[ad_1]
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
The All Blacks and Australia will be part of the new global rugby competition to be launched in 2026.
The Six Nations and Sanzaar issued a joint statement on Saturday night revealing plans for a new global competition in 2026 in the existing July and November international rugby windows.
All Six Nations and Sanzaar teams – including the All Blacks – will compete and will be joined in the new tournament by two invitational unions.
The two global rugby bodies will own and run the new competition, with World Rugby creating a newly formed second-tier competition to facilitate promotion and relegation matches.
“The creation of the new competition has been a collective process from the sport, including World Rugby, unions, key leagues, competitions, and crucially, the international rugby players,” a joint statement said.
“Set to begin in 2026, the new elite competition will feature all the Six Nations Rugby and Sanzaar teams, with two spaces reserved for invitational unions to join the southern hemisphere group.
“A transparent selection process will be managed by Sanzaar, supported by World Rugby and the international rugby players, to determine these two invitational unions.
The statement said the new tournament would be owned and operated by Six Nations Rugby and Sanzaar, taking place in alternating years, outside of the British and Irish Lions Tours and Rugby World Cup.
International rugby players have been involved in the development, the statement added.
“This connection has been key in supporting the wider conversations around the club and international calendar taking place in parallel, and ensuring player welfare has remained a fundamental priority in all decision-making.
“To strengthen the development pathway for emerging nations, World Rugby will create a second-tier competition that will feature teams from Europe and the rest of the world, with Six Nations Rugby and Sanzaar actively involved in cementing the link between the two divisions.
“Establishing the two competitions will pave the way for promotion and relegation matches, contributing towards a valuable pathway for teams, and will support ambitions to sustain and grow the global game.”
[ad_2]