This weekend, the first round of the Nations Championship begins: North v South. The Northern Hemisphere comprises the 6 Nations teams, i.e., France, Ireland, England, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. The Southern Hemisphere consists of teams in the Rugby Championship, i.e., South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina, plus Japan* and Fiji** (*NB: Japan is classed as a Southern Hemisphere team).

**NB. Fiji will play their “home” matches in the Northern Hemisphere (because most of their players play in Europe).

This is the first edition of this championship in which three teams from the Northern Hemisphere play three teams from the Southern Hemisphere in the South, and three teams from the Southern Hemisphere play three teams from the Northern Hemisphere in the Northern Hemisphere in July. Then, in November, the Southern Hemisphere teams play in the Northern Hemisphere.

In the Nations Championship, every point, result, and match matters to every team. 12 nations come together for a North v South competition, with a final series in late November.