It’s rugby’s biggest party of the Summer, but not everyone can make it. The 2026 Nations Championship kicks off this weekend, with the Southern Series set to ignite the pitches across three continents.
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The 12 best men’s rugby countries in the world embark upon this newly-minted competition, that will play out throughout the traditional July and November international windows. Following three weeks of exhilarating test match action in the Southern Hemisphere, the competition will be concluded up North, with the ultimate bragging rights – and brand new silverware on the line.
Whilst the following three weeks of international action is set to feature some of the biggest names from across the sport, there are also several high-profile omissions for the Nations Championship Southern Series. So, with the opening round of fixtures set to get underway this weekend across three continents, here’s a run-down on the biggest names that will be watching from home.
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1. ANTOINE DUPONT (FRANCE)
We kick things off with a massive loss for Les Bleus, as France captain and resident magicial dynamo Antoine Dupont has been stood down for the Nations Championship. The original plan for the scrum half was for Dupont to miss the opening week’s clash against the All Blacks, and join up with Fabien Galthie’s side for the remaining two matches of the Summer. This was due to the 29-year-old’s commitments at club level, as Dupont led Toulouse to Top 14 glory this past weekend.
However, the halfback has since endured a late change to the script. Dupont posted on his social media accounts that he has not been given the medical green light to compete, due to a problematic calf issue sustained upon Toulouse’s road to the Top 14 Final. Whilst the injury was manageable for the maestro to run out in the show-piece match of the French season, he has since been swapped out of the French squad and replaced with Toulousain teammate Paul Graou.
2. MARO ITOJE (ENGLAND)
From one man that has withdrawn due to an injury, to another that was given ‘stand-down’ orders to prevent picking one up. England are without their regular captain Maro Itoje for the 2026 Nations Championship, with the lock handed an enforced break from the international squad. Itoje exceeded World Rugby’s recommended limit of 30-matches per season throughout the 2023/24 (33) and 2024/25 (31) campaigns, and is due some well deserved time away from the pitch.
From his social media accounts, Maro Itoje and his partner are making the most of his time away. The lock jetted out to Mauritius, where he’s been soaking up the sun at the luxery Constance Belle Mare Plage resort. In his absence, Itoje’s Saracens teammate Jamie George has taken up the captain’s armband for the England tour, in what could be the hooker’s final opportunity to lead his country, having previously announced his intentions to retire after the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
3. DAFYDD JENKINS (WALES)
Some news which only broke today in the Wales camp, with RUCK’s resident Wales reporter Harry Tovey on hand to deliver the low-down. Wales will go without their former captain Dafydd Jenkins for the Nations Championship, as the lock sustained a shoulder injury in the Gallagher PREM Rugby Final defeat to Northampton Saints, a fortnight ago at the Allianz Stadium.
Exeter Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter also confirmed the enforced absence: “Daf is having a shoulder operation and will miss the Wales summer internationals while rehabbing”
4. SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU (SOUTH AFRICA)
Next up is a man that Springboks fans are gutted to see miss out on the Nations Championship, yet South Africa’s opponents will surely breathe a sigh of relief for. Having enjoyed a phenomenal season with the DHL Stormers, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu suffered an untimely ankle injury in the URC Quarter-Final win over Cardiff.
The official diagnosis is a syndesmosis injury – which in simpler terms means the fly half sustained a high ankle sprain. The issue took place in the 52nd minute at the Cape Town Stadium, as Feinberg-Mngomezulu was doing nothing less than running in the Stormers’ fourth try of a dominant quarter-final win over the Welsh side. With the URC Player of the Year ruled out for July, the Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has named Mannie Libbok to take over the 10 jersey for Saturday’s match with England.
5. JACK CROWLEY (IRELAND)
From one star URC fly half to another now, as Jack Crowley will continue his injury rehabilitation away from the Ireland squad for the remainder of the Summer. The Munster man has endured a troublesome leg injury, which began in April, towards the end of the regular United Rugby Championship season.
Crowley was withdrawn just minutes ahead of kick-off, as Munster hosted Ulster at Thomond Park, with a ‘dead leg’ cited to be the cause of the out-half’s withdrawl, having been unable to generate power into his kicks or whilst running on the pitch.
However, the problem progressed into an ‘obscure blood vessel issue’, which caused the number 10 to miss out on Munster’s URC knock-out hopes. Crowley played no part in his provinces’ quarter-final defeat to the would-be finalists, the Bulls in Pretoria, with Munster head coach Clayton McMillan and Ireland boss Andy Farrell in agreement to keep Crowley on home soil.
In the mean time, the stage is set for Sam Prendergast to continue his return to form and hold down the green 10 shirt in Crowley absence this Summer, as Ireland take on Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
