Nations Championship?
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12 teams.
2x "test windows" - of 4 or 5 weeks each to play games.
Either the 6N and RC games are included - or that's going to be one hell of a schedule.One thing it pretty much ensures - the final and complete death of "tours" within a single country (other than Lions).
Each NH team will need to be playing at least 2 different countries each July, rather than a 3-game series against just 1. -
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
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@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
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@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
Maybe for us tragics, that call then test matches. But I think there is a big casual crowd out there who might not. Encouraged by soccer corrupted press calling them fucking friendlies
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@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
In fairness, it has worked for cricket. The fundamental difference though is that a win in a Test is hard; and incentivising wins with a wider framework is a Good Thing generally. Rugby though ... I think it may help with marketing and promotion of the game, and god knows we need it. Still feels weird to play this in world cup year though, or when we have Lions. PLaying on a 2 year cycle would seem a lot better I reckon
And you could well get weirdness, like winning TRC or 6N not translating to making playoffs in the overall comp. Does this mean that 6N teams will have to play 2 or 3 out of NZ SA AUS ARG down here July? Travel could be brutal, and could be the end of traditional tours as we know them.
Feels forced, but hope it works out well.
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@nzzp said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
In fairness, it has worked for cricket. The fundamental difference though is that a win in a Test is hard; and incentivising wins with a wider framework is a Good Thing generally. Rugby though ... I think it may help with marketing and promotion of the game, and god knows we need it. Still feels weird to play this in world cup year though, or when we have Lions. PLaying on a 2 year cycle would seem a lot better I reckon
And you could well get weirdness, like winning TRC or 6N not translating to making playoffs in the overall comp. Does this mean that 6N teams will have to play 2 or 3 out of NZ SA AUS ARG down here July? Travel could be brutal, and could be the end of traditional tours as we know them.
Feels forced, but hope it works out well.
The NH sides will have to play three of NZ, SA, Aus, Arg, Fiji or Japan - but the lowest ranked SH side won't play their matches at home (unclear if that's all of them or just some of them), they'll instead have to play their 'home' matches in Africa to decrease travel for the NH sides.
So likely England, for example, would play Argentina in Argentina, South Africa in South Africa, and either Japan or Fiji in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Ireland would play NZ in NZ, Oz in Oz, and either Fiji in Fiji or Japan in Japan.
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@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
The NH sides will have to play three of NZ, SA, Aus, Arg, Fiji or Japan
I thought it was a 'round robin' - as in, you play TRC/6N, then 3 home games, then 3 away games = 11 opponents over a year (TRC may need an extra match or two).
Eh, I'm confused and frankly not that excited ...
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@nzzp said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
In fairness, it has worked for cricket. The fundamental difference though is that a win in a Test is hard; and incentivising wins with a wider framework is a Good Thing generally. Rugby though ... I think it may help with marketing and promotion of the game, and god knows we need it. Still feels weird to play this in world cup year though, or when we have Lions. PLaying on a 2 year cycle would seem a lot better I reckon
And you could well get weirdness, like winning TRC or 6N not translating to making playoffs in the overall comp. Does this mean that 6N teams will have to play 2 or 3 out of NZ SA AUS ARG down here July? Travel could be brutal, and could be the end of traditional tours as we know them.
Feels forced, but hope it works out well.
It is on a 2 year cycle.
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@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
i kind of agree with them if im honest...im just not sure why we need a new competition when we could have just made more games RWC qualifiers to give them some more meaning
@nzzp said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Eh, I'm confused and frankly not that excited ...
that pretty much this things tagline..."confusing and not that exciting"
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@Kiwiwomble said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@game_film said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
This just strikes me as rebranding the July tours down under and the November tours up to Europe with a league table. The ABs usually play about 7 tests against 6N opponents in a year anyway. It’ll be a crossover comp. Just putting nice wrapping paper on the same product.
Wonder if any teams will treat games like Leinster away. That’d be fun.
That's exactly what it is.
Sanzaar/6N seem to be concerned that people aren't interested in matches unless there's a bigger picture at stake - which I think is completely wrong.
i kind of agree with them if im honest...im just not sure why we need a new competition when we could have just made more games RWC qualifiers to give them some more meaning
@nzzp said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Eh, I'm confused and frankly not that excited ...
that pretty much this things tagline..."confusing and not that exciting"
The Fern or the tournament
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@booboo said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
they'll instead have to play their 'home' matches in Africa
Sorry, is that in the media or are you speculating?
I haven't sen that either boo.
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Heard a couple of good points from Aussie Matt Williams on an Irish pod…
Saffas are effectively playing Euro club rugby with RC in what would be their off-season and continue playing for clubs during 6N so where do they get a break in the new calendar? Excess travel etc etc.
Certain countries have barely played each other in years so more regular meetings - reflected better in rankings.
English and French clubs still won’t relent on their schedule and 6N maybe needed to be condensed.
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Interesting. Slowly drip feeding details on the rules
The two lowest-ranked sides in the Nations Cup – one from each hemisphere – would face the highest-ranked sides in the Challenger series, with the winners of those games either being promoted to the Nations Cup, or keeping their place in it.
The concept would somewhat allay fears of the Nations Cup becoming a ‘closed shop’ – as well as proving games with genuine edge for broadcasters.
“It's a jeopardy game,” Morris said. “But it wouldn't impact your status for the Six Nations or Rugby Championship. That's the key difference from the last model.”
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@Winger said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Interesting. Slowly drip feeding details on the rules
The two lowest-ranked sides in the Nations Cup – one from each hemisphere – would face the highest-ranked sides in the Challenger series, with the winners of those games either being promoted to the Nations Cup, or keeping their place in it.
The concept would somewhat allay fears of the Nations Cup becoming a ‘closed shop’ – as well as proving games with genuine edge for broadcasters.
“It's a jeopardy game,” Morris said. “But it wouldn't impact your status for the Six Nations or Rugby Championship. That's the key difference from the last model.”
When a core 6N or RC nation drops out of top tier, how does that work. Say Italy drop out, they still play 6N but none of those games count towards their opposition's League points, Georgia will only play the games versus SH...
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@Machpants said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Winger said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Interesting. Slowly drip feeding details on the rules
The two lowest-ranked sides in the Nations Cup – one from each hemisphere – would face the highest-ranked sides in the Challenger series, with the winners of those games either being promoted to the Nations Cup, or keeping their place in it.
The concept would somewhat allay fears of the Nations Cup becoming a ‘closed shop’ – as well as proving games with genuine edge for broadcasters.
“It's a jeopardy game,” Morris said. “But it wouldn't impact your status for the Six Nations or Rugby Championship. That's the key difference from the last model.”
When a core 6N or RC nation drops out of top tier, how does that work. Say Italy drop out, they still play 6N but none of those games count towards their opposition's League points, Georgia will only play the games versus SH...
From this maybe only the crossover points count. That also why it's the bottom teams from each hemisphere.
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As I've said, the Six Nations and TRC do NOT count towards the Nations Cup - it's ONLY the cross-over games in July and November. That was explicitly mentioned in the press release.
The top two sides, one from each Hemisphere, will then face off in a 'grand final'. So, SA and NZ could conceivably win all their games in a season (although that's obviously quite unusual) but then only one would play in the final.
