Here are the latest rugby headlines on the eve of Wales v New Zealand and the rest of the autumn internationals.
Wales v New Zealand fans face confusion
Wales rugby fans faced a confusing situation on Friday night as planned rail strikes were called off 24 hours before the match against the All Blacks.
Matchday chaos has been predicted all week with rail services expected to be all but non-existent, but news the RMT had suspended the planned industrial action sparked hopes normal matchday service could be resumed. You can read the very latest developments on this story here.
But Transport for Wales have moved quickly to warn fans to still expect the worst, saying: "At present there is no change to the planned service. We are recommending that people do not travel by train... Due to the short notice given for the cancellation of the strikes, it’s not possible for services to be reinstated tomorrow [Saturday]. Most trains across the network will remain suspended, with severely reduced services running east of Cardiff and to the valley lines only."
Roads are expected to be extremely busy given the strain on public transport. And while the Welsh Rugby Union have announced extra measures to help mitigate that pressure, such as extra park-and-ride and added bus services, fans are still being urged to arrive in Cardiff well before kick-off to avoid missing out on the action.
Mark Williams Principality Stadium Manager said: "Whilst the rail strike has been called off for tomorrow, the late notice means it is unlikely to impact the limited train services available. Our message to supporters attending the match remains the same; please plan your journey carefully, plan ahead, and aim to get into Cardiff as early as possible. We look forward to a full house for our opening of the Autumn Nations Series, Wales v New Zealand."
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All Blacks no longer 'invincible'
Wales centre Nick Tompkins says the All Blacks are not invincible and believes they had to experience a dip in form because they simply couldn't get any better.
Tompkins says Wales must be optimistic heading into Saturday's match despite not beating their opponents for 69 years. New Zealand are the reigning Rugby Championship holders, but three consecutive home defeats earlier this year, including a first ever loss to Argentina in Christchurch.
He said: "Maybe we thought they were invincible for a long time, but they are human. They haven’t lost their aura, but they have gone through a little transition phase. A lot of amazing players have retired and moved on so it was inevitable they would go through a dip at some stage. They had to because they couldn’t get any better. They are still the team we look to and the team to beat.
"I don’t think the All Blacks have regressed, it’s just that other teams have caught up with them. You have to have that optimistic mindset that you are going to get through them. Other teams have showed they can play at that standard, so we need to do so as well.
"You have to get all your fundamentals right to play against the All Blacks. They are unbelievably good at their fundamentals. They are smart defensively, they have a great kicking game and they are not just a throw-it-around team, which a lot of people make the mistake of thinking they are."
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Cheika claims no issue with dual role
Michael Cheika has promised a seamless transition as he juggles league and union duties over a busy weekend for Argentina's head coach.
Cheika oversees Lebanon's quest to upstage the might of Australia in the quarter-finals of the Rugby League World Cup in Huddersfield on Friday night before reuniting with the Pumas the following day ahead of their clash with England on Sunday.
The second generation Australian-Lebanese has spent the week split between the two camps in London and Leeds.
"It's been great and all in all it's gone a bit simpler than I thought it would - the travelling between the two, the messaging between the two," he said.
"We did plenty of preparation beforehand with Argentina. It hasn't been as stressful as it could have been, it's been pretty seamless."
When asked if there is any danger of mixing the two codes, Cheika replied: "Five tackles are good for ball security!
"But no confusion whatsoever. It's pretty easy to decipher between the two, the colours are pretty different - I'm sure I can work it out!
"It's been a good experience for me personally. One of the huge things for me has been making sure I do the two things to the best of my ability and make sure both teams have the best possible opportunity.
"It's a one-off at this moment in time and I feel like we've handled it pretty well."
Jones praises Farrell
Owen Farrell's will to win has been acclaimed as critical to England by Eddie Jones after he was reinstated as captain for the autumn opener against Argentina at Twickenham on Sunday.
Farrell will skipper the side for the first time in a year after losing the role due to successive ankle injuries and then Jones' preference for Courtney Lawes, a decision based on the Northampton flanker's greater composure when communicating with referees.
But with Lawes injured and facing the prospect of missing a large chunk of the Autumn Nations Series, or even the entire campaign, Jones has placed the 31-year-old Saracens playmaker back in charge.
Farrell on Friday morning completed the return to play protocols for concussion after being knocked unconscious against Exeter last month, clearing the path for him to form a midfield trio with Marcus Smith and Manu Tuilagi.
"Having coached for a while at the top level, I don't think I've met a player with more competitive spirit than Owen. There's been a few good ones and certainly he would be in the top three," Jones said.
"He has an unbelievable desire to win, leads from the front and brings people with him. George Gregan (Australia) and John Smit (South Africa) weren't bad either.
"Owen's come through the protocols really well. He's getting close to 100 caps, he's the third-highest points scorer in Test rugby and is a significant player for us."
Read more:
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