Autumn Nations Team of the Series: No space for George Ford as Springboks DOMINATE across the board
Quilter Nations Team of Series: No space for George Ford as Springboks dominate across the board
The Autumn Nations Series is complete, and the statistics have been tallied.
In a thrilling month, we’ve seen the Springboks and England go unbeaten, Argentina shone against all they faced, Wales grabbed a win, Italy showed improvement, and France is rebuilding.
It’s been a tough selection process, but without further ado, here’s our Team of the Quilter Nations Series.
Team of the Quilter Nations Series
15 Thomas Ramos (France): Tournament points leader and top goal-kicker, plus a try against Australia and 100 Test points for the year, a brilliant achievement. The most reliable back three executor of the tournament, and just sneaks in ahead of South Africa’s brilliant Damian Willemse and Ireland’s hat-trick hero, Mack Hansen, who shone in his new position.
14 Will Jordan (New Zealand): Not as prolific on the scoreboard as in recent times, but when it mattered, he made the big plays. Absolutely brilliant into the line at times. England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso showed what he can do given an injury-free run, whilst Rodrigo Isgro, Canan Moodie and Darcy Graham made big contributions for Argentina, South Africa and Scotland, respectively.
13 Ollie Lawrence (England): Lawrence gave England a complete outside centre performance against the All Blacks. Scored one, created one for Fraser Dingwall, and repeatedly dented the line in England’s marquee win. Our runner-up is France’s Nicolas Depoortere, who grabbed four tries over the tournament, leaving him the highest-scoring midfielder. Finally, a word for Italy’s skipper, the outstanding Nacho Brex, who proved once again to be the heartbeat of the Azzurri, and for Justo Piccardo, surely a new star of Los Pumas?
12 Santiago Chocobares (Argentina): A really solid display from the Puma; started at 12 v Wales and Scotland, and key in both of Argentina’s wins, he was second only to Ben Earl and Jasper Wiese for dominant carries on the gainline and missed just two tackles throughout the tournament. England’s Dingwall is our runner-up. He started all three England Tests at 12 (Australia, Fiji, New Zealand), scored a try v the All Blacks, and gave England strong link play with George Ford and Lawrence, playing 240 minutes that saw one try and an 80% tackle success rate.
11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France): Another outstanding tournament; Scored two tries v Australia in a 48-33 win, including a sublime chip-and-collect finish that showcased vision and execution under pressure, but critically, defended much better at times and showed real ability to create for others too. He’s on his own, but Cheslin Kolbe and Mateo Carreras both deserve mentions.
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa): The hardest selection of our team. Any of Ford, Santi Carreras, or, at times, Damian McKenzie could have got into our side, Ford in particular, but SFM gave South Africa points and control across two premium fixtures, kicked crucial points and scored the clincher against Ireland a minute after the penalty try, and closed out France away with a late try and perfect conversion. But we’d rather like Carreras off the bench, if that’s ok with you.
9 Cobus Reinach (South Africa): Reinach was the standout nine of the series. Starting all three South Africa Tests, he produced decisive moments – a brilliant chip-and-regather try against France and a sharp snipe to seal victory in Dublin. His service was crisp, his kicking tactical, and his ability to control tempo made him the heartbeat of the Springbok attack. Ben Spencer offered England stability and precision. His box-kicking and game management were crucial in the Argentina win and in closing out tight contests during England’s unbeaten run. The two Lions, Jamison Gibson-Park and Tomos Williams, both had their moments for Ireland and Wales, respectively.
8 Ben Earl (England): Making a mockery of those who question his worth at eight, Earl made the most carries, metres and tackles by any forward in the Autumn Nations Series. Earl’s blend of power and mobility was crucial in the historic win over New Zealand, where his breakdown work and link play drove England’s tempo. It was a tough call as Jasper Wiese was the Springbok enforcer, dominating collisions against Ireland and France, producing relentless gainline carries and defensive stops. Across three Tests, he averaged 15 carries per match and posted a tackle success rate above 91%. A word for Wallace Sititi, who played all three Tier One fixtures and brought explosive carrying and offloading ability to a side that needed spark.
7 Juan Martin Gonzalez (Argentina): Gonzalez was the standout seven of the Autumn Nations Series. Starting all three Tests for Argentina, he combined relentless work rate with technical precision, averaging eight tackles per game and securing vital lineout ball. His influence peaked in Edinburgh, where his defensive grit and breakdown presence helped spark a comeback from 21-0 down to beat Scotland. Ardie Savea played a hybrid role for New Zealand across the back-row and was immense at the breakdown. His numbers were staggering: 58 carries for 188 metres, 16 defenders beaten, and eight turnovers won. Mentions go to Sam Underhill, whose try and 20 tackles against New Zealand ignited England’s historic win, Italy’s Manuel Zuliani, and Jac Morgan, Wales’ tireless leader, who deserved so much more than a busted shoulder. Both delivered flashes of brilliance, but Gonzalez and Savea set the standard for sustained impact.
6 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa): PSDT was the definitive blindside of the series. His work-rate against Ireland and France was relentless, combining dominant collisions with tireless defensive coverage. He averaged over 20 tackles across those two Tests and repeatedly shut down wide-phase threats, anchoring South Africa’s rush system while still offering carrying punch in tight channels. Du Toit’s ability to marry physicality with mobility made him indispensable in the Springboks’ unbeaten run. Pablo Matera pushed hard for second place. His leadership and breakdown aggression were central to Argentina’s wins over Wales and Scotland, where he contributed double-digit tackles and crucial turnovers. Matera remains the heartbeat of Los Pumas. Finally, a mention to England’s Guy Pepper – a brilliantly understated but effective campaign.
5 Ruan Nortje (South Africa): Nortje was the standout lock of the Autumn Nations Series and gave South Africa tireless minutes. His lineout dominance and work rate were central to South Africa’s control in wins over Ireland and France. Nortje combined aerial authority with mobility, completing over 30 tackles and contributing key carries in tight exchanges. His ability to secure set-piece ball and disrupt opposition throws made him the most influential second-row of the series. New Zealand’s Fabian Holland pushed hard for second place, whilst Alex Coles earned an honourable mention for England. His consistency across four unbeaten Tests, strong maul work, and clean lineout execution underline his growing stature at international level.
4 RG Snyman (South Africa): Snyman takes top honours at four lock. His impact off the bench against Ireland was game-changing, bringing offloads, dominant carries, and physical presence in the final quarter to close out a historic win in Dublin. Snyman’s ability to combine raw power with skill made him statistically the most influential second-row of the series, Maro Itoje earns runner-up status for England. Across four unbeaten Tests, his lineout mastery and defensive leadership were pivotal, especially in the win over New Zealand, where he disrupted set-piece ball and anchored England’s maul defence. Finally, the legend Eben Etzebeth completes the trio. His aerial dominance and collision work against Ireland and France were immense, providing the Springboks with the platform to squeeze Tier One opponents and control tempo.
3 Thomas du Toit (South Africa): Du Toit was the clear winner at tighthead in a breakthrough season. His dominance in the scrum against Ireland and France was decisive, winning six penalties and providing the platform for South Africa’s penalty try in Dublin. Du Toit’s power and technique turned set-piece into a weapon, whilst his defensive contribution, double-digit tackles across three Tests, underlined his all-round value. Joe Heyes earns runner-up status after a strong campaign for England. His stability at the scrum and work-rate in the loose were key in England’s unbeaten run, particularly against New Zealand’s front row. Du Toit’s partner in crime, Wilco Louw, also impressed for South Africa, offering depth and impact off the bench with solid scrummaging and carrying in tight exchanges. Will Stuart deserves mention for his reliable set-piece work and physicality in England’s closing stages.
2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa): Back to his best, Marx was the standout hooker of the series, rightly celebrating his World Rugby Player of the Year accolade. His defensive impact against Ireland was immense, producing a crucial turnover on his own line and anchoring a scrum that delivered repeated penalties and a penalty try. Marx combined set-piece precision with breakdown dominance, making him indispensable in South Africa’s unbeaten run. Julien Marchand pushed hard for second place. His tireless tackling and breakdown steals were vital in France’s wins over Fiji and Australia, though he couldn’t match Marx’s influence against Tier One giants. To complete the ‘M’ men, Julian Montoya earns third spot for Argentina, leading their lineout and contributing key turnovers in victories over Wales and Scotland.
1 Danilo Fischetti (Italy): The pocket rocket Fischetti takes top honours at loosehead after a superb series for Italy. His scrummaging was dominant in the win over Australia, where Italy achieved a 94% success rate and won two penalties on his side, and even against South Africa, where he troubled the Bok front-row no end. Fischetti added 11 tackles and eight carries for 42 metres, showing his value beyond set-piece. His consistency and technical excellence make him the clear winner. Boan Venter earns runner-up status for South Africa, providing stability and power in their victories over Ireland and France. His ability to absorb pressure in the tight exchanges was crucial. Honourable mentions go to Gerhard Steenekamp, who impressed with impact off the bench, and Ellis Genge, whose carrying threat and leadership were key in England’s unbeaten run.
Special Impact Awards
Rugby is a 23-man game these days, so we wanted to honour the players who put the bang into the Bomb Squads – here’s our top three for the season.
Impact Award: Kwagga Smith (South Africa)
Smith’s influence was clearest in Dublin during South Africa’s 24-13 win over Ireland. Introduced early after a reshuffle, he delivered a masterclass in breakdown disruption, winning two turnovers in the final quarter that killed Irish momentum. His defensive work rate was immense; 13 tackles and a crucial steal inside his own 22, and his link play helped launch the counter-attack that led to Reinach’s decisive try. Across the series, including the gritty 32-14 victory over Italy, Smith’s ability to shift tempo and secure possession under pressure made him indispensable. The Robert Oppenheimer of Bomb Squads.
Impact Award: André Esterhuizen (South Africa)
Esterhuizen’s hybrid role came to life in Paris against France, where South Africa played 70 minutes with 14 men after Lood de Jager’s red card. His raw power in midfield, combined with back-row physicality to keep the Springboks on the front foot, was priceless. A thunderous carry from a line-out maul produced his own try and swung momentum in a match they won 32-17. Later in Dublin, his defensive reads and ability to absorb pressure in tight channels were critical as Ireland pressed hard. Esterhuizen blurred positional boundaries, offering gainline dominance and subtle distribution when the game fractured.
Impact Award: Santi Carreras (Argentina)
Carreras was the architect of Argentina’s greatest comeback of the series – a 33-24 win over Scotland at Murrayfield. Trailing 17-9 at half-time, he flipped the contest with a pinpoint 50:22 and then finished a sweeping counter-attack for a decisive score. His ability to switch seamlessly between fly-half and full-back roles gave Los Pumas tactical flexibility, and his composure under aerial pressure was evident again in the narrow 27-23 defeat to England at Twickenham. Carreras embodied Argentina’s resilience and creativity, delivering moments that defined their campaign.