Rugby’s new-look Nations Championship was launched with northern and southern hemisphere countries pitted against each other in two separate windows in July and November next year before a weekend of finals matches in London.
The long-anticipated announcement has come three years after the competition was first mooted to replace the traditional mid-year tours that northern hemisphere teams make to countries in the south and then the other way round in November. The new competition, designed to give more purpose to the test schedule, will conclude with a finals weekend from November 28-30 at Twickenham in London where all 12 nations will chase a placing.
The planned biennial international men's competition, which is scheduled to take place in the mid-year and end-of-year international windows in even-numbered years, will consist of twelve teams, involving the current ‘Six Nations’ of England, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, in addition to Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Two further unions (which is likely to be Fiji and Japan) have also been said to be invited in to the competition. The deciding clash will be between the top-ranked northern and southern hemisphere sides.
Six Nations Rugby CEO, Tom Harrison, said: “The Nations Championship has the power to redefine the future of rugby, and the partnership between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR signals a tectonic shift in the sport.
“Rugby’s strongest nations have collaborated with a clear vision to grow the game, by challenging traditional ways of operating to create a tournament structure with genuine global relevance, which will unlock the true value of the sport. The world’s biggest and best Championships are defined by intense sporting drama, and the Nations Championship will stand alongside these.
The Finals Weekend will add a totally new dimension for fans, and promises to create an incredible spectacle, crown Champions, and act as a catalyst to grow rugby’s reach, globally. By bringing together the best teams and players in the sport and injecting another layer to the fierce cross hemisphere rivalries, the Nations Championship will take international rugby to new heights.”
Ratified by World Rugby Council in 2023, the introduction of the Nations Championship is part of a broader package of reform to the global rugby calendars, which have been shaped by members from across the whole sport: unions, federations, clubs, leagues, tournament organisers, players and their associations, and World Rugby.