Autumn Internationals: Wales v Argentina, France v Australia

Can Felipe Contepomi kick Argentina to victory?

The autumn games have added spice this year, as the results will be used to determine seedings for the next World Cup. With every side keen to win, Richard O'Hagan takes a look at a couple of mouth-watering encounters

Wales v Argentina
14:30, BBC One

Wales have a tough start to their autumn campaign, coming up against a Pumas side who did not disgrace themselves in their debut Rugby Championship season. Their task is made all the harder by the loss of key players such as Adam Jones, Dan Lydiate and Jonathan Davies to injury. They also have a new(ish) coach, as Warren Gatland's duties with the British Lions cause him to stand aside for this game, leaving Rob Howley in charge. Howley's first act was to drop veteran scrum-half Mike Phillips for the inexperienced Tavis Knoyle, citing Phillips' decision to move from a Welsh side to Bayonne in France as the reason. From this it is clear that they intend to use these games as more than just preparation for the Six Nations in 2013 and are happy to compromise their chances of winning for the sake of a somewhat dated principle.

Argentina, by contrast, have selected veteran centre and goal-kicker Felipe Contepomi in their side and many of their players will be familiar to British viewers as the side includes the likes of Leicester Tigers' prop Marcos Ayerza and Exeter Chiefs' winger Gonzalo Camacho. They have had the benefit of playing together for the last couple of months and despite their losing record in the Rugby Championship, they played enough close games to suggest that they could defy their odds of 5.14/1 and take this game.

France v Australia
2000hrs

France have not beaten Australia in Paris since 2005 and their hopes of ending that run were lowered when captain Thierry Dusautoir was ruled out with a knee injury. Lock Pascal Pape will deputise but the loss of the inspirational flanker will be keenly felt, especially with many other experienced players having quit international rugby in the past 12 months.

Coach Phillipe Saint-Andre has named a 24-man squad including several novices. At scrum-half he has only left himself Morgan Parra and the uncapped Maxime Machenaud as options, and the former is carrying a leg injury. This means that there is a chance that France will go into the game with Frederic Michalak, better known as a fly-half, covering both positions.

By contrast, Aussie skipper Nathan Sharpe is on his final tour of the northern hemisphere and will be keen to start on a high note. Kane Douglas, one of the successes of the Rugby Championship campaign, is likely to partner Sharpe in the second row, but they have their own reshuffle to do as flanker Scott Higginbottom is suspended. Although not nearly so much of a vital cog as Dusautoir is for the French, Australia would have preferred to have the first choice back row available against a weakened French one. Even so, at odds of 2.466/4 they have to be the preferred bet for this game.

Recommended Bet:

Back Argentina to beat Wales at odds of 5.14/1