Nations Championship 2026 preview – South Africa favourites, New Zealand and France in pursuit

By Peter Ryan

The roar of international rugby is days away from returning as the Nations Championship gets back underway.

International juggernauts are ready to face off once again; two hemispheres are set to collide.

Many mouth-watering matchups are on the cards.

The title is still very much up for grabs, and all the teams will be in pursuit of being the inaugural Nations Champions.

It means that there are some betting options to explore.

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Best bet is South Africa

It should come as no surprise that the Springboks could go into the second half of the competition as favourites.

In the opening rounds of the championship, South Africa welcomed Wales, England, and Scotland.

They came away from those three Tests with three victories. Of course, the nation also took on Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia over the summer.

On Saturday, a trip to Rome is in store before taking on France and Ireland.

As always, the South African side is packed with quality and depth. The Springboks are the perfect blend of power and skill.

Players such as Malcolm Marx, Siya Kolisi, and Pieter-Steph du Toit bring raw power and leadership to the forward pack.

In the backline, Jesse Kriel will look to keep his form going from the opening Tests.

The bookmakers see South Africa as the favourites, with them at evens. With their talent, it’s hard to argue against them.

Value on New Zealand

Name a more iconic team in rugby. Go on, I’ll wait.

There is something magical when the All Blacks take to the pitch.

Even though the side is in a transitional phase, they are as dangerous as ever in the early matches of the competition.

Dave Rennie’s side bested Ireland, Italy, and France. Fast forward to these coming weeks, the team prepare for Scotland, Wales, and England.

The squad has a sensational amount of talent.

A name that jumps out is Will Jordan; the fullback scored six tries in the opening three Tests and made 234 metres.

In addition, New Zealand have competitors like Jordie Barrett and Cam Roigard, but they will miss Ardie Savea, who makes an impact in every involvement.

They come into the autumn at 7/2 odds.

Second favourites behind South Africa, the side will be hunting for a big November.

France looking dangerous

France are building nicely as the 2027 Rugby World Cup looms.

In July, they got the job done against Japan and Australia, but narrowly missed out on a monumental victory over New Zealand.

They will look to get back to winning ways as they welcome Fiji, South Africa, and Argentina.

Mirroring the teams ahead of them, the operators in their squad are exceptional. No doubt, Antoine Dupont will make a difference for the nation.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey is an exceptional winger who can change the game in the blink of an eye.

The forwards are immense with Peato Mauvaka, Charles Ollivon, Jean-Baptiste Gros. With depth for days, France look to be the team to beat in the Northern Hemisphere.

Coming in at 7/2 odds, they are just behind South Africa and New Zealand. However, you’ll get a decent return if you back them.

It will be fascinating to see how the competition plays out. One thing is for sure: each nation will leave it on the pitch.

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