Sports

Fixtures and standings as Nations Championship returns

Nairavoice · Nov 8, 2026 · 3 min read

The Nations Championship resumed on Friday with Ireland securing a 42-12 win over Argentina, as the battle for continental supremacy heats up.

After three rounds of home games for southern hemisphere nations in July, the northern hemisphere teams are the hosts for the final three rounds.

Ireland’s win moved them top of the northern standings until France thrashed Fiji 54-17 on Saturday to regain their lead with 17 points from four matches.

Scotland were outclassed by New Zealand in the second half and are in third place in the northern table following a 43-21 defeat at Murrayfield.

Fourth-placed England have 10 points and play Australia – who are third in the southern standings – at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

Wales overcame Japan 28-21 to move level on points with England but have a vastly inferior points difference.

Bottom-side Italy, who lost all three of their away games in the summer, were outgunned 66-7 by South Africa on Saturday.

The Springboks continue to lead New Zealand on points difference, with both teams having won all four of their games with bonus points.

The world champions face Six Nations champions France in a huge game in Paris on Friday.

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Standings

Autumn fixtures & results

Friday, 6 November

Ireland 42-12 Argentina

Saturday, 7 November

Italy 7-66 South Africa

Scotland 21-43 New Zealand

Wales 28-21 Japan

France 54-17 Fiji

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)

What is the Nations Championship?

The Nations Championship pits the northern hemisphere teams who compete in the Six Nations – England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy – against southern hemisphere giants South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, plus invited sides Fiji and Japan.

All teams will play each of the six in the opposing hemisphere once, with three rounds of fixtures staged in July and another three in November.

Their results will rank the teams within their own hemisphere, from one to six.

On the final weekend in November, there is a three-day play-off event staged at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. The sixth-placed team in the northern hemisphere plays off against the equivalent in the southern hemisphere standings and so on, culminating in the two top-ranked sides taking each other on.

The winner of that final match is crowned the inaugural Nations Championship winner.

There is also a parallel, Ryder-Cup style hemisphere title. The winner of each of the matches on the play-offs weekend will earn one point for their hemisphere, except for the contest between the two top-ranked teams which delivers two.

The first hemisphere to earn four points over the weekend will be crowned winners.