Rugby Nations Championship schedule set for November 2026 and top player rankings released

The Rugby Nations Championship will resume in November 2026 after a summer break, with six northern‑hemisphere teams and six southern‑hemisphere teams playing three matches each over three consecutive weekends. The opening fixtures on 7 November see Ireland host Argentina, Italy face South Africa, and subsequent rounds on 8–9 November include Scotland vs New Zealand, Wales vs Japan, France vs Fiji and England vs Australia. The tournament will conclude with the final on 30 November 2026 at Twickenham Stadium, where the northern and southern leaders meet.

Following the summer window, a ranking of the world’s top ten rugby players was published, highlighting France fly‑half Matthieu Jalibert at No. 10, England back‑row Jack Willis at No. 9, New Zealand winger Will Jordan at No. 8, and other stand‑outs such as Cam Roigard. The list reflects performances in the Nations Championship and recent club competitions.