Get ready for a game-changing day in rugby history. The brand-new Nations Championship kicks off on Saturday, 4 July, with an electrifying six-Test Super Saturday that will keep fans glued to their screens for nearly nine hours of non-stop action.

This biennial showdown pits the best of the northern hemisphere against their southern rivals, and the opening round is stacked with blockbuster matchups. The action begins at Christchurch's state-of-the-art One New Zealand Stadium, where New Zealand hosts France at 08:10 BST. Later, Australia takes on Ireland at 11:10, followed by South Africa versus England at 16:40—a clash that promises fireworks.

Fiji, making the most of northern hemisphere logistics, will face Wales at Cardiff City Stadium at 14:10, while Argentina welcomes Scotland in Cordoba at 20:10 to close out the day. The staggered kick-offs mean fans can soak up every try, tackle, and turnover without missing a beat—though time zones mean viewers in New Zealand and Australia will see the action spill into Sunday.

"This schedule is built for fans," says Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison. "We've structured it so you never have to miss a moment of these incredible clashes."

The Nations Championship marks a historic collaboration between the Six Nations and Sanzaar, the organizers of the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship. Traditionally, northern teams would tour south in July for isolated Test series, while southern sides headed north in November for autumn internationals. This new format weaves those standalone tours into a unified, high-stakes narrative—outside of Rugby World Cup and British and Irish Lions years.

With every Six Nations nation and southern powerhouse involved, this is rugby reimagined. Mark your calendars for 4 July—Super Saturday is about to become a global rugby tradition.