Rugby World
Watch La Rochelle v Harlequins: Live streams, TV details, for Sunday’s crucial Champions Cup match

Can Harlequins beat La Rochelle and secure a home tie in the last 16? (Warren Little/Getty Images)The Londoners face former champions battling for their Champions Cup survivalWatch La Rochelle v Harlequins as Ronan O’Gara’s Top 14 side fight for a place in the last 16 of …Continue reading » [...]

How to watch Bayonne v Leinster: TV & streaming info for Saturday Champions Cup match

Leinster will be pushing to top the pool and secure home ties in the knockout stages of the competition (Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Watch Bayonne v Leinster as the two sides play their final pool match in this year’s European Rugby Champions Cup. …Continue reading » [...]

What is rugby’s new tackle height law and how will it impact the game?

The new tackle height laws will be given a professional trial in this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship (Getty/RFU)Following World Rugby’s announcement of an elite level trial for a lowered tackle height, we explain what the new guidance means for the sportWorld Rugby has recommended a law trial which will see the legal tackle height drop to the base of the sternum [...]

Six Nations 2026: All you need to know including previous results and winners

Antoine Dupont of France lifts the Six Nations Trophy after his team's victory during the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match between France and Scotland at Stade de France on March 15, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)Can France make it two titles in a row when the Six Nations 2026 kicks off in February?The men's Six Nations concludes on Saturday 15 March with Super Saturday. Three sides can still win the championship. Here’s all you need to know about the northern hemisphere’s biggest and most beloved rugby tournament. [...]

Six Nations fixtures 2026: Every match in this year’s year’s men’s championship

France and England will bring the 2026 Six Nations fixtures to a close on Saturday 14 March (Julian Finney - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)Your quick guide to the 2026 Six Nations fixtures, including UK broadcaster information and 2025 resultsThe 2024 tournament might still be in its infancy, but attention is already turning to next year's Six Nations [...]

Ireland Six Nations 2026 squad: Your guide to Andy Farrell’s team

Jamison Gibson-Park is likely to be one of the stars of the Ireland Six Nations 2026 squad (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)Will the Ireland Six Nations 2026 squad be able to reclaim the title they lost to France last season?Andy Farrell's squad are without Johnny Sexton after his retirement [...]

France Six Nations 2026 squad: Your guide to Fabien Galthié’s team

Antoine Dupont is back from injury and is likely to captain the France Six Nations squad in 2026 (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)Will the France Six Nations squad be able to go back-to-back in 2026?Who will Fabien Galthié choose for the tournament? Find out here [...]

Italy Six Nations squad 2026: Your guide to Gonzalo Quesada’s team

The Italy Six Nations 2026 squad should boast the scintillating talents of Ange Capuozzo (Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Gonzalo Quesada can call on some world-class talent for the Italy Six Nations 2026 squadWho has been selected for the Azzurri in the 2025 Italy Six Nations squad? [...]

Scotland Six Nations 2026 squad: Your guide to Gregor Townsend’s team

Expect Finn Russell to be one of the first names written down for the Scotland Six Nations 2026 squad (David Rogers/Getty Images)Will the Scotland Six Nations 2026 squad be the one to break the third-place ceiling?Find out who Gregor Townsend has selected for Scotland [...]

England Six Nations 2026 squad: Your guide to Steve Borthwick’s team

Bath’s Ollie Lawrence is likely to be part of the England Six Nations squad in 2026 (Alex Davidson - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)Who will Steve Borthwick select to chase a first Six Nations win since 2020?Steve Borthwick has picked his England squad for the 2025 Six Nations championship with a change of captain [...]

Wales Six Nations 2026 squad: Your guide to Steve Tandy’s team

Tomos Williams was one of only two members of the likely Wales Six nations squad to travel to Australia with the British & Irish Lions (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)Steve Tandy prepares for his first Six Nations championship at the Wales helmWho has made Warren Gatland's Wales squad for the Six Nations in 2025? [...]

Why is the 2026 Six Nations starting on a Thursday night?

Antoine Dupont’s France host Ireland in this year's Six Nations opener (David Rogers/Getty Images)The 2026 edition of the tournament breaks with tradition by kicking off on a Thursday.The 2026 tournament is kicking off on Thursday 5 February, but is it a first for the championship? [...]

Australia 2027

QUALIFICATION PROCESS

BIG 12 AUTOMATIC SPOTS
> As hosts Australia qualify automatically for the 2027 tournament with another 11 teams gaining automatic qualification by finishing in the top three positions in their pools in the 2023 World Cup. Those teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Argentina, Ireland, France, Wales, Fiji, Scotland, Italy and Japan. The remaining 12 spots in the 2027 expanded 24-team format will be allocated through teams competing in a global qualification process.

Four of those spots have already gone to the semi-finalists in the Rugby Rurope Championship, with semi-finalists Georgia, Spain, Portugal and Romania all qualifying for Australia 2027. The winner of the fifth-place play-off will earn a ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament in November, when one place in Australia 2027 will go to the winner of the tournament.

EUROPE – 4 TEAMS
Qualification matches: January-March 2025
> The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe Championship 2025 will qualify directly for Australia 2027. Nations involved: Belgium, Georgia, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Switzerland.
The winner of the fifth-place play-off will secure their ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).

ASIA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: June-July 2025
> The Asia Rugby Championship 2025 winners will qualify directly for Australia 2027.
Nations involved: Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates.
The runner-up in the tournament will progress to the Asia/Africa Play-off (see below).

AFRICA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: July 2025
> The Rugby Africa Cup 2025 champions will qualify directly for Australia 2027. Nations involved: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The runner-up in the tournament will progress to the Asia/Africa Play-off (see below).

SOUTH AMERICA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: July-September 2025
> The Sudamerica Rugby Championship 2025 winners will secure their place at Australia 2027, with the runner-up qualifying for the South America/Pacific Play-off (see below) and the third-placed team joining the line-up for the Final Qualification Tournament (see below). Nations involved: Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

PACIFIC – 3 TEAMS
Qualification matches: August-September 2025
> The top three teams in the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (other than already-qualified Fiji and Japan) will qualify for Australia 2027. The sixth-placed team will join the South America/Pacific Play-off (see below). Nations involved: Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the United States.

SOUTH AMERICA/PACIFIC PLAY-OFF – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: September 2025
> A home-and-away play-off between the runner-up and the team finishing sixth in the Pacific Nations Cup. The winner qualifies for Australia 2027, while the loser will join the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).

ASIA/AFRICA PLAY-OFF
Qualification matches: September 2025
> The Rugby Africa Cup 2025 runner-up will play the Asia Rugby Championship runner-up in a home-and-away play-off. The winner qualifies for the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).

FINAL QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: November 2025
> The final qualification tournament will comprise one pool of four teams, playing in a round-robin format with the winner - on competition points - qualifying for Australia 2027. The four teams will comprise the Sudamerica Rugby Championship 2025 third-place team; the South America/Pacific Play-off loser; the Rugby Europe Championship 2025 fifth-placed team; and the Africa/Asia Play-off winner.

The full Australia 2027 qualifying process explained

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BBC

Bath will play Saracens in the last 16 of the Champions Cup, while Leicester travel to holders Bordeaux and Bristol face six-time winners Toulouse away. [...]

Harlequins stun La Rochelle to claim a place and home advantage in the last 16 of the Champions Cup. [...]

Glasgow Warriors continue their fine form in the Champions Cup with victory over Saracens to set up a home last-16 tie against the Bulls. [...]

Impressive teenager Edoardo Todaro scores a first-half hat-trick to help seal Northampton Saints a home last-16 tie in the Investec Champions Cup and eliminate Scarlets. [...]

Bristol Bears miss out on top spot in their Champions Cup pool as Louis Bielle-Biarrey's hat-trick gives defending champions Bordeaux victory at Ashton Gate. [...]

Scarlets are regretting missed chances in the Champions Cup while Cardiff, Dragons and Ospreys will have to travel in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup. [...]

Bachuki Tchumbadze scores an early double as Exeter Chiefs overcome a reshuffled Cardiff side to book a home tie in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup. [...]

Wolfhounds produce a rampant display in the Celtic Challenge to ease to a 69-0 victory over Brython Thunder at the Affidea Stadium. [...]

A strong second-half showing helps Clovers to a 57-31 victory over Glasgow Warriors in an entertaining Celtic Challenge game at the Affidea Stadium. [...]

Toulouse avoid a shock Investec Champions Cup exit by scoring 11 tries and inflicting Sale Sharks' record defeat. [...]

Gloucester are out of the Champions Cup after a disappointing 31-14 home defeat to Toulon. [...]

Leicester face a nervous wait to find out if they will progress to the Champions Cup round of 16 after a 39-26 defeat against the Stormers in Cape Town. [...]

Munster crash out of the Investec Champions Cup after losing an enthralling Pool Two encounter against Castres at Thomond Park. [...]

Leinster seal a late 22-13 win over Bayonne to ensure that they win Champions Cup Pool Three and will enjoy home advantage in the knockout stages. [...]

Ospreys will face an away tie in the Challenge Cup knockout stages in April after a 31-26 defeat by Montpellier in Bridgend. [...]