World Rugby unveils fixtures for inaugural Nations Championship

World Rugby has announced the fixtures for next year’s inaugural Nations Championship, which has been described as a “tectonic shift” in the sport.

The new biennial 12-team tournament will be contested by the northern and southern hemisphere sides to decide which is the dominant force, with ‘Finals Weekend’ to be held at London’s Allianz Stadium next November.

Six rounds of matches will take place in the summer and autumn before three double-header fixture days on November 27-29 will determine which nation is crowned champion.

“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,” said Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison.

“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.”

The Nations Championship will be held in every year that does not feature a men’s Rugby World Cup or a British and Irish Lions tour.

Six Nations teams – England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy – will face each of the southern hemisphere sides – South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji and Japan, with the first fixtures taking place in the southern hemisphere next July.

England will launch their first Nations Championship campaign in South Africa, while New Zealand host France, Ireland will face Australia and Scotland play Argentina, while Wales and Italy will take on Fiji and Japan respectively.

Each side will play three matches in July before the tournament switches to the northern hemisphere, where three more rounds of fixtures will be held in November.

Sides will be ranked according to results in those fixtures before Finals Weekend will see each team from the northern hemisphere play one more fixture against the correspondingly-ranked side from the south.