England name 2012 Autumn International opponents
Thursday 10 November 2011
England are set to face South Africa four times in 2012 with confirmation that the Springboks will visit Twickenham in November.
The two sides will go head-to-head in a three Test series in June before meeting again in the third of four internationals scheduled for England's HQ at the end of the year. England will kick off against Fiji on November 10 before tackling Australia, South Africa and then World Cup winners New Zealand on successive weekends.
England, who ended a troubled Rugby World Cup campaign with defeat to France in their quarter-final showdown, will return to action in the Six Nations with their opening fixture against Scotland at Murrayfield scheduled for February 4. They then face Italy in Rome (February 11), Wales at Twickenham (February 25) and France in Paris (March 11) before returning home to tackle Ireland (March 17).
"You've got to beat the best if you want to be the best and that is what England aspires to be," commented England No.8 Nick Easter. "These Tests are a massive challenge especially with New Zealand winning the World Cup. The southern hemisphere has set the benchmark over the years and we know that they hold dominance so it is always good to pit yourself against them. The games always have plenty of support and it is fantastic to see fans really enjoy themselves at Twickenham. Players and supporters love the northern vs. southern hemisphere rivalry so there is a lot to look forward to."
Wallabies captain James Horwill, who steered his side to a third place finish at the World Cup, is also looking forward to a return to Twickenham. "There are few bigger challenges in international rugby than playing against England at Twickenham," he said. "It's a great stadium which provides an amazing atmosphere, with a sea of white in the stands.
"Obviously the history between Australia and England means there is always an edge to our internationals, and I'm sure that November's game will be no different. My only previous experience of playing against England at the stadium was in 2009 when we were lucky enough to get away with the game, but England were all over us in 2010 playing a brand of rugby that was hard to contain. Our guys still talk about that experience, and how well England played, and so will be motivated when we return to Twickenham next year."
