2012 end-of-year rugby union internationals


The 2012 autumn internationals, also known as the autumn tests, November tests and, in the Southern Hemisphere, the end of year tests, were international rugby union matches. They were predominantly played between visiting Southern Hemisphere countries and European nations.
The IRB introduced an International Rugby Series, to improve competitiveness ahead of the next World Cup, that included Tier 2 nations Tonga, Canada, Russia, Samoa and the United States. The first tournament was held at Colwyn Bay's Eirias Stadium in North Wales.
The tournament was in addition to those tests played between Tier 1 and Tier 2 nations. Wales and France hosted Samoa, England and Ireland hosted Fiji and Scotland and Italy hosted Tonga.
Both Georgia and Romania hosted Japan, while Portugal travelled to South America to play a two test tour, where they earn victories over Uruguay and Chile. Namibia hosted a tournament including Spain and Zimbabwe, with Spain winning both tests to clinch the tournament.

Matches

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For more details on this topic, see: 2012 International Rugby Series
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Effect on 2015 Rugby World Cup seeding

Much like the 2008 end of year series, the final IRB rankings at the end of the international window will play a massive part towards the seeding of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Like the 2011 tournament, the IRB rankings will play a pivotal role in proceedings with the top four placed sides at the end of the international window set to be kept apart in the draw. All 12 of the automatic qualifiers will be seeded based on their ranking and then split three bands of four teams.
Following the final matches on 1 December 2012, the 12 teams automatically qualified were seeded thus: