Eden Park Auckland

London, UK — The new international rugby calendar will take a major step forward in July as the Nations Championship begins with its highly anticipated Southern Series. Twelve of the world’s strongest rugby nations will compete across three consecutive weekends in a tournament designed to reshape the global game. The opening fixture will be staged at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, marking the first international match at the newly built venue. The tournament will begin with a blockbuster clash between the All Blacks and France, renewing one of rugby’s fiercest intercontinental rivalries. The Southern Series will take elite rugby…