New Nations Championship Redraws Global Rugby Landscape

Understanding the New Competition

The Nations Championship arrives as a fresh blueprint for international rugby, debuting during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and scheduled to appear every other year. It replaces the traditional summer tours and the Autumn Nations Series, aiming to give the calendar more cohesive context. Twelve elite teams now compete, split into Northern and Southern hemispheres, with Fiji and Japan invited to join the Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides. Future plans include promotion and relegation via a second‑tier Nations Cup, though the inaugural season will keep the line‑up static.

How The Format Works

During July and November, each pool plays three rounds of matches, then advances to a finals weekend at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. The top team from the Northern pool faces the top Southern team, with other finals matches pairing corresponding ranks. The headline final awards two points; all other knockout games are worth a single point, driving a clear hierarchy across the season. The competition’s structure ensures every test is decisive, feeding directly into end‑of‑year seeding.

First Round Results – July 2024

July’s opening slate delivered dramatic victories and close contests across the Southern hemisphere. New Zealand edged France 34‑32, while Japan dominated Italy 27‑10. Australia slipped past Ireland 31‑33, and Wales overpowered Fiji 24‑39. South Africa crushed England 45‑21, and Scotland embarrassed Argentina 38‑47 in a high‑scoring affair.

The second round continued the momentum, with New Zealand thumping Italy 47‑17 and Australia humbled France 26‑42. Japan fell to Ireland 20‑36, and England routined Fiji 8‑73. South Africa edged Scotland 42‑28, while Argentina and Wales were scheduled for a night‑time clash in San Juan.

Round three featured a full week of fixtures, mixing time zones and venues. New Zealand faced Ireland in Auckland (8.10 am BST), Japan hosted France in Tokyo (9.40 am BST), and Australia met Italy in Perth (11.10 am BST). Fiji travelled to Edinburgh for a 2.10 pm BST clash with Scotland, while South Africa took on Wales in Durban at 4.40 pm BST. The day concluded with Argentina hosting England in Santiago del Estero.

November Series Schedule

October transitions to the Northern hemisphere, where six rounds are packed into November’s final three weeks. Round four opens on Friday 6 Nov with Ireland hosting Argentina (8.10 pm GMT, Dublin). Saturday 7 Nov features Italy versus South Africa (venue TBA), Scotland versus New Zealand in Edinburgh (2.10 pm GMT), and a double‑header in Cardiff and a neutral venue for France‑Fiji and Wales‑Japan. Sunday 8 Nov concludes the round at Twickenham as England faces Australia (3.10 pm GMT).

Round five moves into mid‑November. Friday 13 Nov brings France to Paris to meet South Africa (8.10 pm GMT). Saturday 14 Nov holds four games: Italy vs Argentina (TBC), Wales vs New Zealand (Cardiff), Ireland vs Fiji (Dublin), and England vs Japan (4.40 pm GMT, Twickenham). Scotland wraps the round against Australia in Edinburgh on Sunday 15 Nov (3.10 pm GMT).

The season’s finale round occurs on 21 Nov. Six fixtures scatter across Europe and the Southern continent, including France‑Argentina in Paris, Ireland‑South Africa in Dublin, Italy‑Fiji (venue unknown), and Scotland‑Japan in Edinburgh (2.10 pm GMT). Wales‑Australia and England‑New Zealand also headline their respective venues.

Finals Weekend Format

The culminating weekend, 27‑29 Nov, compresses six place‑specific matches into three days at Allianz Stadium. Friday opens with an 11th‑place showdown between the Northern and Southern sixth‑ranked sides (4.40 pm GMT) and a fifth‑place clash pairing the third‑ranked teams (8.10 pm GMT). Saturday proceeds with a ninth‑place final (1.10 pm GMT) and a third‑place battle (4.40 pm GMT). Sunday finishes with a seventh‑place match (1.10 pm GMT) before the marquee Nations Championship final (4.40 pm GMT) deciding the overall champion.

Where To Watch And Why It Matters

In the United Kingdom, ITV has secured the free‑to‑air rights, broadcasting every fixture live. The competition reshapes the calendar by bundling previously scattered tours into two concentrated windows, giving fans a continuous storyline throughout the year. By consolidating top‑tier talent, it creates a true global showcase, elevating the sport’s profile beyond the traditional Six Nations and Rugby Championship. The first trophy lifted in November will herald a new era of international rugby competition.