N. Tetaz Chaparro (R. Herrera 58); G. Petti (G. Petti 75), T. Lavanini; F. Isa, J. Ortega Desio, L. Senatore (T. Lezana 19).

Referee: G. Clancy (IRFU)
Assistants: S. Walsh (ARU) & S. Berry (SARU)
TMO: J. Yuille (SRU)

GEORGIA 35 vs 24 JAPAN
Sunday, November 23, 13:00 GMT, Tbilisi

The Georgian forwards can take a bow as they thoroughly dominated their Japanese counterparts, obliterating their scrum and grinding them down in the maul. Nearly all the Lelo points were a direct result of those two phases, as well as two Japanese yellow cards. Georgia remained impressively focused even after losing captain Davit Kacharava to concussion in only the second minute of the match.

Japan looked the better of the two sides with ball in hand. The Georgian midfield was strong, but the Brave Blossoms found success out wide, with no8 Amanaki Mafi proving their most effective carrier. The loss brings an end to Japan’s 11 test win streak, and Eddie Jones will be relieved that neither Georgia nor Romania are in the same pool in the World Cup.

SCORING
13 mins – S. Mamukashvili try 5-0
23 mins – Penalty try (scrum) 10-0
23 mins – M. Kvirikashvili con 12-0
27 mins – A. Goromaru pen 12-3
29 mins – K. Hesketh try 12-8
30 mins – A. Goromaru con 12-10
39 mins – M. Kvirikashvili try 17-10
52 mins – M. Kvirikashvili pen 20-10
54 mins – L. Khmaladze try 25-10
68 mins – K. Hesketh try 25-15
68 mins – A. Goromaru con 25-17
72 mins – M. Kvirikashvili pen 28-17
76 mins – B. Tsiklauri try 33-17
77 mins – M. Kvirikashvili con 35-17
79 mins – H. Tatekawa try 35-22
79 mins – A. Goromaru con 35-24

CARDS
20 mins – L. Thompson yellow (team infringements)
71 mins – K. Inagaki yellow (repeat infringements)

GEORGIA
M. Kvirikashvili; T. Mchedlidze, D. Kacharava (capt.) (G. Aptsiauri 2 {B. Tsiklauri 58}), M. Sharikadze (G. Begadze 74), S. Todua; L. Khmaladze, V. Khutsishvili; M. Nariashvili (Z. Zhvania 63), S. Mamukashvili (S. Maisuradze 63), D. Kubriashvili (L. Chilachava 55); G. Nemsadze (K. Mikautadze 55), L. Datunashvili; G. Tkhilaishvili (G. Chkhaidze 43-53, 66), V. Kolelishvili, L. Lomidze.

JAPAN
A. Goromaru; K. Hesketh (T. Hirose 71), M. Sa’u, H. Tatekawa, K. Matsushima; Y. Tamura (K. Ono 53), A. Hiwasa (Y. Yatomi 71); M. Mikami (K. Inagaki 62), T. Kizu (H. Yuhara 69), K. Hatakeyama (capt.) (S. Kakinaga 62); L. Thompson, S. Ito (S. Makabe 51); H. Tui, H. Hopgood (H. Ono 63), A. Mafi.

Referee: R. Poite (FFR)
Assistants: I. Davies (WRU) & T. Charabas (FFR)
TMO: S. Pennè (FIR)