Champagne moments from dramatic run of autumn internationals … and the Rassie Erasmus water-carrier award
![The Breakdown | Autumn international awards: Steward stands out as France flourish](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/aef6d4fc5240cdd4e4c7545c89a908cac7f772a4/0_112_4754_2854/master/4754.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=5d38fbd8cc1fd244e35c3e10c3b36d71)
The 2021 autumn international series has been eventful, with northern hemisphere nations enjoying some striking successes over their increasingly weary southern counterparts. Here is The Breakdown’s definitive end-of-year report …
Best game France’s 40-25 thrashing of
New Zealand in
Paris offered a tantalising glimpse of what might lie ahead in the 2023 Rugby
World Cup. It was the first time the All Blacks have conceded 40 points to anyone since
Ireland beat them in
Chicago in 2016 and the 24-6 half-time deficit was the widest New Zealand have ever known.