Nations Championship: Fixtures and standings

November 12, 2026

France will seek to end South Africa’s 100% record in the Nations Championship when the sides meet in Paris on Friday.

The blockbuster match at the Stade de France pits Antoine Dupont’s Six Nations champions against Siya Kolisi’s back-to-back world champions.

France thrashed Fiji 54-17 last weekend to lead the way in the northern hemisphere standings with three wins from four matches, but with England and Ireland expected to win their matches on Saturday, Les Bleus face the prospect of being knocked off top spot if they lose.

South Africa have won nine of the last 10 meetings, including a 32-17 victory in Paris last November and a thrilling 29-28 win in the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals.

Rassie Erasmus’s side crushed Italy 66-7 to head the standings in the southern hemisphere with four bonus-point wins, but are under pressure from New Zealand to qualify for the inaugural championship final on 29 November.

The All Blacks, who started their northern tour with victory over Scotland, have also won all four of their matches in the tournament but trail the Springboks on points difference.

England, who face Japan at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, are in second place on points difference in the northern pool after an emphatic 45-22 victory over Australia last weekend.

Ireland secured a 42-12 win over Argentina and are third, with Fiji the visitors on Saturday.

Scotland are in fourth place with two wins and two defeats and face Australia at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Wales overcame Japan 28-21 in their first home match of the championship, but remain in fifth place with a tough match against New Zealand on Saturday.

England will face New Zealand in the last round of pool matches on 21 November, while Ireland host South Africa and France take on Argentina in what should be a thrilling battle to make the final.

The finals weekend takes place from 27-29 November, with all six matches at Allianz Stadium.

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 45-22 Australia

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.

The Nations Championship trophy and the shield awarded to the best hemisphere are pictured at the Tower of London in London [Getty Images]