Nations Championship Trophy unveiled before All Blacks first Test

All Blacks

less than 1 hour agoBy: All Blacks

The trophy that the 12 strongest teams in international rugby will compete for has been unveiled, with the countdown on to the inaugural Nations Championship.

All Blacks kick off Nations Championship against France

Bringing together the world's leading rugby nations in a new biennial competition, the Nations Championship will see the Northern and Southern Hemispheres collide across the traditional July and November international windows, culminating in a Finals Weekend in London to determine the dominant force in world rugby.

For the All Blacks, the journey begins on home soil with three blockbuster Tests against Northern Hemisphere opposition.

Dave Rennie’s side will launch the Nations Championship era against France at Christchurch's new One New Zealand Stadium on Saturday 4 July, the first-ever fixture in the competition and the first international match to be played at the venue. The All Blacks then host Italy at Wellington's Hnry Stadium on 11 July before concluding their home schedule against Ireland at Eden Park on 18 July.

The All Blacks will reunite with their Northern Hemisphere rivals in November, travelling to face Wales, Scotland and England before the Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London from 27-29 November.

Nations Championship trophy unveiled

About the Nations Championship trophy

Standing 67cm tall and weighing 15kg, the silver and gold-plated Nations Championship Trophy will be awarded to the team that emerges as the dominant force in international rugby.

Designed by British luxury silversmiths Thomas Lyte, the trophy reflects the global ambition of the competition. A gold-plated globe sits at its centre, while hand-chased lines of latitude and longitude and two twisting handles symbolise the rivalry and collision between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

About the Nations Championship

Representing the Southern Hemisphere, the All Blacks will join fellow SANZAAR nations Australia, Argentina and South Africa, alongside Fiji and Japan. The Northern Hemisphere group comprises England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Each nation will play six matches against teams from the opposite hemisphere, with every result contributing to the standings ahead of the Finals Weekend.

The top-ranked teams from each hemisphere will meet in the tournament decider, where the inaugural champions will lift the newly unveiled trophy and claim their place at the summit of international rugby.

SANZAAR Chief Executive Brendan Morris said the unveiling marked an important milestone as anticipation builds towards kick-off.

The

waiting

is

almost

over

and

the

anticipation

for

the

inaugural

Nations

Championship

continues

to

build,

and

the

unveiling

of

the

new

trophy

signals

that

kick-off

is

not

far

away.

SANZAAR

believes

innovation

is

vital

to

the

ongoing

growth

and

health

of

the

sport,

and

the

Nations

Championship

is

an

important

part

of

rugby's

future.
SANZAAR Chief Executive, Brendan Morris

Six Nations Rugby Chief Executive Tom Harrison said the tournament had the potential to redefine the global game.

The

Nations

Championship

will

decide

the

dominant

force

in

global

rugby,

and

the

unveiling

of

the

trophy

marks

the

final

countdown

to

the

start

of

a

tournament

that

has

been

years

in

the

making.

Created

by

the

game,

for

the

game,

its

players

and

the

fans,

the

Nations

Championship

is

more

than

just

a

tournament;

it

is

a

catalyst

for

growth

for

a

sport

that

is

ready

to

go

truly

global.
Six Nations Rugby Chief Executive Tom Harrison

The trophy sits on a plinth designed to record the names of future champions, creating a lasting legacy for a competition set to write a new chapter in international rugby.

All Blacks' Nations Championship fixtures

Saturday 4 July: France, One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, 7.10pm NZST - SOLD OUT
Saturday 11 July: Italy, HNRY Stadium, Wellington, 5.10pm NZST - tickets available here
Saturday 18 July: Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland, 7.10pm NZST - tickets available here
Sunday 8 November: Scotland, Sottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, 3.10am NZDT
Sunday 15 November: Wales, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 3.10am NZDT
Sunday 22 November: England, Allianz Stadium, London, 3.10am NZDT
27-29 November: Nations Championship Finals Weekend, Allianz Stadium, London

Nations Championship

ireland

france

italy