Autumn Internationals 2025: Opta's Best XI Highlights Global Rugby Depth

Autumn test matches delivered a blend of drama and data. As the Rugby World Cup draw looms, teams from both hemispheres clashed for bragging rights, and Opta's performance index highlighted the season's stars.

South Africa extended their unbeaten run, England built momentum with a strong run of results, and Argentina pressed hard to finish their European swing unbeaten. Australia faced a tough European tour, while Rugby Championship teams claimed bragging rights in head-to-heads against Six Nations sides.

Across 22 tests, Opta's Index objectively scores every player's impact, allowing us to assemble a fully updated Best XI for autumn 2025. Here are the selections, each backed by key stats that explain their inclusion.

15. Will Jordan (New Zealand)

New Zealand’s full-back finished as the autumn’s top performer on the Opta index, even if he wasn’t at peak form. He crossed for a try against Scotland and another against England, bringing his career total to 45 and closing in on the All Blacks’ long-standing record. His pace and footwork produced six line breaks, second only to Scotland’s Darcy Graham in November.

14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)

The Exeter winger has looked untroubled by last season’s shoulder injury, proving a potent weapon on the edge. Among players with more than 20 carries, he posted the best gainline success rate (86%) and the highest average gain per carry (11.2m). In defence, Kurt-Lee Arendse was a notable presence with six dominant tackles, the most by a back.

13. Nicolas Depoortere (France)

Seen as a potential long-term successor at outside centre, Depoortere crossed four times this month—second only to Scotland's Ewan Ashman—while boasting a versatile attacking arsenal and proving tough to pin down, converting a 50% tackle success rate into tangible gains.

12. Damian de Allende (South Africa)

The veteran Springbok centre remains one of rugby’s most physical performers. He combines carries, gainline success, and defender-pinning presence in a way few can match, posting a 65% carry dominance, 76% gainline success, and 76% tackle involvement when under pressure.

11. Mateo Carreras (Argentina)

Carreras walked away with impressive metres-per-80 statistic, averaging over 100m per 80 minutes, the standout figure among those who played extended minutes. He also led defenders beaten per 80, recording more than five, and ranked among the top for line breaks per 80 as well.

10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa)

The Stormers fly-half has been a standout scorer this autumn, racking up 40 points including four tries. His running threat is evident, with a high dominant carry rate and strong evasion that set him apart among playmakers with 10+ carries.

9. Cobus Reinach (South Africa)

Reinach’s sharp sniping around the ruck and prolific pick-and-go game made him the top scrum-half in the autumn for carries and metres from those carries. His kicking was precise, and he joined the small group with multiple tries and assists this month.

1. Angus Bell (Australia)

The loose-head prop demonstrated elite ball-carrying for a forward, leading in carries, metres gained, defenders beaten, and even line breaks. He produced a high work rate at scrum time and was one of only a couple of props to score more than once in November, while posting a standout 23 scrum involvements without conceding a penalty.

2. Ewan Ashman (Scotland)

Ashman edged the shortlist for the No. 2 jersey thanks to his try-scoring burst and relentless carrying, averaging strong metres per carry and leading at the line-out with a high success rate. He was exceptional in finishing opportunities and distributing from the edge.

3. Joe Heyes (England)

Heyes delivered a steady autumn, excelling in the scrum and work rate across attack and defense. He logged the most scrum involvements without conceding a penalty, a testament to his reliability and consistency in tight phases.

4. Maro Itoje (England)

The England captain again showcased elite levels of effort, registering the most tackles in November with remarkable accuracy and a breakdown presence that kept opposition ball under pressure throughout. His breakdown workload was among the highest in the tournament.

5. Fabian Holland (New Zealand)

The newly crowned World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year has integrated quickly into the All Blacks pack, delivering strong line-out stats and a high tempo in general play. He leads line-outs per 80 with seven and averages the most passes among forwards in November.

6. Ryan Baird (Ireland)

As Ireland’s potential O’Mahony successor, Baird impressed with his defensive work and high gainline success. His five steals topped the board, while his forward play on the carries kept the Irish defence balanced and effective.

7. Fraser McReight (Australia)

The Reds flanker produced another masterclass at the breakdown, claiming 10 turnovers and leading jackal numbers while imposing himself in rucks and tackles. His relentless pressure epitomised Australia’s effort this autumn.

8. Ben Earl (England)

Earl was a constant threat in attack, delivering the most carries in November and posting the highest per-80-minute workload. He also topped the assist charts for forwards with several line-break setups, while his defensive impact was highlighted by multiple dominant tackles.

Key Takeaways

• Global balance: Opta’s XI blends stars from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia, showing broad depth across both hemispheres.
• Breakdown specialists: Fraser McReight and Cobus Reinach stand out for turnovers and quick ball, underscoring the importance of the ruck area in autumn form.
• Emerging talents: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Fabian Holland highlight a generation stepping into key roles for major nations.
• England momentum: England’s autumn cohort contributed to a prolonged winning run, lifting their world standing and options for 2026.
• South Africa resilience: The Springboks maintained their dominance with consistent performances across the backline and forward packs.

Expert note: Analysts say the autumn data reveal evolving player roles and a growing strategic depth among top teams. The trend points toward more flexible selections and multi-positional performers in the coming year.

Summary

The autumn period once again showcased rugby’s global talent pool, with standout performances not only from established stars but also from rising players making a case for future selection. Opta’s Index provided a clear, data-driven lens on who shaped the month, from elite finishers to all-action forwards. With the Rugby World Cup on the horizon, teams will study these insights to sharpen their preparation and selection for 2026.

Autumn data from Opta confirms a widening talent pool across rugby’s top nations, with fresh emergence across England, Ireland, Scotland and the southern teams. BBC Sport