Emerging Nations / Tier 2
The growth story of rugby. Georgia, Romania, Spain, Uruguay, USA, Japan — these are the teams that are going to make the World Cup more interesting every cycle. Ignore Tier 2 rugby at your peril.
The Nations Cup Explained: Rugby’s Emerging Nations Finally Get a Proper Stage
The new World Rugby Nations Cup begins in 2026, giving countries like Georgia, Portugal, Uruguay, Chile, Spain, Samoa, Tonga and the USA more meaningful fixtures before Rugby World Cup 2027. For RugbyRadar, this could become one of the most important global rugby stories to follow.
USA v Portugal in Denver: The 4th of July Rugby Story Nobody Is Talking About
USA Rugby will open its Nations Cup campaign against Portugal in Denver on 4 July, in a fixture that carries more weight than the casual observer might realise. With a home World Cup coming in 2031 and Portugal continuing to rise, this could be one of the most quietly important rugby dates of the summer.