Shooting stars by the dozen to look out for in November

A busy schedule of action could see new Test talent emerge, and World Cup seeding at stake

- Harry Latham-Coyle

A busy November of international rugby action dawns with a hectic Test schedule of Quilter Nations Series action to be consumed over the next five weeks.

While a new Nations Championship is on the way to add extra context to these games next year, the 2025 fixtures take on greater meaning with a Rugby World Cup draw looming in early December.

Seeding for the expanded tournament could be crucial, with Australia hoping to break into the top band of six teams and Wales hoping to avoid tumbling out of Band 2 and thus facing a far tougher draw.

The action should come fast and furious as cross-hemisphere rivalries are reignited - and it isn't just the top nations in action, with Hong Kong, the United States and Uruguay among the less-heralded sides touring Europe.

Limiting ourselves, though, to the 12 teams likely to contest the top tier of the Nations Championship next year, here's one player to watch from each side:

Carter Gordon, Australia

Australia’s search for a long-term solution at fly-half continues, with Gordon lured back to the 15-a-side game after a short, injury-disrupted stint in the NRL. The 24-year-old was Eddie Jones’s playmaker of choice at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and with no one yet to really seize the No 10 shirt under Joe Schmidt, Gordon will hope to adjust quickly back to union and make it his own.

Jamie Osborne, Ireland