Rugby’s Nations Championship bursts back into life as the inaugural edition comes to a conclusion in a busy November.
The new competition pits the Six Nations sides against the four Rugby Championship competitors, plus Japan and Fiji, across six matches split evenly across the July and November Test windows.
The results of those games will determine each of the 12 teams’ seedings for the finals weekend at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, with six matches contested over two days and both team and hemisphere silverware up for grabs.
Each entrant will be matched against the equivalent qualifier from the other pool to decide overall placings at the conclusion of a busy year of international action. France and South Africa currently top the two pools, with New Zealand also unbeaten and level on points with the Springboks.
Here’s the full competition schedule, and how it will all work:
What is the Nations Championship?
Announced during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the new competition will be held every other year and replaces the traditional summer tours and Autumn Nations Series. It is designed to add context to the international calendar, with Fiji and Japan invited to join the Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides to form a top 12. Promotion and relegation is planned for the future with the second-tier Nations Cup, though will not take place in 2026.
The entrants are:
Northern Hemisphere: France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, England, Wales.
Southern Hemisphere: South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Japan.
What about the finals weekend?
The first finals weekend will be held at Twickenham on the last weekend (27 to 29) of November. Three days of double-headers will be held at the ground, with the first-placed finisher of the Six Nations sides meeting whoever tops the other pool, and so on and so forth down the rankings.
The winner of that marquee match will lift the first Nations Championship trophy, while whichever hemisphere – a term used loosely with Japan included in the “southern” section and Fiji hosting their games in the United Kingdom – wins more final matches will also be crowned. The 1st vs 1st match is worth two points, with all other matches in the finals weekend worth one.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch every game on ITV after the free-to-air broadcaster struck a deal to show the competition.
Fixtures/Results:
Southern Hemisphere Series (July)
Round One – Saturday 4 July
Round Two – Saturday 11 July
Round Three – Saturday 18 July
Northern Hemisphere Series (November) (all times GMT)
Round Four – 6/7/8 November
Friday 6 November
Saturday 7 November
Wales 28-21 Japan
France vs Fiji (8.10pm, Lyon)
Sunday 8 November
England vs Australia (3.10pm, Twickenham)
Round Five - 13/14/15 November
Friday 13 November
France vs South Africa (8.10pm, Paris)
Saturday 14 November
Italy vs Argentina (11.40am, Genoa)
Wales vs New Zealand (2.10pm, Cardiff)
England vs Japan (4.40pm, Twickenham)
Ireland vs Fiji (8.10pm, Dublin)
Sunday 15 November
Scotland vs Australia (3.10pm, Edinburgh)
Round Six – Saturday 21 November
England vs New Zealand (2.10pm, Twickenham)
Scotland vs Japan (2.10pm, Edinburgh)
Ireland vs South Africa (4.40pm, Dublin)
Italy vs Fiji (4.40pm, Udine)
France vs Argentina (8.10pm, Paris)
Wales vs Australia (8.10pm, Cardiff)
Finals weekend (27/28/29 November) - Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Friday 27 November
Eleventh place final (4.40pm): Northern 6 vs Southern 6
Fifth place final (8.10pm): Northern 3 vs Southern 3
Saturday 28 November
Ninth place final (1.10pm): Northern 5 vs Southern 5
Third place final (4.40pm): Northern 2 vs Southern 2
Sunday 29 November
Seventh place final (1.10pm): Northern 4 vs Southern 4
Nations Championship final (4.40pm): Northern 1 vs Southern 1
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