All 24 teams competing at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 return to action over the forthcoming weekend of 6-8 November as the second block of the Nations Championship and Nations Cup tournaments get under way.  

After a spectacular opening three rounds of fixtures in the two competitions in the southern hemisphere in July, both will build to a thrilling conclusion in Europe over the next few weeks.

The rugby bonanza kicks off on Friday, 6 November with Ireland taking on Argentina in Dublin in the Nations Championship and Romania facing Tonga in Bucharest in the Nations Cup.

There are eight mouthwatering matches across the two tournaments - four in each - on Saturday before round four concludes on Sunday, 8 November with England taking on Australia in London in the Nations Championship and Hong Kong China facing USA in Bourg-en-Bresse, France in the Nations Cup.

Here is a selection of some of the fixtures awaiting us.

Ireland (world ranking 3) v Argentina (8)

This is a Nations Championship fixture brimming with Rugby World Cup history. Argentina have knocked Ireland out of three World Cups - in 1999, 2007 and 2015.

They could face each other again at Australia 2027 in the quarter-final if both countries win - or finish runners-up - in their respective pools.

Ireland have dominated encounters in Dublin though with Argentina yet to win at the Aviva Stadium, but the Pumas have inspirational captain Julian Montoya back for Friday’s match after missing the last three Tests. However, exciting playmaker Santi Carreras is out with a long-term ACL injury sustained playing for Bath.

Ireland coach Andy Farrell, who is without his captain Caelan Doris, will be relieved that British and Irish Lions prop Tadhg Furlong is available after being cleared at a disciplinary hearing last week. 

He will also have all-action wing Mack Hansen back after the Australian-born star missed the Six Nations and July Tests through injury.

Key stats: Ireland topped the stats for post-contact metres made in the 2026 Men’s Six Nations with 713, of which centre Stuart McCloskey was responsible for 105. Expansive Argentina averaged 190 passes and 168 ball carries in the first three rounds of the Nations Championship.

Italy (11) v South Africa (1)

Italy take on Rugby World Cup champions South Africa in Turin in what is a precursor to their meeting at RWC 2027 on Sunday, 3 October next year in Adelaide | Tarntanya.

The Adelaide Oval clash will be the opening game in Pool B and one of six matches played at the famous stadium. (https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2027/en/host-cities/adelaide-tarntanya ) The two nations have met once before at a World Cup, at Japan 2019 in Fukuroi, when the Springboks prevailed 49-3.

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has named a powerful team for Saturday’s contest with 2025 World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Malcolm Marx winning his 95th cap at hooker. Double World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi leads the side.

Italy have a long injury list which includes skipper Michele Lamaro but are boosted by the return of Toulouse livewire Ange Capuozzo, who missed the Azzurri’s July Nations Championship matches through injury.

Key stats: Italy’s total of six lineout steals in the 2026 Six Nations was equalled only by Ireland. South Africa stand-off Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu needs five more points to reach 200 in Test rugby.

Scotland (6) v New Zealand (2)

New Zealand have never lost to Scotland in 33 meetings since 1905 - a dominance that includes five victories at Men’s Rugby World Cups.

However, Gregor Townsend’s attack-minded team ran the All Blacks close 12 months ago in Edinburgh, fighting back from 17-0 down to square the match before Damian McKenzie’s brilliant finish and late penalty won it for the visitors.

McKenzie is likely to be a key figure again for New Zealand in what could be a fascinating head-to-head with Scotland’s string-puller-in-chief Finn Russell between the respective fly-halves.

New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie will be without star back-row Ardie Savea with a shoulder injury so the experienced Codie Taylor will stand in as captain.

The two sides will meet again in Dunedin next September in what will be Scotland’s final warm-up match ahead of their RWC 2027 Pool D opener against Uruguay on Sunday, 3 October in Melbourne | Narrm.

Key stats: Scotland wing Kyle Steyn beat 26 defenders in the 2026 Six Nations, the most of any player in the tournament. New Zealand made 27 line-breaks in their two Test victories against Australia last month. 

England (5) v Australia (7)

RWC 2027 hosts Australia won at Allianz Stadium two years ago on what was a memorable Wallabies debut for Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i.

The cross-code star was named man of the match as Max Jorgensen’s last-gasp try won a thriller for Australia 42-37.

England took their revenge last year with a 25-7 victory which included a try for replacement Henry Pollock. The tearaway flanker also scored a second-half hat-trick in England’s Nations Championship win over Fiji in July.

This will be Wallabies head coach Les Kiss’s first game in charge against England since taking over from Joe Schmidt in August, in what will be the latest enactment of a fierce sporting rivalry.

The two nations have faced each other in two Rugby World Cup finals with one win apiece - Australia in 1991 in London and England in 2003 in Sydney.

Key stats: England back-row Ben Earl made the most carries in the 2026 Men's Six Nations (98), while Australia’s Harry Wilson has the highest tackle completion rate - 90 per cent - in the Nations Championship.

Spain (17) v Uruguay (18)

Spain head coach Pablo Bouza will encounter some familiar faces when his side take on Uruguay in the Nations Cup at the Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense in Madrid on Saturday.

The former Argentina international won successive Super Rugby Americas titles with Uruguayan franchise Penarol in 2022 and 2023 before landing the Spain job.

The two nations met at RWC 1999 in Galashiels, Scotland, with a try from Uruguay captain Diego Ormaechea helping his side to their first victory at the tournament. The 40-year-old number eight remains the oldest try-scorer in Rugby World Cup history.

Uruguay will be making their sixth Rugby World Cup appearance at Australia 2027.

Spain have qualified for the second time and will start their campaign against Fiji in Pool C in Newcastle | Awabakal-Worimi on 4 October next year.

Uruguay are still searching for their first win in the Nations Cup despite topping the try count with 17 in their three matches so far.

Key stats: Spain second-row Antonio Suarez topped the team’s defensive charts with 17 tackles in their 32-19 victory over Tonga in round two. Uruguay hooker Joaquín Myszka is the overall leading try-scorer in the Nations Cup (7), including two hat-tricks.

Georgia (13) v Canada (22)

Georgia, the only unbeaten side remaining in the Nations Cup, take on Canada at the Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, on Saturday.

The Lelos’ three wins on the road in July – over Uruguay, Samoa and Chile - have set them up perfectly for a November push. 

They have the tournament’s leading points-scorer in Oyonnax fly-half Luka Matkava and beat Canada 38-17 when the sides last met in Batumi a year ago. Shako Aptsiauri scored a hat-trick that day.

Canada, though, were buoyed by a win over Zimbabwe in Winnipeg in round three and beat USA 19-16 in September in their most recent outing, secured by a try from teenage scrum-half Jesse Kilgour on his debut.

Canada, who missed on qualification for RWC 2023, are back in Australia and open their tournament against Argentina in Brisbane | Meeanjin on 4 October next year.

Key stats: Georgia have completed 23 offloads in their three Nations Cup matches so far. Canada had a ruck success rate of 98 per cent in their recent 19-16 victory over the USA.

For the full schedule of Nations Championship fixtures and kick-off times in your region, click here.

For a full list of Nations Cup fixtures, click here.