The first two rounds of Nations Championship and Nations Cup matches brought a barrage of tries, at an average of around nine per match, in a series of thrilling encounters.

The final round of this initial block will again see all 24 teams competing at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in action on Saturday, 18 July.

Six more back-to-back Nations Championship matches kick off with a blockbuster in Auckland as New Zealand host Ireland and conclude with Argentina facing England in Santiago del Estero.

Meanwhile, six more Nations Cup games including double-headers in Montevideo and Winnipeg will take place across South and North America.

Here are a selection of some of the enticing fixtures in store.

New Zealand (world ranking 2) v Ireland (3)

An intense rivalry has grown between these two nations over the past decade since Ireland earned their first ever win - at the 29th attempt - over the All Blacks in 2016.

They played one of the all-time great Men’s Rugby World Cup matches at RWC 2023 when New Zealand won an epic quarter-final 28-24, overcoming two yellow cards and withstanding nearly 40 phases of intense Irish pressure in a dramatic denouement.

It was only their third RWC meeting, New Zealand winning a pool game 43-19 in 1995 and another quarter-final 46-14 in 2019. That momentous defeat in Paris ended a 17-match winning streak for Ireland going back to a first series win in New Zealand in 2022.

But the All Blacks have won their last three meetings and have a potent weapon in Will Jordan, top try-scorer at RWC 2023, whose hat-trick in last Saturday’s win over Italy took the wing clear as New Zealand men’s all-time record try-scorer with 50.

Ireland will look to the likes of centre Stuart McCloksey, second-row Joe McCarthy and flanker Josh van der Flier, a try-scorer in their recent win over Australia, as they aim to end the All Blacks’ unbeaten run of 52 tests at Auckland’s Eden Park going back to 1994.

Key stat: New Zealand have made more metres per kick in play than any other side in this year’s Nations Championship (29.1), while only England (26%) have retained possession on a higher share of their kicks than Ireland (22%).

Japan (11) v France (4)

France and Japan have only met once previously in Men’s Rugby World Cups - a 51-29 win for Les Bleus in a pool encounter at RWC 2003 - but this meeting at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo will be an intriguing marker for a reunion at Australia 2027.

The two sides are both in Pool E at next year’s global gathering and their meeting on 9 October at Brisbane Stadium will be pivotal to deciding their future direction in the tournament.

The winner will likely top Pool E and head to Melbourne for a Round of 16 fixture, while whoever finishes runners-up, in a pool also featuring USA and Samoa, will return to Brisbane - which is hosting 10 matches overall including two quarter-finals - for their first knockout game, probably against hosts Australia or New Zealand.

France got themselves acquainted with the iconic Brisbane venue last weekend when, despite missing stars such as Antoine Dupont, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Thomas Ramos, they still ran in six tries in an impressive 42-26 win over the Wallabies.

Key stat: France have made the most line-breaks of any side in the 2026 Nations Championship (26), while no side has conceded fewer than Japan (10, also England); however, the Brave Blossoms also rank bottom for line-breaks made (5).

South Africa (1) v Wales (12)

Reigning Men’s Rugby World Cup champions South Africa will aim to maintain their perfect start to the Nations Championship with a third win out of three after following a handsome 45-21 win over England with a rollercoaster 42-28 success against Scotland.

The Springboks may have won their most recent meeting 73-0 against a depleted Welsh side last November, but in Rugby World Cup history they have been doughty opponents, with three epic contests across three successive tournaments.

South Africa edged a tense pool meeting 17-16 at RWC 2011 after Wales - who went on to reach the semi-finals - fought back from an early 10-3 deficit to lead 16-12, while Warren Gatland’s side were within five minutes of another semi-final four years later before a late Fourie du Preez try saw South Africa prevail 23-19 at RWC 2015.

There was more late heartbreak for Wales at RWC 2019, where they fought back to level their semi-final in Yokohama at 16-16 before a Handré Pollard penalty in the 76th minute ended their hopes of reaching a first RWC final.

Key stat: Wales are one of two teams to have scored a try from at least half of their line-breaks in this year’s Nations Championship (50%, also Ireland). But South Africa have seen their opposition score on just 16% of the line-breaks they’ve conceded, the best defensive rate of any side.

Argentina (7) v England (5)

Two more sides with plenty of recent Men’s Rugby World Cup rivalry will complete the first block of Nations Championship matches when they meet at the atmospheric Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero in northern Argentina.

The Pumas, who recovered from a Round One defeat by Scotland to beat Wales 35-21 last weekend, will be looking to make a statement against a side who they have lost to in all five Rugby World Cup meetings, including two at the last tournament in 2023.

England won pool encounters in 1995, 2011 and 2019 before they were again pitched together for a third time in four tournaments at RWC 2023. Despite the early loss of Tom Curry to a red card inside three minutes, England fly-half George Ford’s kicking masterclass, including three drop-goals  - only the fifth time in RWC history a player had scored three or more in one match - led them to a 27-10 victory.

Both teams lost in the semi-finals - England to South Africa, Argentina to New Zealand - meaning they met again in the bronze final, England this time edging home 26-23. They subsequently won a two-Test series 2-0 in Argentina in 2025, but a 27-23 win in their most recent meeting last November suggests another close contest is likely.

Key stat: England (100%, 27/27) and Argentina (96.3%, 26/27) have the highest success rates on their own lineouts of any sides in the 2026 Nations Championship – the Pumas are also one of four sides yet to lose one of their own scrums (6/6).

Chile (18) v Georgia (13)

Saturday’s Nations Cup matches begin with a double-header in Montevideo, where Samoa face Romania before Uruguay - who have qualified for a fourth straight Men’s Rugby World Cup - host Hong Kong China, who will make their debut at Australia 2027.

The action then switches to La Serena in northern Chile, where Los Condores will strive to make it three wins from three after bonus-point victories over Romania and Hong Kong China - the latter a Pool A opponent at RWC 2027 - in their opening two games.

Flanker Raimundo Martinez scored four tries in those two wins for Chile, who also face tournament heavyweights New Zealand and Australia at next year’s global tournament.

But they can expect a stern test from Georgia, who have earned impressive wins over Uruguay (41-34) and Samoa (33-12) in their first two matches as they build towards a seventh successive Men’s Rugby World Cup appearance, where they will tackle defending champions South Africa, Italy and Romania in Pool B.

Key stat: Chile (4.88) and Georgia (4.92) have scored the most points per attacking 22 entry of any teams in this year’s Nations Cup, even though Georgia have made the fewest attacking entries of any side (12).

USA (14) v Spain (16)

Sandwiched between a double-header in Winnipeg, where Tonga tackle Portugal and Canada host Zimbabwe, the penultimate fixture of this round of Nations Cup matches pits two improving sides together in Raleigh, North Carolina, after Spain’s 32-19 win over Tonga last weekend lifted them four places up the World Rugby rankings to 16th.

The USA - helped by tries from powerful centre Dominic Besag and number eight Paddy Ryan - earned an encouraging 30-29 victory over Portugal in their opener and last week’s bonus-point win over Zimbabwe gives them a chance to make it three in a row as they build towards Australia 2027, where they will face France, Japan and Samoa in Pool E.

Spain, who will return to Men’s Rugby World Cup for the first time since their lone appearance in 1999, are also unbeaten after a thrilling 42-42 draw with Canada - one of their Pool C opponents next year - preceded the win over Tonga, with inspirational Cameroon-born prop Thierry Futeu to the fore in both games.

Pablo Bouza’s side will kick off their Australia 2027 campaign against Fiji in Newcastle, which is hosting four matches.

Key stat: Spain have completed the most tackles (347) of any side in this year’s Nations Cup and also boast the competition’s best tackle success rate (88.3%), while only Georgia (53) have made more dominant tackles than USA (29, also Uruguay).

For the full schedule of Nations Championship fixtures and kick-off times in your region, click here: https://www.world.rugby/tournaments/fixtures-results

For a full list of Nations Cup fixtures, click here: https://www.world.rugby/nations-cup/en/matches/2026