All Blacks on the road to London as Nations Championship ladders tighten
Perfect start to the Northern Series
With two rounds left before the inaugural Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London, the All Blacks made it four wins from four in the tournament with a 43-21 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, on 7 November 2026.
The result follows a clean sweep of the July home series, including a 53rd straight Test unbeaten at Eden Park:
- All Blacks 34-32 France, 4 July 2026 at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
- All Blacks 47-17 Italy, 11 July 2026 at Sky Stadium, Wellington
- All Blacks 40-21 Ireland, 18 July 2026 at Eden Park, Auckland
Leading 24-21 at half-time despite two yellow cards, the All Blacks tightened their discipline and defence after the break and held Scotland scoreless in the second half.
Wallace Sititi, Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Josh Moorby and Asafo Aumua all crossed, while Fullback Beauden Barrett scored twice. His double brought up 50 Test tries, making him just the ninth player in history to reach the milestone.
How the ladders are poised
The All Blacks and South Africa are locked on 20 points at the top of the Southern Hemisphere, with the Springboks ahead only on points difference. Both collected bonus-point wins in Round 4, so every try over the next two weekends could decide who finishes first. In the North, France lead on 17, with England and Ireland level on 15. Scotland's loss leaves them fourth on 11, one point clear of Wales.
The Northern Hemisphere also edged ahead in the cross-hemisphere head-to-head, winning four of the six Round 4 matches to lead 13-11 overall, after the two halves finished all square in July.
The road to London
Finals Weekend pairs teams that finish in the same position in each hemisphere, with the two table-toppers meeting in the Nations Championship Final on 29 November 2026. If the ladders finished today, the All Blacks would sit second in the South and face the North's second-placed side, currently England or Ireland, on 28 November.
Two Tests remain to settle it:
- Wales v All Blacks, 15 November 2026 at Principality Stadium, Cardiff (3.10am NZDT)
- England v All Blacks, 22 November 2026 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London (3.10am NZDT)
South Africa face France in Paris and Ireland in Dublin over the same two weekends.
WATCH: All Blacks v Scotland Highlights, Edinburgh, 2026
Silverware takes in the sights
The prize is already in town. The Nations Championship Trophy and Hemisphere Shield were recently photographed at the Tower of London.
All 12 nations will descend on Allianz Stadium, Twickenham for three days of international rugby from 27 to 29 November 2026, with 246,000 fans expected across the weekend as the inaugural Nations Championship winners are crowned.
Tickets for Nations Championship Finals Weekend are available here.
Nations Championship Finals Weekend: key facts
Dates: Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026 (UK time)
Nations: 12, representing the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Expected attendance: 246,000 across three days
Silverware: Nations Championship Trophy and Hemisphere Shield
The Final: Top North v Top South, 29 November 2026
