Nations Championship: South Africa Favorites for the 2026 Title

The return leg of the rugby Nations Championship begins Friday and runs for three weeks, followed by six cross-hemisphere finals at Twickenham in London from November 27 to 29. South Africa and New Zealand lead the southern pool after July’s three rounds, while France tops the European pool by one point over Scotland. The winner of the final between the pool leaders on November 29 will be crowned Nations Champion, with South Africa favored a year before the 2027 World Cup in Australia.