After three thrilling rounds of action during July which saw some spectacular rugby, upsets, late drama and the highest-scoring draw in test history, the World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 returns for round four on Friday with fans able to follow all the action unfold live on RugbyPass TV where there is no local broadcaster.
USA and Georgia currently top the pools as the only unbeaten teams with the two inaugural champions to be crowned by end of November.
The action again begins in Bucharest as Romania take on Tonga and will conclude with Hong Kong China and USA meeting in France.
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Romania v Tonga
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Round four kicks off with a mouthwatering encounter between Romania and Tonga in Bucharest – and with both sides having one victory from the first three rounds.
History suggests a close-fought affair could lie in store on Friday as Romania and Tonga have played each other six times since their first meeting in 2013 and have three wins apiece.
Tonga memorably won 45-24 when the sides met at Rugby World Cup 2023, although Romania edged the last encounter between the sides 25-15 in Bucharest two years ago.
Hosts Romania have named a strong side with Alin Conache and Daniel Plai forming the half-back combination and Marius Simionescu at full-back. Iliesa Tiqe and Tevita Manumua line up on the wings and flanker Cristi Boboc will captain the side with Adrian Țală set for his debut off the bench.
Fetuli Paea has been named captain of Tonga while Siaosi Nginingini and Patrick Pellegrini pair up at half-back. Efitusi Ma’afu and Manu Vunipola are in line for their debuts off the bench as these two nations meet for the sixth time at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf.
Romania are 21st in the World Rugby Men's Rankings with Tonga currently just two places above them in 19th.
Georgia v Canada
Venue: Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Georgia showed why they are rated as a coming force in world rugby by topping the Europe, Asia and Africa pool with three wins from three on the road.
The Lelos outscored Uruguay at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo in a thrilling 41-34 victory in round one before beating Samoa 33-12 at the Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar in Chile.
They then showed their class again by dispatching hosts Chile 49-22 in Santiago to sit at the top of their pool.
Georgia fly-half Luka Matkava is currently the tournament’s leading points scorer with 49 points and has landed all 19 attempts at the posts with 13 conversions and six penalties.
The Oyonnax playmaker will be partnered by scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze against Canada while Davit Niniashvili will captain the side from full-back.
Georgia have won each of their last three matches against Canada and will be looking to beat them for the fifth successive time on home soil.
In-form Georgia have won seven of their eight matches in 2026, only losing 19-17 to Portugal in the Rugby Europe Men's Championship final in March, and an eighth victory would mark their most successful calendar year since 2018 when they also registered eight wins.
Canada, meanwhile, have one win so far after beating Zimbabwe 23-19 in round three.
Matt Beukeboom is poised to make his first international appearance in nine years, Tyler Ardron also returns for the first time since Canada’s opening Nations Cup fixture against Spain in July while Nic Benn makes first international appearance since November 2025.
Jack Gore could earn his first cap off the bench just days before his 19th birthday and captain Lucas Rumball will start at openside flanker with vice-captain Ben LeSage at inside-centre.
Canada head coach Stephen Meehan is expecting a stern test, saying: “Georgia are a physical, confrontational team with an aggressive defensive line speed, a strong set-piece and an athletic backline. It will be important for us to be smart in how we respond to those challenges and how we look to dictate the tempo of the game.
“We want to play with intent, strike when opportunities present themselves and move Georgia around the pitch. We’re continuing to develop a style of rugby that suits our strengths while constantly looking for ways to improve. We believe it’s an exciting way to play the game, and one that the players are fully invested in.”
Portugal v Chile
Venue: Estadio do Restelo, Lisbon
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Pau centre Rodrigo Marta, who is the Top 14’s second-top try-scorer, and winger Manuel Cardoso Pinto earn their 50th caps for Portugal, who have not included any new faces in their line-up.
Marta and flanker David Wallis are making their first appearances in the Nations Cup while José Madeira captains the side and Diogo Hasse Ferreira has been named among Portugal’s replacements as he makes his comeback from a lengthy injury.
Chile will be captained by centre Santiago Videla and hand debuts to Felipe Méndez and Benjamín Moreno, with the former starting on the wing and the latter named on the bench.
Portugal have won all four previous encounters with Chile, overturning half-time deficits in three of those victories. This is their first meeting since 2019 when Os Lobos ran out 23-18 winners in Santiago.
The only previous encounter between the sides in Portugal came in 2005 when the hosts ran out 31-18 victors in Lisbon, scoring five tries and preventing their visitors from crossing the whitewash.
Portugal have won nine of their last 10 matches in all competitions, only losing to the USA in that run (30-29), and they’ve won their last four on home soil, accruing 161 points and conceding just 53.
They are handily placed in second on 12 points – two points behind Georgia and prolific winger Cardoso Pinto has notched an impressive five tries so far.
Spain v Uruguay
Venue: Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense, Madrid
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Spain head coach Pablo Bouza has named prop Jon Zabala as captain while free-scoring scrum-half Estanislao Bay will partner Bautista Guemes at half-back in game which will see referee Ben O'Keeffe take charge of his 60th test match.
Bay will hope to maintain the form which saw him score four tries during the first three rounds in July, while rising star Oriol Marsinyac Garcia has been named on bench as he looks to maintain his steady rise to prominence.
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.
Manuel Leindekar returns to captain Los Teros in what will be Guzmán Barreiro's first test as head coach, with the new man including three uncapped players on the bench in Sebastián Pérez, Mateo Sosa and Pedro Hoblog.
Spain have been victorious in three of their last four meetings with Uruguay, the last of which came in November 2024 in Madrid, the hosts winning that one 33-24 thanks to a brace of tries from Kerman Aurrekoetxea.
Los Leones have won all three previous meetings with Uruguay in Spain, twice winning in Madrid (2011 and 2024) as well as one clash in Malaga (2016).
Uruguay have won their last three matches in Europe, as many victories as they’d managed in their previous 16 trips to the continent, two of those wins came against Romania (2024 and 2025) and the other against Portugal (2025).
Zimbabwe v Samoa
Venue: DIY Kitchens Stadium, Wakefield, England
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
This will be the first-ever meeting between Zimbabwe and Samoa – and the first time the African side have ever played a match in England as Wakefield, West Yorkshire plays host to the historic encounter.
Zimbabwe head coach Pieter Benade has named a strong side as the Sables bid to ignite their Nations Cup campaign after three straight defeats to Tonga, USA and Canada in July.
As Benade’s men continue their preparations towards RWC 2027 in Australia, he has picked a team combining established international experience with players looking to make their mark on the international stage.
Edward Sigauke, who enjoyed an impressive July Nations Cup campaign, scoring against both Tonga and the USA to earn him a move to PREM Rugby side Harlequins in August, starts on the wing.
The starting line-up also features experienced campaigners such as Tinotenda Mavesere, captain Hilton Mudariki, Ian Prior, Kudzai Mashawi and Tapiwa Mafura, who will be expected to provide leadership and direction.
Samoa have named a powerful side with former All Blacks Josh Ioane and Shaun Stevenson set for debuts along with AJ Lam and Chris Gabriel.
Meanwhile, Alamanda Motuga has been drafted onto the bench as a late replacement for another former All Black in Akira Ioane.
Former Wallaby Scott Sio will pack down at prop as the 'Ikale Tahi head into November looking for an improvement on their July record, where they picked up just one win against Hong Kong China.
The fixture will mark a significant test for the Sables as both sides continue their preparations towards Men's Rugby World Cup 2027.
Hong Kong China v USA
Venue: Stade Marcel-Verchère, Bourg-en-Bresse, France
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Hong Kong China and the USA have met eight times previously with both sides picking up four wins apiece so far, although the only meeting this century came in 2022, with the USA winning that encounter 49-7 in the RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai.
USA go into Sunday’s match top of their pool after three straight wins in July and buoyed by a recent intensive two-week training camp on home soil.
The fortnight’s preparation included games against an Australia A/XV side in Nashville and New Jersey as the Eagles look to build on Nations Cup wins over Portugal, Spain, and Zimbabwe in July.
Hong Kong China have won four of their last six games against sides from the Americas, including their most recent (a 42-40 win over Uruguay), which was also the first time they’ve both scored and conceded 40+ points in a test match.
The two teams will be named on Friday.
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