Summary

  • Nations Championship fixtures (times BST)

  • New Zealand 34-32 France (FT)

  • All Blacks clinch narrow victory in end-to-end match

  • Japan 27-10 Italy (FT)

  • Takuro Matsunaga scores 17 points

  • Australia 31-33 Ireland (FT)

  • Robert Baloucoune ruled out for Andy Farrell's side

  • Dylan Pietsch scores first try on three minutes before Cian Prendergast responds. Jock Campbell and Josh van der Flier exchange tries.

  • Jeremey Williams and Ryan Lonergan put Australia ahead as Jamison Gibson-Park crosses before break

  • Hugo Keenan's try edges Ireland infront and Tate McDermott puts hosts ahead once again, but Thomas Clarkson crosses in final five minutes

  • Fiji 24-39 Wales (FT)

  • South Africa v England (16:40)

  • Argentina v Scotland (20:10)

Send us your views

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 07:56 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Crumpets and coffee?! A+. I went for Honey Cheerios myself. Decent start to the day.

    Just had two crumpets an an aeropress coffee. I love this fixture as a, neutral.. Plus, nobody talking about altitude or staying up past bedtime. My prediction is a predictable NZ squeak past as they mainly seem to do at home with top tier teams.

    Tom, Birmingham

    Fantastic initiative to make the October and summer tests even more competitive. Will miss the summer tours to one nation tho. And also a shame not to get Georgia involved and other nations who don’t get regular opportunities against the top nations

    Tod, Leeds

  2. 'Such a blessing'published at 07:55 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Ardie SaveaImage source, Getty Images

    Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, All Blacks captain Ardie Savea said the new Te Kaha stadium was "amazing", and he was "blessed" to be there.

    "I've been around the city this week and just seeing it alive, it's such a blessing to see, especially with what happened years ago.

    "It's my first time being able to play in this stadium so I'm really looking forward to it."

    New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie said the stadium was a "real credit to the city".

    "The boys are really excited about being here. Christchurch has got a rich history, Canterbury's made a massive contribution to the All Blacks.

    "To play in front of a packed crowd on the weekend knowing that we're going to have pretty good conditions, yeah, really exciting."

  3. Postpublished at 07:52 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Lancaster Park after the 2011 earthquake in ChristchurchImage source, Getty Images

    Lancaster Park in Christchurch was set to host matches at the 2011 World Cup before the devastating earthquake hit New Zealand.

    The 6.3-magnitude earthquake stuck in February 2011, and 185 people lost their lives.

    The home of Super Rugby side Crusaders, Lancaster Park was damaged in the earthquake and never reopened.

    It was demolished in 2019 and the new 30,000-seater Te Kaha stadium will host today's match.

    Te Kaha means "the strength", and reflects the spirit of the people of Christchurch.

    The new Te Kaha stadiumImage source, Getty Images
  4. Team news - Penaud returnspublished at 07:49 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    France Rugby

    With key players Antoine Dupont and Louis Bielle-Biarrey left at home, it's a different France side from what we are used to.

    Bordeaux scrum-half Maxime Lucu will captain the side alongside Champions Cup winning team-mate Matthieu Jalibert.

    Damian Penaud returns on the wing after his Six Nations omission, while Max Spring will make a start at full-back.

    In the pack, Australian-born lock Tom Staniforth will make his France debut.

    France: Max Spring; Damian Penaud; Fabien Brau-Boirie, Yoram Moefana; Theo Attissogbe; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot; Maxime Lamothe, Demba Bamba; Hugo Auradou, Tom Staniforth; Pierre Bochaton, Pscar Jegou, Mark Gazzotti.

    Replacements: Barnabe Massa, Reda Wardi, Regis Montagne, Mickael Guillard, Killian Tixeront, Nolann Le Garrec, Antoine Hastoy, Nicolas Depoortere.

  5. Team news - No Beauden Barrettpublished at 07:47 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    New Zealand Rugby

    The headline news for the All Blacks is that Dave Rennie has handed Ruben Love the keys for the 10 jersey, while there's no place in the team for Beauden Barrett.

    Damian McKenzie, so often Barrett's deputy, will start at 15 in Christchurch.

    Hurricaines duo Xavier Numia and Fehi Fineanganofo could make their New Zealand debuts off the bench.

    New Zealand: Damian McKenzie; Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea; Jordie Barrett; Caleb Clarke; Ruben Love, Cam Roigard; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell; Josh Lord, Sam Darry; Peter Lakai, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (capt).

    Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia, Tyrel Lomax, Patrick Tuipulotu, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Billy Proctor, Fehi Fineanganofo.

  6. Who is missing for France?published at 07:44 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Antoine Dupont celebrates with the Top 14 titleImage source, Getty Images

    It's fair to say that France head to the southern hemisphere with a weaker squad than many are used to seeing from the Six Nations champions.

    The headline absentee is Antoine Dupont, who helped Tolouse beat Montpellier in the Top 14 final on 27 June.

    The scrum-half was set to be added to Fabien Galthie but withdrew after the final, which means he has not played in the southern hemisphere since 2017 - which feels staggering.

    Thomas Ramos, who struck the last-gasp kick that won the Six Nations, and key wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey have also been left at home.

    There is a return for Damien Penaud, who was left out of the Six Nations squad.

  7. Get Involvedpublished at 07:42 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Get Involved

    If you're up and at it early on this fine Saturday morning, we want to hear from you!

    What do you think of the new Nations Championship? Are you excited to have international rugby back for the first time since March?

    Even what did you have for breakfast?

    Let us know using Get Involved, and we'll feature the best ones in the live text.

  8. Postpublished at 07:40 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST)

    Dave RennieImage source, Getty Images

    It's all change for the All Blacks as Dave Rennie takes charge of his first match.

    He replaces Scott Robertson, who left his role as head coach in January after a review into a low-key 2025.

    Rennie is a former Australia boss and also spent three years in charge of Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship.

    He's a no-nonsense character, so we'll get our first look at how the All Blacks will fare in his tenure.

  9. Today's menupublished at 07:37 BST

    It's a bumper of day of rugby.

    We'll have live text coverage of all the home nations on the BBC Sport app and website, as well as France's trip to Christchurch to take on New Zealand.

    It promises to be a mega day.

    08:10 BST: New Zealand v France

    09:40 BST: Japan v Italy

    11:10 BST: Australia v Ireland

    14:10 BST: Fiji v Wales

    16:40 BST: South Africa v England

    20:10 BST: Argentina v Scotland

  10. What is the Nations Championship?published at 07:34 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST); Australia v Ireland (11:10 BST)

    Mike Henson
    BBC Sport senior rugby union reporter

    Media caption,

    How does the Nations Championship work?

    The Nations Championship pits the northern hemisphere teams who compete in the Six Nations - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy - against southern hemisphere giants South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, plus invited sides Fiji and Japan.

    The geographically observant will note that Japan is actually about 2,500 miles north of the equator, so doesn't sit in the southern hemisphere. But the sport is rolling with it, somewhat in the spirit of Australia's participation in Eurovision.

    All teams will play each of the six in the opposing hemisphere once, with three rounds of fixtures staged in July and another three in November.

    Their results will rank the teams within their own hemisphere, from one to six.

    On the final weekend in November, there is a three-day play-off event staged at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. The sixth-placed team in the northern hemisphere plays off against the equivalent in the southern hemisphere standings and so on, culminating in the two top-ranked sides taking each other on. The winner of that final match is crowned the inaugural Nations Championship winner.

    However, there is also a parallel, Ryder-Cup style hemisphere title. The winner of each of the matches on the play-offs weekend will earn one point for their hemisphere, except for the contest between the two top-ranked teams which delivers two.

    The first hemisphere to earn four points over the weekend will be crowned winners.

  11. Morning everyone!published at 07:30 BST

    New Zealand v France (08:10 BST); Australia v Ireland (11:10 BST)

    The early bird catches the worm and all that, so here we are for the opening match of the inaugural Nations Championship as New Zealand take on France.

    It's not quite as blockbuster as it could be with several players missing for both sides, but this should still be a good one as second hosts third in the world rankings.

    We'll have live text commentary of the game in Christchurch, and also from Ireland's opening game as they take on Joe Schmidt's Wallabies, which should be another good one.

    If, like me, you are having absolutely zero regrets about staying up to watch the Argentina v Cape Verde World Cup game, go and put the kettle on and settle in for a big day of rugby.