There’s no ignoring the holders but what of the hosts, the All Blacks, France and even England? Here’s a rundown of all 24 teams taking part in Australia in 2027

Beaten by Australia last weekend but the manner in which they came back after Rassie Erasmus emptied his bench was emphatic. The series victory over New Zealand was the one they really wanted this year and achieving that, romping from 1-0 down to 3-1 victors, underscores that they are the team to beat in Australia next year.

• Incident occurred after Pumas were denied a late try

• Albornoz’s ban begins against South Africa on Saturday

Tomás Albornoz, the Argentina fly-half, has been banned for four matches for intimidating the referee after the full-time whistle of England’s controversial victory against the Pumas last month.

Albornoz accepted allegations of misconduct at a disciplinary hearing, and that his behaviour was intimidatory. He will miss Argentina’s Test against South Africa on Saturday as well as their forthcoming double header with Australia and a Toulon fixture.

Returning world-beater has made real difference but Fin Smith laments continuing ill discipline after Argentina win

The most impressive analysis of England’s fluctuating July fortunes, as is so often the case nowadays, came from their fly-half Fin Smith. Where others choose to obfuscate, deflect or shoot the messenger, the admirably clear‑eyed Smith prefers to tell it as it is. And at the end of a long, draining season, his view is that England are still frustratingly short of where they need to be.

Yes, they beat Argentina 31‑24 on Saturday in a turbulent game containing eight tries and the tightest of finishes. It means they have claimed back-to-back Test wins for the first time since November and, in Manny Feyi-Waboso, they have a genuine world-beater. Equally, though, there can be no ignoring the bright yellow elephant in the dressing room. Four more yellow cards has taken England’s tally to 14 in 10 games this year, a habit they still seem unable to break.

• Argentina 24-31 England

• Visitors run in five tries; hosts denied late score by TMO

It has been a long season but England’s well-travelled players can finally head to the beach with some degree of satisfaction. Spurred on by a fine performance from the wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, they had to weather a frantic finale to complete an eventful five-try win over Argentina, thus denying their hosts a notable sporting double over their English amigos this week.

Reduced to 13 and briefly 12 men at stages in the second half, with four players sent to the sin-bin along the way, they were ultimately indebted to Marcus Smith and Feyi-Waboso for all-important tries in the final quarter, along with a brace of first-half scores for Ben Earl. England also had to defend stoutly at times, with Ollie Chessum, Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes all fronting up well at the fag end of an energy-sapping campaign.

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• Robert Kitson’s view of England 1-2 Argentina

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• Jamie George promises ‘the strongest of reactions’

• England players were racially abused by fans last year

England’s rugby players are threatening to walk off the pitch in protest against Argentina on Saturday if there is any repeat of the racial abuse aimed at black squad members on their last visit a year ago. Further incidents will not be tolerated and, according to England’s captain, Jamie George, will prompt “the strongest of reactions”.

George was also present in San Juan last July when his replacement prop forward Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Chandler Cunningham-South were the target of racist slurs from a group of home supporters during the warm-up and the first half of the second Test. World Rugby later confirmed England had made a complaint, but, despite an investigation, the individual perpetrators could not be identified.

• Forward caught on video making dismissive gestures

• Borthwick says Pollock was being ‘good natured’

England have defended Henry Pollock after the young forward was caught on video making dismissive gestures towards Argentina fans on the streets of Buenos Aires before the football World Cup semi-final. England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, insisted the Northampton flanker was just being “good natured” but has again opted not to start the 21-year-old against the Pumas on Saturday.

Footage has emerged on Instagram of Pollock and other teammates pulling faces, shushing the crowd and making various uncomplimentary gestures at local supporters from the top deck of England’s team bus on Wednesday. Anglo-Argentinian relations have inevitably been under the spotlight this week, with England’s players having previously been warned not to compromise their personal safety by venturing outside their hotel.

Northampton Saint is embracing a friendly rivalry with his headline-grabbing teammate when they take on the Pumas

It has been a long road for several of the players who went on the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia last year. They are putting on a professionally brave face, but for some the final weekend of the season cannot come soon enough. Factor in the travel, the training and associated other stresses and strains and the 2025-26 campaign has been relentless from a physical and a mental perspective.

Crunch the numbers before the last hurrah against Argentina on Saturday and it is a wonder many are still standing. Of the English Lions, Henry Pollock is about to participate in his 32nd competitive game while his Northampton teammate Tommy Freeman is poised to play his 29th. Ben Earl and Ellis Genge, assuming their involvement against the Pumas, will be in the same situation with Ollie Chessum one behind.

Six matches from Cardiff to Córdoba are bound to be intriguing – but player welfare is taking a back seat

Welcome to rugby’s latest controversial ruse. The next time World Rugby spouts that thing about player welfare being their No 1 priority, just say “Nations Championship” back at them. The next time the governing body goes on about the sanctity of the World Cup, do the same.

The Nations Championship begins this weekend, a coming together of six teams from the north against six from the “south” – well, five plus Japan (it’s just not working, is it).

• Argentina lodge complaint and demand investigation

• Post-match incident follows anger over Curry tackle

England have been told to provide CCTV footage of the alleged tunnel bust-up between Tom Curry and Felipe Contepomi after Argentina lodged a formal complaint and demanded an investigation into the incident.

It is understood that Six Nations Rugby – which organises the autumn Tests – has asked for England to provide footage as well as a formal statement before deciding whether to begin disciplinary proceedings. The Rugby Football Union is also expected to provide any other relevant video captured of the incident.

• England 27-23 Argentina

• Hosts hold on to secure 11th successive victory

Up on the scoreboard England have ended their autumn firmly in credit. A first four-Test autumn clean sweep at Twickenham since 2016, a total of 17 tries scored and a winning run that now stretches to 11 Tests. By the time the 2026 Six Nations comes around those will be the primary facts when Steve Borthwick’s team regather with the aim of pushing further onwards and upwards.

Their final game of the year, though, was a curate’s egg with a distinctly sour aftertaste. An angry Felipe Contepomi, the Pumas’ head coach, alleged afterwards he had been shoved and sworn at by Tom Curry in a post-match scuffle in the tunnel and complained the Sale flanker had been guilty of a “reckless” tackle that led to his full-back Juan Cruz Mallía suffering a serious knee injury and reduced Argentina to 14 men late on.

Max Ojomoh scored one try and and set up two more as England held off a late comeback from Argentina.

This is Argentina’s third and final game of the autumn.

They spanked Wales by a record score and, as we’ve said multiple times, did the business as they came from behind to stun Scotland.

Wales 26-52 New Zealand

Ireland 13-24 South Africa

France 48-33 Australia

Italy 34-19 Chile