Nations Championship grades: Every Six Nations team rated
The Southern Hemisphere leg of rugby’s new competition is now wrapped up, and England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales fared very differently.
Matt Cotton
@@Matt_Cotton
5 min read
The first half of the new Nations Championship, which pits the northern hemisphere against the south (which, for some reason, includes Japan), is done. It will return later this year. So how did those from Europe do? Here is the midterm report card.
England Nations Championship results
Round 1 Lost 45-21 to South Africa
Round 2 Won 73-8 against Fiji
Round 3 Won 31-24 against Argentina
Best bit?
Henry Slade’s tackle in the final move of the match against Argentina saved the win for his teammates, potentially Steve Borthwick’s job, and some national pride after England’s FIFA World Cup heartbreak at the hands of the Argies.
Worst bit?
Aside from their minging new away kit, England were absolutely roasted by the Springboks in the first 11 minutes and final seven minutes in Johannesburg. They conceded five tries across those two periods in a pathetic display that you cannot label as men against boys because that’s too harsh on boys.
What does Steve Borthwick need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Aside from settling on an identity and picking a centre partnership that sticks, Borthers has to sort out his side’s discipline. Their periodic inferiority coughs up penalty after penalty after penalty and has resulted in them being shown 15 yellow cards (two combining into a red) in their eight matches of 2026. Keep that up, and they will not reach the quarter-finals down under.
Grade: C-
The fightback against the Boks was admirable, the thrashing of Fiji was expected and hardly a measuring stick. They nearly blew it against Argentina but dug deep and got it done. Must improve.
France Nations Championship results
Round 1 Lost 34-32 to New Zealand
Round 2 Won 42-26 against Australia
Round 3 Won 42-15 against Japan
Best bit?
It seems mental to say a defeat is the best bit. However, France played some thrilling rugby and showcased some sumptuous depth when losing by only two points at the home of the All Blacks despite missing their Top 14 finalists and a plethora of elite talent due to injury. Scoring 30 unanswered points against the Wallabies was also fun, but not as fun as some of the magnificent lids on show, from the sexy to the stupid.
Worst bit?
Trailing at halftime by three tries to one on consecutive weekends. The French gave a headstart to both New Zealand and Australia, which is not something that you want to make a habit of.
What does Fabien Galthie need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Aside from figuring out a way to fit Maxime Lucu, Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Thomas Ramos all in the same team, France have to improve at the breakdown. That was an area that even the Wallabies rinsed them. You could not help but think that their incompetence at the ruck could cost them in a World Cup knockout match against the likes of South Africa or Ireland.
Grade: B+
Breezed past Japan, oozed class against the Aussies, and took the positives from a marginal loss to one of the game’s giants. France’s depth is crazy.
Ireland Nations Championship results
Round 1 Won 33-31 against Australia
Round 2 Won 36-20 against Japan
Round 3 Lost 40-21 to New Zealand
Best bit?
Coming from 24-12 down in Sydney to edge a tight contest against the Wallabies in which Sam Prendergast put his cojones on the table and silenced a few critics off the tee and in defence.
Worst bit?
Failing to lay a proper glove on the All Blacks. Some of the refereeing calls against them were scandalous, but they would have lost anyway given their horrific handling and sloppy play that kept giftwrapping tries for New Zealand. They do not need a second invitation.
What does Andy Farrell need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Ireland are clearly a league below France and New Zealand and even further from the Boks. They are on the right track but nowhere near as fancied as they were at France 2023. They need to pick, once and for all, either Sam Prendergast or Jack Crowley at 10, find some help for sensational scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park, and fix a lineout that is occasionally brilliant but often malfunctioning.
Grade: C-
Did not care about Japan but still won. Got slightly lucky against Australia but also showed plenty of character and played smart. Let this column and themselves down against the All Blacks with some amateur errors and generous gifting of tries.
Italy Nations Championship results
Round 1 Lost 27-10 to Japan
Round 2 Lost 47-17 to New Zealand
Round 3 Lost 57-10 to Australia
Best bit?
Their first half against the All Blacks. Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello showed why they are the best midfield in world rugby, with the latter scoring a barnburner of a try to leave the match in the balance at the break.
Worst bit?
Naming a much-changed/weaker team against the Wallabies and then getting absolutely humped and robbing us of a real litmus test and potential slobberknocker. Italy are on the same level as Australia but it is much harder to justify that after shocking defeats to them and Japan.
What does Gonzalo Quesada need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Bolster Italy’s lineout execution, transform their red-zone entry into consistent tries and not crumble like a cheap feta against the traditionally “bigger” nations once the going gets tough. After a wonderful start to 2026, this year is starting to go down the toilet. Italy must bounce back in the autumn.
Grade: F
Scotland Nations Championship results
Round 1 Won 47-38 against Argentina
Round 2 Lost 42-28 to South Africa
Round 3 Won 33-13 against Fiji
Best bit?
Going to Pretoria and having the back-to-back world champions genuinely cacking their pants. In the second and third quarters (yuck, too much World Cup in the USA), Scotland had South Africa on the ropes with rampaging strength and slick handling. Despite the final scoreline, the SpringJocks took the Springboks to the limit.
Worst bit?
Not having the accuracy to deliver the critical haymakers that would have put South Africa on the canvas. Scotland were immediately made to pay for those errors by conceding two tries in three minutes.
What does Gregor Townsend need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Tighten up the leaky defence, create depth in certain positions and finally beat Ireland. They have conquered the Irish once in a decade, which is ominous before their inevitable World Cup meeting. If Scotland pretended every opponent was England, they would be world champions in a flash.
Grade: B
Will be kicking themselves that they could not get over the line against South Africa and frustrating that they had to bring on the big guns to save them against Fiji. However, the rest was superb.
Wales Nations Championship results
Round 1 Won 39-24 against Fiji
Round 2 Lost 35-21 to Argentina
Round 3 Lost 43-0 to South Africa
Best bit?
Their driving maul, which was the undoing of Fiji time and time again and then caused Argentina all sorts of issues. To have a settled starting front row, good lineout jumpers and two top class back rowers is giving Wales a platform to climb out of the abyss.
Worst bit?
Getting nilled by the Boks, despite the fact that Rassie Erasmus’ side were actually pretty awful. It just goes to show how far Wales have fallen over the past few years. Wales have played 13 Tests this season and won only three of them — against Japan, Italy and Fiji. They are still miles away from rugby’s grown-ups’ table.
What does Steve Tandy need to sort out before the 2027 World Cup?
Get Louis Rees-Zammit, a failed NFL player but a genuine rugby superstar, looking interested again. From a free-flowing rugby perspective, Wales are as enjoyable as a poke in the eye. A game LRZ can change that, but Tandy has to find some other good players to pick alongside him in the back-three.
Grade: D+
Beating Fiji was genuinely encouraging given Wales’ form, and they were decent in Argentina, but they would have lost to the Springboks’ sixth-choice XV and that shows how pants they really are.
