The 2020 end of year rugby union tests, also referred to as the 2020 Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, were a number of

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

test matches contested during the months of October, November and December 2020, primarily involving countries from the Northern Hemisphere hosting those from the Southern Hemisphere. Also involved in matches were those from second-tier teams. These international games counted towards

World Rugby World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international rug ...

's ranking system, with a team typically playing from two to four matches during this period. Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

causing a delay or cancellation of many nations' scheduled matches, a different format was developed for this year. The

Autumn Nations Cup The Autumn Nations Cup was a rugby union competition held in November and December 2020 in place of the usual Autumn internationals series typically held in the same period each year, as many teams were avoiding extended travel due to the COVID- ...

, an eight-team tournament involving

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

and

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, replaced the cancelled matches. Also as a result of the pandemic, this year's fixtures incorporated postponed matches from the

2020 Six Nations Championship The 2020 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 21st Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland ...

and

2020 Rugby Europe Championship The 2020 Rugby Europe Championship is the fourth season of the Rugby Europe International Championships, the premier rugby union competition for European national teams outside the Six Nations Championship. The competing teams are Belgium, Geor ...

, the 2020

South American Rugby Championship The South American Rugby Championship refers to the continental rugby union championships for South America, organized by Sudamérica Rugby. The current name of the championships is ''South American Six Nations'', implemented in 2018. Throughout hi ...

and all matches from the 2020 Tri Nations Series.

Fixtures

Bledisloe Cup – Part 1

Notes: * Hoskins Sotutu, Caleb Clarke and

Tupou Vaa'i Tupou Paea'i Okalani Vaa'i (born 27 January 2000) is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a lock for the Taranaki Bulls in the Mitre 10 Cup and for the Chiefs in Super Rugby. Career Early career Vaa'i was born in Ne ...

(all New Zealand), and

Filipo Daugunu Filipo Daugunu (born 4 March 1995) is a rugby union player who plays for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby competition. His position of choice is wing. Fijian-born, Daugunu moved to Australia in 2016 at the age of 20 to pursue a profess ...

, Hunter Paisami and Harry Wilson (all Australia) made their international debuts. * Michael Hooper became the 12th Wallaby to earn his 100th test cap. * This was the first draw between the two nations since they drew 12–12 at

ANZ Stadium ANZ may refer to: People * Anz (musician), a British DJ and electronic musician Banks * ANZ (bank), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the fourth-largest bank in Australia ** ANZ Bank New Zealand, the largest bank in New Zealand ...

in 2014, and the first in New Zealand since they drew 9–9 at Athletic Park in 1962. * Due to travel restrictions, the opening two matches of the Bledisloe Cup were officiated by non-neutral referees with the support of the respective unions and their coaches. *

Beauden Barrett Beauden John Barrett (born 27 May 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays as a Fly-half (rugby union), First five-eighth (fly-half) and Fullback (rugby union), fullback for Taranaki Rugby Football Union, Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cu ...

was originally named at fullback for New Zealand, but withdrew due to an achilles injury and was replaced by

Damian McKenzie Damian Sinclair McKenzie (born 20 April 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays fullback or First five-eighth for Waikato in the Bunnings NPC competition and Chiefs in super rugby . McKenzie has played 40 tests for New Zealand since ...

Nepo Laulala Nepo Eti Laulala (born 6 November 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays as a Tighthead Prop for Counties Manukau Steelers in the Mitre 10 Cup, the Blues in Super Rugby and for the national All Blacks, having made his interna ...

then withdrew from the bench at tighthead for personal reasons, and was replaced by

Tyrel Lomax Tyrel Shae Lomax (born 16 March 1996) is an Australian born New Zealand rugby union player who plays for in the Bunnings NPC and the in the Super Rugby. His regular playing position is prop. He is the son of former New Zealand (Kiwis) rugby ...

Bledisloe Cup – Part 2

Notes: *

Alex Hodgman Alexander T O A. Hodgman (born 16 July 1993) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a prop for in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the in the international Super Rugby competition. Career Early career Born and ra ...

and

Peter Umaga-Jensen Peter Ionatana Jack Umaga-Jensen (born 31 December 1997) is a New Zealand Rugby Union, rugby union player who currently plays as an Rugby union positions, center or Rugby union positions, outside back for in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup ...

(both New Zealand) made their international debuts. *

Rieko Ioane Rieko Edward Ioane (; born 18 March 1997) is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a wing or as a centre for New Zealand team Blues in Super Rugby and the New Zealand national team. In his youth career, he was select ...

was originally named on the bench but ruled out on match day and was replaced by

. * Due to travel restrictions, the opening two matches of the Bledisloe Cup were officiated by non-neutral referees with the support of the respective unions and their coaches.

23–25 October

Notes: * Oli Kebble and

Duhan van der Merwe Duhan van der Merwe (born ) is a South African-born Scottish rugby union player who currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. Schoolboy rugby Van der Merwe was born and grew up in George in the Western Cape provinc ...

(both Scotland) made their international debuts. *

Finn Russell Finn Alastair Russell (born 23 September 1992) is a Scottish professional rugby union player who primarily plays fly-half for Racing 92 in the Top 14. He has also represented Scotland at international level, having made his test debut against t ...

(Scotland) earned his 50th test cap. * This was Scotland's largest winning margin over Georgia, surpassing the 34-point difference set in August 2019. ---- Notes: * This was the 100th meeting between the two nations. * France recorded back-to-back victories over Wales for the first time since 2011. *

Alun Wyn Jones Alun Wyn Jones (born 19 September 1985) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for the Ospreys and the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player. Jones also holds the records for the most ...

(Wales) equalled New Zealand's

Richie McCaw Richard Hugh McCaw (born 31 December 1980) is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rugby ...

's record for the most capped rugby player (148; 139 for Wales, 9 for the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...

). * Sam Parry and

Louis Rees-Zammit Louis Rees-Zammit (; born 2 February 2001) is a Welsh rugby union wing who currently plays for Gloucester in the English Premiership and for Wales at national level. In 2021, Rees-Zammit was selected to tour with the British and Irish Lions. E ...

(both Wales) made their international debuts.

30 October – 1 November

---- Notes: * Felipe Aliaga, Eric Dosantos, Juanjuan Garese and Ignacio Péculo (all Uruguay) and Andrés Alvarado, Bautista Güemes and Joel Merkler (all Spain) made their international debuts.

6–7 November

Notes: * José Irileguy,

Mateo Perillo Mateo Perillo is an Uruguayan rugby union player, currently playing for Súper Liga Americana de Rugby side Peñarol. His preferred position is prop. Professional career Perillo signed for Súper Liga Americana de Rugby side Peñarol ahead of ...

and Ignacio Rodríguez (all Uruguay) and Daniel Barranco and Leandro Wozniak (both Spain) made their international debut. ----

20–21 November

Notes: * Valentin Ambrósio and Hugo Mendes (both Portugal) and Adrio de Melo Guilherme Dias, Lucas Spago and Rafael Teixeira (all Brazil) made their international debuts.

27–28 November

5 December

Cancelled fixtures

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rugby Union, End-of-year

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

End-of-year rugby union internationals The autumn internationals, November internationals, end-of-year tests, and spring internationals/tour for Australia and New Zealand, are men's rugby union Test matches that are contested around November each year. It is organised by World Rugby. Te ...

October 2020 sports events in France October 2020 sports events in New Zealand October 2020 sports events in the United Kingdom November 2020 sports events in Europe November 2020 sports events in South America