The trophy that will crown the inaugural Nations Championship winners has been revealed ahead of the launch of rugby’s new global competition.
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Standing 67cm tall and weighing 15kg, the trophy will be awarded to the nation that finishes on top of the 12-team tournament, which brings together the leading sides from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The design reflects the worldwide nature of the competition, featuring a gold-plated globe at its centre, while the handles incorporate lines of latitude and longitude to symbolise the meeting of the sport’s two traditional hemispheres.
The Nations Championship will feature the six Guinness Six Nations teams representing the Northern Hemisphere, taking on the four SANZAAR nations alongside Fiji and Japan, who make up the Southern Hemisphere group.
Each nation will play six cross-hemisphere fixtures across two international windows, with matches taking place during July and November. Every fixture will contribute towards the standings, with points determining the final group rankings ahead of the Nations Championship Finals Weekend at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Rather than a traditional knockout stage, all 12 teams will play during the three-day finals event. Teams will face the nation that finishes in the corresponding position from the opposite hemisphere, ensuring every ranking is decided on the field.
The headline fixture will see the winners of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere groups meet on the final day to battle for the inaugural Nations Championship title and the newly unveiled trophy. Organisers hope the competition will establish a regular global calendar featuring meaningful international fixtures throughout the year, while creating a definitive contest to determine the world’s leading rugby nation.
The first champions will not only lift the new trophy but also become the inaugural team to claim top spot in what is intended to become rugby’s premier annual international competition.
With the Nations Championship Trophy revealed, ahead of the tournament kicking off on July 4th, Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby, commented:
“The Nations Championship will decide the dominant force in global rugby, and the unveiling of the Trophy the teams will compete to win 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 of growth for a sport that is ready to go truly global.
The Nations Championship will stand alongside the best tournaments and events in world sport, by sharing the same key ingredients that set them apart: jeopardy, unpredictability, and elite athletes competing at the highest levels delivering incredible sporting drama. Every fixture in July and November is unmissable, and the comprehensive access fans have through global broadcast partnership means that fans need never miss a moment of the action.”
At the unveiling of the Nations Championship Trophy, SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris stated:
“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, the players, the fans and the broadcasters are all excited by the new tournament which starts in the southern hemisphere on July 4 and heralds a new era for northern versus southern rivalry.
SANZAAR believes innovation is vital to the ongoing growth and health of the sport and the Nations Championship is an important part of the future. The twelve best teams in world rugby will battle it out for the overall title of Nations Championship champion, while uniquely all teams will determine, through match results in July and November and the Finals weekend, which hemisphere is dominant in the world of rugby”.
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