All your Nations Championship questions answered: Rugby’s newest international rugby tournament explained

The Nations Championship made its debut in July, and it returns in November for three more rounds of north v south fixtures, followed by a weekend of finals.

Twelve countries are contesting international rugby’s newest competition (the Six Nations and Rugby Championship sides, along with Fiji and Japan), but fans may still have questions about this new biennial tournament.

Designed to bring a more competitive edge to traditional summer and autumn internationals, the Nations Championship falls into two distinct blocks, with July fixtures played (mostly) in the southern hemisphere, and November fixtures taking place in Europe.

But how is the Nations Championship structured? How is the winner decided? Will there be promotion and relegation from the top tier? What are the November fixtures? And which players have made the cut for the 12 squads ahead of the upcoming autumn games?

All these questions and more will be answered below in Rugby World’s comprehensive Nations Championship explainer.

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Nations Championship 2026: At a glance

– Northern hemisphere fixture dates: Friday 6 November-Saturday 21 November 2026

– Finals weekend dates: Friday 27 November-Sunday 29 November 2026

– Participating teams: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Wales

– Broadcasters: ITV (UK – free), Virgin Media (Ireland – free), TF1 (France – free), Stan Sport (Australia), Sky Sport (New Zealand), SuperSport (South Africa), Sky Italia (Italy), Wowow (Japan)

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Will Ireland and Australia face each other again over finals weekend at the end of November? (Mark Kolbe Photography/Getty Images)

1. What is the Nations Championship?

The Nations Championship is a biennial international tournament featuring 12 teams – six from the northern hemisphere and six from the southern hemisphere. (For the purposes of the tournament, Japan have been placed in the south.)

The tournament has been created by Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR.

2. Which teams are competing?

The Six Nations sides (England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Wales), the four Rugby Championship teams (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina), plus two invitational teams in Japan and Fiji.

3. When will the games be played?

The Nations Championship will take place in years when there is no Rugby World Cup or British & Irish Lions tour. The competition is designed to “enhance the existing July and November international windows within the rugby calendar”.

Three rounds of fixtures were played in July. The November fixtures will be take place over three weekends running from Friday 6 November to Saturday 21 November.

This year’s competition will conclude with a finals weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, running from Friday 27 November to Sunday 29 November.

France and New Zealand’s Nations Championship encounter was a 34-32 thriller in Christchurch (Sanka VIDANAGAMA / AFP via Getty Images)

4. What is the format of the Nations Championship?

The Nations Championship replaces the traditional summer tours and autumn internationals, adding structure and a competitive edge to the Tests.

The Six Nations teams form the Northern Hemisphere group and the Rugby Championship teams plus Fiji and Japan are the Southern Hemisphere group.

In July, the European teams played three games in the southern hemisphere. In November, the Rest of the World sides are making the reciprocal visit to Europe.

Across both the July and November blocks, each team plays every side in their opposite group. For example, this summer England played South Africa, Fiji* and Argentina away. In the autumn, they will play Australia, Japan and New Zealand at home.

* Fiji’s three ‘home’ games this summer were actually played in Wales, England and Scotland, respectively. Japan’s ‘home’ fixture against Ireland was played in Australia.

5. What are the upcoming autumn Nations Championship fixtures

Here is a full list of the upcoming matches:

Round 4

Friday 6 November 2026

• Ireland v Argentina
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Saturday) / 9.10am NZDT (Saturday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT

Saturday 7 November 2026

• Italy v South Africa
  Allianz Stadium, Turin
  Kick-off: 11.40am GMT / 12.40pm CET / 1.40pm SAST / 10.40pm AEDT / 12.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 6.40am ET / 3.40am PT
• Scotland v New Zealand
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
  Kick-off: 2.10pm GMT / 3.10pm CET / 4.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.10am ET / 6.10am PT
  
• Wales v Japan
  Principality Stadium, Cardiff
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 4.40am PT
  
• France v Fiji
  Groupama Stadium, Lyon
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT
  

Sunday 8 November

• England v Australia
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 3.10pm GMT / 4.10pm CET / 5.10pm SAST / 2.10am AEDT (Monday) / 4.10am NZDT (Monday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT
  

Round 5

Friday 13 November 2026

• France v South Africa
  Stade de France, Paris
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Saturday) / 9.10am NZDT (Saturday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT

Saturday 14 November 2026

• Italy v Argentina
  Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
  Kick-off: 11.40am GMT / 12.40pm CET / 1.40pm SAST / 10.40pm AEDT / 12.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 6.40am ET / 3.40am PT
• Wales v New Zealand
  Principality Stadium, Cardiff
  Kick-off: 2.10pm GMT / 3.10pm CET / 4.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.10am ET / 6.10am PT
  
• England v Japan
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT
  
• Ireland v Fiji
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT
  

Sunday 15 November 2026

• Scotland v Australia
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
  Kick-off: 3.10pm GMT / 4.10pm CET / 5.10pm SAST / 2.10am AEDT (Monday) / 4.10am NZDT (Monday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT
  

Scotland were one of the Nations Championship’s standout teams in July (Diego Lima / AFP via Getty Images)

Round 6

Saturday 21 November 2026

• England v New Zealand
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 2.10pm GMT / 3.10pm CET / 4.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.10am ET / 6.10am PT
  
• Scotland v Japan
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
  2.10pm GMT / 3.10pm CET / 4.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.10am ET / 6.10am PT
  
• Ireland v South Africa
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT
  
• Italy v Fiji
  Bluenergy Stadium, Udine
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT
• France v Argentina
  Stade de France, Paris
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT
• Wales v Australia
  Principality Stadium, Cardiff
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT

Finals weekend

Friday 27 November 2026

• Northern Hemisphere 6 v Southern Hemisphere 6
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Saturday) / 5.40am NZDT (Saturday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT
• Northern Hemisphere 3 v Southern Hemisphere 3
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Saturday) / 9.10am NZDT (Saturday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT

Saturday 28 November 2026

• Northern Hemisphere 5 v Southern Hemisphere 5
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 1.10pm GMT / 2.10pm CET / 2.10pm SAST / 12.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 2.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 8.10am ET / 5.10am PT
• Northern Hemisphere 2 v Southern Hemisphere 2
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT

Sunday 29 November 2026

• Northern Hemisphere 4 v Southern Hemisphere 4
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 1.10pm GMT / 2.10pm CET / 2.10pm SAST / 12.10am AEDT (Monday) / 2.10am NZDT (Monday) / 8.10am ET / 5.10am PT
• Northern Hemisphere 1 v Southern Hemisphere 1
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Monday) / 5.40am NZDT (Monday) / 11.40am ET / 8.40am PT

6. What are the Nations Championship results so far?

Round 1 

Saturday 4 July 2026

• New Zealand 34 v 32 France
  One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
• Japan 27 v 10 Italy
  Tokyo Chichibuomiya Stadium, Tokyo
• Australia 31 v 33 Ireland
  Allianz Stadium, Sydney
• Fiji 24 v 39 Wales
  Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
• South Africa 45 v 21 England
  Ellis Park, Johannesburg
• Argentina 38 v 47 Scotland
  Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba

Round 2

Saturday 11 July 2026

• New Zealand 47 v 17 Italy
  Hnry Stadium, Wellington
• Australia 26 v 42 France
  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
• Japan 20 v 36 Ireland
  McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
• Fiji 8 v 73 England
  Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
• South Africa 42 v 28 Scotland
  Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• Argentina 35 v 21 Wales
  Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan

Round 3

Saturday 18 July 2026

• New Zealand 40 v 21 Ireland
  Eden Park, Auckland
• Japan 15 v 42 France
  National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
• Australia 57 v 10 Italy
  HBF Park, Perth
• Fiji 17 v 33 Scotland
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
• South Africa 43 v 0 Wales
  Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
• Argentina 24 v 31 England
  Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

Wales’ only Nations Championship victory came in their ‘away’ win over Fiji in Cardiff ( Ian Cook – CameraSport via Getty Images)

7. Where can I watch the Nations Championship?

Fans in the UK, Ireland and France can watch matches for free:

• UK – ITV
• Ireland – Virgin Media
• France – TF1

Elsewhere the games will be behind a paywall:

• Australia – Stan Sport
• New Zealand – Sky Sport
• South Africa – SuperSport
• Italy – Sky Italia
• Japan – Wowow

Read more: How to watch the Nations Championship 2026 from anywhere

9. What about the other international teams?

Outside the main championship, another 12 sides will compete in the second-tier Nations Cup which takes place concurrently. The first batch of matches took place across the Americas this summer.

The teams taking part have been split into two pools and all 12 have qualified for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Pool A (Americas and Pacific) comprises Canada, Chile, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay and USA. Pool B (Europe, Africa and Asia) comprises Georgia, Hong Kong, Portugal, Spain, Romania and Zimbabwe.

Each team plays three Tests in each window, but unlike in the Nations Championship there is no Finals day, so the team topping the table will take the plaudits. If teams are level on points, teams will be separated first by number of wins, and then by points difference.

The top of the first pool as things stands after three rounds is the USA, with the other pool being led by Georgia.

10. Will there be promotion and relegation between the Nations Championship and Nations Cup?

Not currently. World Rugby has said that all stakeholders will look at potentially introducing this from the 2030 edition onwards.

11. Will the Nations Championship Tests count towards the world rankings?

Yes, just like traditional summer and autumn Tests, the games contribute to the rankings. South Africa are currently the world’s number one team, ahead of New Zealand, Ireland, France and England.

12. How can I keep up with the Nations Championship action?

Nations Championship wall chart 2026 (Rugby World)

Rugby World has made a handy wall chart to help you keep up with the Nations Championship as rugby’s newest competition progresses. It lists every match across the summer and autumn, including the finals weekend taking place at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in late November.

The wall chart can be downloaded as a PDF here, so you can print it off, stick it on your wall and fill in the results as they happen.

13. What are the squads for the November Nations Championship 2026 matches?

Argentina

Forwards:
Ephraim Elias (Toulouse), Juan Martín González (Saracens), Santiago Grondona (Pau), Marcos Kremer (Clermont Auvergne), Tomás Lavanini (Highlanders), Rodrigo Martinez (Dragons), Pablo Matera (Hoda Heat), Julián Montoya (Pau), Francisco Moreno (Newcastle Red Bulls), Joaquín Moro (Leicester Tigers), Leonel Oviedo (Western Force), Guido Petti (Harlequins), Tomás Rapetti (Toulouse), Pedro Rubiolo (Bristol Bears), Juan Martín Scelzo (Stade Français), Joel Sclavi (Leicester Tigers), Mayco Vivas (Oyannax), Boris Wenger (Harlequins)

Backs:
Tomás Albornoz (Toulon), Simón Benítez Cruz (Newcastle Red Bulls), Mateo Carreras (Bayonne), Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse), Lucio Cinti (Saracens), Bautista Delguy (Clermont Auvergne), Gonzalo García (Pau), Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins), Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse), Ignacio Mendy (Benetton), Agustín Moyano (Western Force), Justo Piccardo (Montpellier), Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Racing 92), Faustino Sánchez Valarolo (Dogos), Mateo Soler (Dogos)

Australia

Forwards:
Allan Alaalatoa (ACT Brumbies), Miles Amatosero (NSW Waratahs), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Josh Canham (Queensland Reds), Massimo De Lutiis (Queensland Reds), Tom Hooper (Exeter Chiefs), Isaac Kailea (NSW Waratahs), Tom Lambert (Queensland Reds), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Josh Nasser (Queensland Reds), Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Western Force), Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Queensland Reds), Lachlan Shaw (ACT Brumbies), Carlo Tizzano (Western Force), Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds)

Backs:
Kurtley Beale (Western Force), Filipo Daugunu (Queensland Reds), Ben Donaldson (Western Force), Carter Gordon (Queensland Reds), Isaac Henry (Queensland Reds), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs), Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Declan Meredith (ACT Brumbies), Harry Potter (NSW Waratahs), James Ramm (Western Force), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (NSW Waratahs), Kalani Thomas (Queensland Reds), Teddy Wilson (NSW Waratahs), Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies)

England

Forwards:
Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), George Martin (Saracens), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath Rugby)

Backs:
Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Noah Caluori (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), George Furbank (Harlequins), Will Joseph (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Marchant (Sale Sharks), Archie McParland (Northampton Saints), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)

Rehabilitation: Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)

Fiji

Forwards:
Penaia Cakobau (Fijian Drua), Meli Derenalagi (Fijian Drua), Mesake Doge (Fijian Drua), Mesulame Dolokoto (Fijian Drua), Haereiti Hetet (Fijian Drua), Temo Mayanavanua (Fijian Drua), Vilive Miramira (Fijian Drua), Motikiai Murray (Fijian Drua), Isi Naisarani (Fijian Drua), Leone Nakarawa (Fijian Drua), Josefa Namosimalua (Fijian Drua), Peni Ravai (Fijian Drua), Manueli Ratuniyarawa (Fijian Drua), Inoke Ravuiwasa (Fijian Drua), Sairusi Ravudi (Fijian Drua), Harold Rounds (Fijian Drua), Kitione Salawa (Fijian Drua), Kavaia Tagivetaua (Fijian Drua), Emosi Tuqiri (Fijian Drua), Meli Tuni (Fijian Drua), Isoa Tuwai (Fijian Drua), Mesake Vocevoce (Fijian Drua)

Backs:
Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Fijian Drua), Philip Baselala (Fijian Drua), Isikeli Basiyalo (Fijian Drua), Nacani Boginisoko (Fijian Drua), Issak Fines-Leleiwasa (Fijian Drua), Frank Lomani (Fijian Drua), Manasa Mataele (Fijian Drua), Epeli Momo (Fijian Drua), Iosefo Namoce (Fijian Drua), Joji Nasova (Fijian Drua), Isikeli Rabitu (Fijian Drua), Taniela Rakuro (Fijian Drua), Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (Fijian Drua), Maika Tuitubou (Fijian Drua), Virimi Vakatawa (Fijian Drua), Kemu Valetini (Fijian Drua), Ben Volavola (Fijian Drua)

France

Forwards:
Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Hugo Auradou (Pau), Paul Boudehent (La Rochelle), Joshua Brennan (Toulouse), Esteban Capilla (Bayonne), Guillaume Cramont (Bayonne), François Cros (Toulouse), Tyler Duguid (Montpellier), Sipili Falatea (Bordeaux Bègles), Alexandre Fischer (Bayonne), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Mickaël Guillard (Lyon), Oscar Jegou (La Rochelle), Anthony Jelonch (Toulouse), Thomas Laclayat (Pau), Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux Bègles), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux Bègles), Thomas Staniforth, Tevita Tatafu (Bayonne), Reda Wardi (La Rochelle), Cameron Woki (Bordeaux Bègles)

Backs:
Théo Attissogbe (Pau), Léo Barré (Stade Français), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux Bègles), Nicolas Depoortere (Bordeaux Bègles), Axel Desperes (Pau), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Mathis Ferté (Toulon), Théo Forner (Perpignan), Émilien Gailleton (Pau), Kalvin Gourgues (Toulouse), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (Pau), Louis Le Brun (Castres), Nolann Le Garrec (La Rochelle), Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux Bègles), Yoram Moefana (Bordeaux Bègles), Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), Damian Penaud (Bordeaux Bègles), Tani Vili (Stade Français), Jeremy Ward (Stade Français)

Ireland

Forwards:
Ryan Baird (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Billy Bohan (Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Sam Illo (Connacht), Sean Jansen (Connacht), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), James McNabney (Ulster), Darragh Murray (Connacht), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs:
Bundee Aki (Connacht), Rob Baloucoune (Ulster), Jamie Benson (Ulster), Craig Casey (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Ciaran Frawley (Connacht), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)

Italy, along with Fiji, are one of the only teams still looking for their first Nations Championship victory (Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

Italy

Forwards:
Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma), Simone Ferrari (Benetton), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma), Michele Lamaro (Benetton), Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon), Mattia Midena (Benetton), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), Enoch Opoku Gyamfi (Bath), Alessandro Ortombina (Zebre Parma), Marco Riccioni (Perpignan), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton)

Backs:
Tommaso Allan (Zebre Parma), Mirko Belloni (Zebre Parma), Juan Ignacio Brex (Toulon), Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain), Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma), Matt Gallagher (Benetton), Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton), Paolo Garbisi (Perpignan), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Louis Lynagh (Benetton), Leonardo Marin (Benetton), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma), Giovanni Montemauri (Zebre Parma), Federico Mori (Bayonne), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs)

Japan

Forwards: 

Sojiro Otsuka (Kwansei Gakuin University), Yota Kamimori (Kubota Spears), Sena Kimura (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), Kenji Sato (Saitama Wild Knights), Mamoru Harada (Moana Pasifika), Kanato Hirano (MIE Heat), Ryosuke Iwaihara (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Shuhei Takeuchi (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), Keijiro Tamefusa (Kubota Spears), Jack Cornelsen (Saitama Wild Knights), Michael Stolberg (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), Warner Dearns (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), Ruan Botha (Kubota Spears), Harry Hockings (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), Ben Gunter (Saitama Wild Knights), Tiennan Costley (Kobelco Kobe Steelers), Kanji Shimokawa (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), Esei Ha’angana (Urayasu D-Rocks), Miu Austin Moriyama (Urayasu D-Rocks)

Backs:
Naito Saito (Tokyo Sontory Sungoliath), Kenta Fukuda (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), Shinobu Fujiwara (Kubota Spears), Shinya Komura (Toyota Verblitz), Riku Kitahara (Honda Heat), Yuki Ikeda (Ricoh BlackRams Tokyo), Samisoni Tua (Urayasu D-Rocks), Dylan Riley (Saitama Wild Knights), Chisu Lee (Korea University), Charlie Lawrence (Sagamihara Dynaboars), Kippei Ishida (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Kazuma Ueda (Kobelco Kobe Steelers), Riku Tokito (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), Kpga Nezuka (Kubota Spears), Inoke Burua (Kobelco Kobe Steelers), Takuro Matsunaga (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)

New Zealand

Forwards:
Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes), Scott Barrett (Crusaders), George Bell (Crusaders), Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders), George Bower (Crusaders), Ethan de Groot (Highlanders), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders), Jamie Hannah (Crusaders), Fabian Holland (Highlanders), Peter Lakai (Hurricanes), Christian Lio-Willie (Crusaders), Josh Lord (Chiefs), Saula Ma’u (Highlanders), Fletcher Newell (Crusaders), Xavier Numia (Hurricanes), Anton Segner (Blues), Wallace Sititi (Chiefs), Codie Taylor (Crusaders), Pasilio Tosi (Hurricanes), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs)

Backs:
Beauden Barrett (Blues), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Chay Fihaki (Crusaders), Fehi Fineanganofo (Hurricanes), Rieko Ioane (Blues), Josh Jacomb (Chiefs), Will Jordan (Crusaders), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), Josh Moorby (Hurricanes), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders), Kyle Preston (Crusaders), Cortez Ratima (Chiefs), Cam Roigard (Hurricanes), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders), Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)

Scotland

Forwards:
Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Craig (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Dempsey (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Perpignan), Gregor Hiddleston (Glasgow Warriors), Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Leatherbarrow (Newcastle Red Bulls), Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby), Elliot Millar Mills (Newcastle Red Bulls), Jamie Ritchie (Glasgow Warriors), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), Seb Stephen (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs:
Fergus Burke (Saracens), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), Huw Jones (Toulon), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Captain – Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben White (Toulon)

South Africa

Forwards:
Lood de Jager (Saitama Wild Knights), Paul ​de Villiers (Stormers), ⁠Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Wilco Louw (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Salmaan Moerat (Stade Rochelais), ⁠Franco ​Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears), ​Riley Norton (Stormers), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Emmanuel Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (​Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) 

Backs:
Yaqeen Ahmed (Stormers), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Damian de Allende (Saitama Wild Knights), Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Luan Giliomee (Bulls), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse ​Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie ​Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan ⁠Moodie (Bulls), Markus Muller (Stormers), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), ​Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers)

Wales

Forwards:
Rhys Barratt (Cardiff), Taine Basham (Cardiff), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Ben Carter (Dragons), Seb Davies (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Sale Sharks), Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby), Kane James (Exeter Chiefs), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Dewi Lake (Gloucester Rugby), Dillon Lewis (Dragons), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Sale Sharks), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Leicester Tigers), Teddy Williams (Cardiff)

Backs:
Josh Adams (Cardiff), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester Tigers), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby), Che Hope (Dragons), Eddie James (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Aneurin Owen (Dragons), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), Tom Rogers (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Saracens)

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