Rugby Union May 30, 2026

Nations Championship: England open tournament with July 4 South Africa clash before facing Argentina and Fiji

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Nations Championship: England open tournament with July 4 South Africa clash before facing Argentina and Fiji

England will open their Nations Championship campaign with a 2019 World Cup final rematch against South Africa on July 4 in Johannesburg.

Steve Borthwick's side face a stern test against the reigning world champions, before taking on Fiji and Argentina in their two remaining summer fixtures in the southern hemisphere.

The tournament also sees the Springboks face Wales and Scotland, while Ireland play Australia and Japan before a trip to Auckland to tackle New Zealand in a mouth-watering contest. Scotland and Wales meet Argentina and Fiji in their other southern hemisphere matches.

Elsewhere, a vaunted France side also face New Zealand in their first game since their victorious Six Nations campaign for what will be a heavyweight clash at the One New Zealand stadium in Christchurch.

The three summer game weeks are the first part of the tournament, which resumes in November with the northern hemisphere edition in which England are set to host New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Twickenham.

After the six gameweeks conclude, a finals weekend at Twickenham will see each team play their equivalent in the other hemisphere, concluding with the first-placed northern hemisphere side playing the first-placed southern hemisphere side on November 29. A Ryder Cup-style points system will decide the winner of the first hemisphere trophy.

Saturday 4 July

New Zealand v France; 08:10 BST

Japan v Italy; 09:40 BST

Australia v Ireland; 11:10 BST

Fiji v Wales; 14:10 BST

South Africa v England; 16:40 BST

Argentina v Scotland; 20:10 BST

Saturday 11 July

New Zealand v Italy; 06:10 BST

Australia v France; 08:40 BST

Japan v Ireland; 11:10 BST

Fiji v England; 14:10 BST

South Africa v Scotland; 16:40 BST

Argentina v Wales; 20:10 BST

Saturday 18 July

New Zealand v Ireland; 08:10 BST

Japan v France; 09:40 BST

Australia v Italy; 11:10 BST

Fiji v Scotland; 14:10 BST

South Africa v Wales; 16:40 BST

Argentina v England; 20:10 BST

Friday 6 November

Ireland v Argentina; 20:10 GMT

Saturday 7 November

Italy v South Africa 11:40 GMT

Scotland v New Zealand; 14:10 GMT

Wales v Japan; 16:40 GMT

France v Fiji; 20:10 GMT

Sunday 8 November

England v Australia; 15:10 GMT

Friday 13 November

France v South Africa; 20:10 GMT

Saturday 14 November

Italy v Argentina; 11:40 GMT

Wales v New Zealand; 14:10 GMT

England v Japan; 16:40 GMT

Ireland v Fiji; 20:10 GMT

Sunday 15 November

Scotland v Australia; 15:10 GMT

Saturday 21 November

England v New Zealand; 14:10 GMT

Scotland v Japan; 14:10 GMT

Ireland v South Africa; 16:40 GMT

Italy v Fiji; 16:40 GMT

France v Argentina; 20:10 GMT

Wales v Australia; 20:10 GMT

Finals

Friday 27 November

Sixth-placed northern hemisphere side v Sixth-placed southern hemisphere side; 16:40 GMT

Third-placed northern hemisphere side v Third-placed southern hemisphere side; 20:10 GMT

Saturday 28 November

Fifth-placed northern hemisphere side v Fifth-placed southern hemisphere side; 13:10 GMT

Second-placed northern hemisphere side v Second-placed southern hemisphere side 16:40 GMT

Sunday 29 November

Fourth-placed northern hemisphere side v Fourth-placed southern hemisphere side; 13:10 GMT

First-placed northern hemisphere side v First-placed southern hemisphere side; 16:40 GMT

Not got Sky? or 📺

Tags:

rugby-union news

Share this article

Related Posts

Exeter Chiefs: Prem Rugby side approve takeover by American owners of Premier League club Bournemouth

Exeter Chiefs: Prem Rugby side approve takeover by American owners of Premier League club Bournemouth

Shareholders of Prem Rugby side Exeter Chiefs have approved takeover talks with the American owners of Premier League club Bournemouth.Exeter members...

RFU seek to host more concerts at Allianz Stadium and expand number of non-sport events from three to 15 per year

RFU seek to host more concerts at Allianz Stadium and expand number of non-sport events from three to 15 per year

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has set out plans to increase the number of non-sport events at the Allianz Stadium from three to 15 per year.The RFU w...

Eddie Jones banned for four matches by Japan RFU for 'verbal abuse' towards officials during U23 tour of Australia

Eddie Jones banned for four matches by Japan RFU for 'verbal abuse' towards officials during U23 tour of Australia

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has been handed a six-week ban and had his salary docked for directing "verbal abuse" towards officials during an U23s' t...

Lewis Moody: I want to have as big an impact on Motor Neurone Disease as possible in time I have to move things forward

Lewis Moody: I want to have as big an impact on Motor Neurone Disease as possible in time I have to move things forward

Winning used to be about coming first, but now it means something very different to Lewis Moody, writes Your Site' Gail Davis...The overriding emotion...

Women's Six Nations LIVE! Italy vs England's Red Roses updates, latest scores, team news, commentary from Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma

Women's Six Nations LIVE! Italy vs England's Red Roses updates, latest scores, team news, commentary from Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma

Livingston name Whelan as new bossScottish Championship side Livingston have named Glen Whelan as their new head coach.The former Republic of Ireland...

Gallagher Premiership: Exeter beat reigning champions Bath to enhance play-off bid as Harlequins crush Newcastle

Gallagher Premiership: Exeter beat reigning champions Bath to enhance play-off bid as Harlequins crush Newcastle

Reigning champions Bath missed the opportunity to go to the top of the Gallagher Prem table as Exeter took a huge step towards an end of season play-o...