Saturday sees five of the Guinness Six Nations teams in action back-to-back before Italy round off the weekend’s international action on Sunday, with the team news rolling in.
The first match of the weekend features Grand Slam champions France looking for a clean sweep over Japan, before Ireland and England go in search of revenge over New Zealand and Australia respectively.
In the afternoon, Wales will take on South Africa as they look to win a first Test match in South Africa in their history.
Scotland round out Saturday against Argentina hoping to avenge last week’s 26-18 loss while Italy have the chance to win a fourth match in a row when they take on Georgia on Sunday.
France have made just one change to the side who defeated Japan 42-23 last weekend with Max Spring handed his debut a full-back as he comes in from Melvyn Jaminet.
Jaminet kicked four out of five conversions as France scored a handful of tries against Japan with Damian Penaud getting two on the wing.
There is only one change among the replacements as Ibrahim Diallo comes in for Christopher Tolofua among the forwards.
Japan have made four personnel changes and one positional as Jack Cornelson moves to the back row while Seung Sin Lee comes in at fly-half from the bench.
He is joined by Naoto Saito at scrum-half to form a new half-back pairing while prop Yukio Morikawa is the only player to keep his place on the bench.
France: 15. Melvyn Jaminet, 14. Damian Penaud, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Matthis Lebel, 10. Matthieu Jalibert, 9. Maxime Lucu; 1. Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2. Peato Mauvaka, 3. Demba Bamba, 4. Thibaud Flament, 5. Thomas Jolmes, 6. Charles Ollivon, 7. Dylan Cretin, 8.Yoan Tanga.
Replacements: 16. Pierre Bourgarit, 17. Dany Priso, 18. Sipili Falatea, 19. Thomas Lavault, 20. Ibrahim Diallo, 21. Sekou Macalou, 22. Baptiste Couilloud, 23. Antoine Hastoy.
Mack Hansen returns to the Ireland matchday 23 having missed out on the 42-19 defeat to New Zealand with Covid.
The wing replaces Keith Earls in Ireland’s only change to the starting XV, with Earls not included among the replacements.
Rob Herring is the other new face among the Ireland side as he takes up his place on the bench, with captain Johnny Sexton cleared to play after being replaced due to a head injury in the match last Saturday.
Sam Whitelock has been forced out of the All Blacks side with injury as Dalton Papalii takes his place in the XV, with Scott Barrett moving to lock as Papalii starts at flanker.
Ireland: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. James Lowe, 10. Johnny Sexton (C), 9. Jamison Gibson-Park; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. James Ryan, 6. Peter O’Mahony, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements: 16. Rob Herring, 17. Cian Healy, 18. Finlay Bealham, 19. Kieran Treadwell, 20. Jack Conan, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Joey Carbery, 23. Bundee Aki
Eddie Jones has handed debuts to Guy Porter and Tommy Freeman as England look to level the Test series against Australia.
Centre Porter has been named ahead of Joe Marchant at centre with Freeman replacing Joe Cokanasiga on the left wing.
Jack van Poortvliet will make his first start for England as he comes in for Danny Care at scrum-half, who drops to the bench.
Jonny May has not recovered from Covid and misses out while Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell maintain their 10-12 partnership,. Tom Curry has been ruled out of the tour with concussion, with Sam Underhill coming in at flanker.
On the bench, Jack Willis is the only new face as he replaces Jack van Poortvliet, while Australia have been forced into a number of changes including Matt Philip replacing the suspended Darcy Swain.
England: 15. Freddie Steward, 14. Jack Nowell, 13. Guy Porter, 12. Owen Farrell, 11. Tommy Freeman, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Jack van Poortvliet; 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Jamie George, 3. Will Stuart, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Courtney Lawes (C), 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. Joe Heyes, 19. Ollie Chessum, 20. Lewis Ludlam, 21. Jack Willis, 22. Danny Care, 23. Henry Arundell
Having missed out on victory over world champions South Africa by three points last time out, Wayne Pivac has kept the faith making only one change.
Winger Alex Cuthbert comes in for Josh Adams who was replaced in the second half with a recurring knee injury.
Adams drops to the bench where he is alongside Sam Wainwright who is in line for his first Wales cap, with Wyn Jones also named among the finishers.
South Africa have made 14 changes to their victorious side with only Eben Etzebeth keeping his place in the starting line-up.
Wales: 15. Liam Williams, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. George North, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Alex Cuthbert, 10. Dan Biggar (C), 9. Kieran Hardy; 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Dillon Lewis, 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16. Dewi Lake, 17. Wyn Jones, 18. Sam Wainwright, 19. Alun Wyn Jones, 20. Josh Navidi, 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Gareth Anscombe, 23 Josh Adams.
Hamish Watson has proved his fitness to see him earn his 50th appearance for Scotland when they face Argentina on Saturday evening.
Flanker Watson is joined by Rory Darge as two of five changes made by Gregor Townsend as Darge replaces Magnus Bradbury as the other change to the back row.
Ali Price and George Turner drop to the bench for Ben White and Dave Cherry respectively, while Sam Skinner comes in for Jonny Gray.
Kyle Rowe has been named among the finishers, replacing Sione Tuipulotu, and is in line to make his Scotland debut.
Scotland: 15. Rory Hutchinson, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. Sam Johnson, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Blair Kinghorn, 9. Ali Price (VC); 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. George Turner, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Grant Gilchrist (C), 5. Jonny Gray, 6. Magnus Bradbury, 7. Luke Crosbie, 8. Matt Fagerson
Replacements: 16. George Turner, 17. Jamie Bhatti, 18. Javan Sebastian, 19. Scott Cummings, 20. Andy Christie, 21. Ali Price, 22. Ross Thompson, 23. Kyle Rowe.
Georgia v Italy – Batumi Stadium, Sunday 10 July – KO: 5pm
Italy have made three changes to their team to face Georgia this weekend, with captain Michele Lamaro restored to first team.
The flanker replaces Manuel Zuliani in the starting XV, while the other changes see centre Ignacio Brex called up in place of winger Pierre Bruno – with Tommaso Menoncello shifted to the wing to accommodate Brex – and prop Danilo Fischetti starting ahead of Ivan Nemer.
Italy: 15. Ange Capuozzo, 14. Tommaso Menoncello, 13. Ignacio Brex, 12. Marco Zanon, 11. Edoardo Padovani, 10. Tommaso Allan, 9. Alessandro Garbisi, 1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 3. Simone Ferrari, 4. Niccolo Cannone, 5. Marco Fuser, 6. Federico Ruzza, 7. Michele Lamaro, 8. Toa Halafihi
Replacements: 16. Giacomo Nicotera, 17. Ivan Nemer, 18. Ion Neculai, 19. David Sisi, 20. Giovanni Pettinelli, 21. Renato Giammarioli, 22. Alessandro Fusco, 23. Paolo Garbisi
