The Nations Championship Hemisphere Shield has been unveiled ahead of the North v South hemisphere battle for global supremacy in November.

  • The Hemisphere Shield has been revealed as the prize that will immortalise Northern or Southern Hemisphere supremacy in the inaugural Nations Championship Finals Weekend.
  • With North and South deadlocked at nine wins apiece, the race to establish the dominant Hemisphere in international rugby could not be closer
  • International rugby’s newest silverware was unveiled at the London Eye ahead of the 27-29 November Finals Weekend
  • The Hemisphere Shield stands alongside the Nations Championship Trophy as one of the two defining symbols of success in the new global competition

The Nations Championship Hemisphere Shield has been unveiled above the London skyline on the London Eye, overlooking one of the world’s greatest sporting capital cities, and the stage for the inaugural Finals Weekend where teams will battle to decide the dominant force in global rugby, and balance of power between Hemispheres.

The Hemisphere Shield will be claimed by the Hemisphere group that earns the most number of points during the Finals Weekend, settling one of the fiercest debates in the sport: which hemisphere is truly the most dominant.

After three explosive Nations Championship rounds in July for the Southern Series, the contest between North and South is deadlocked at nine wins a piece. The competition heads into the remaining three rounds – the Northern Series that will ultimately determine the matchups for the Finals Weekend in November - with everything on the line.

The Hemisphere Shield stands alongside the Nations Championship Trophy as one of the competition's two defining prizes, reflecting the two battles taking place every time teams take the field.

Each nation is fighting to become the outright Nations Championship winner, while every Finals Weekend result at Allianz Stadium, London, simultaneously contributes to the larger contest determining whether North or South reign supreme.

Hemisphere’s really will collide on Finals weekend, when for the first time, the traditional rivalry between North and South has been given a structure, a scoreline and a worthy prize.

The Hemisphere Shield will be decided by six blockbuster north versus south matches. Seven points will be available across the weekend, with one point awarded for the winners of matches 2 v 2 through to 6 v 6 and two points on offer for the 1 v 1 showdown. The first hemisphere to reach four points will secure the Hemisphere Shield.

Brendan Morris, SANZAAR CEO, said:

“For the players, representing your country will always carry enormous pride, but the Nations Championship adds another dimension. Every time a Southern Hemisphere nation takes the field against the North, they are contributing to a collective battle alongside their traditional rivals. That is a powerful idea, and the Hemisphere Shield gives that achievement a symbol built to last.”

“Make no mistake about it the Southern teams will have the full support of SANZAAR and rugby fans in the south, and the teams will be primed and ready to go for November. We want the silverware heading south.”

Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby, said:

“The Nations Championship is a major pillar of the international rugby calendar, taking the sport to fans all over the world, and carrying the power to rival the biggest events in global sport and entertainment, redefining the future of rugby in the process.

Every fixture matters to every team in the Nations Championship, with two trophies and titles on the line and ready to be won at the Finals Weekend. For fans, three days of back-to-back fixtures featuring the 12 best teams packed with the best players in rugby, and unprecedented access to tickets, guarantees an incredible experience that will turn London into the ultimate closing party of international rugby this year.

There are still tickets remaining for Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium, London. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets to have the chance to see either the North or South lift the Hemisphere Shield. For tickets and more information follow the link HERE.
 

Hemisphere Shield details

Designed and handcrafted by Thomas Lyte, the makers of the Nations Championship Trophy, the Hemisphere [Name] was conceived around the idea of “two hemispheres colliding”, translating the defining North versus South rivalry into a dramatic piece of sporting silverware.

Measuring 50cm in diameter and weighing 5.65kg, its sculptural outer form takes inspiration from tectonic plates and the dramatic ridges created when they collide. A spiralling silver-plated relief runs around the edge of the piece, creating a sense of movement and energy that reflects the force of two sides of the rugby world coming together.

At its centre, a layered, engraved compass-inspired design provides another reference to the meeting of North and South, with gold-plated detailing drawing the eye towards the Nations Championship icon. The rising and falling silver-plated forms have also been designed with the moment of victory in mind, interacting with arena lighting to create striking reflections when the Hemisphere Shield is lifted. The piece sits within a bespoke domed base featuring lines of longitude and latitude hand-chased into its silver-plated surface.

About the Nations Championship Hemisphere [Name] scoring system:

Following the conclusion of Round 6, the final standings will lock for the ultimate showdown at the Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium, London.

  • The Finals Weekend will host three double-headers across the 27th, 28th and 29th November.
  • The double-headers will pit each hemisphere against their respective position in the standings (e.g. 1 v 1, 2 v 2, etc.)
  • Seven points are available in the hemisphere challenge - a win in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th finals is worth one point. In the event of a draw, the game will go to extra time. If the game is still tied after extra time, each team will receive half a point towards the hemisphere challenge.
  • Two points are awarded to the winners of the 1st final. In the result of a draw in the 1 v 1 final, extra time will be played followed by a penalty shootout.
  • The first hemisphere to reach four points, wins.

About the Nations Championship:

  • The Nations Championship is the biennial international rugby tournament created through a landmark joint venture between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, and their associated core member Unions and Federations.
  • The tournament brings together the world’s leading international rugby nations across the existing July and November international windows, transforming them into a single competitive format culminating in the Nations Championship Finals Weekend.
  • Six Nations Rugby teams represent the Northern Hemisphere, while the SANZAAR nations, joined by Fiji and Japan, represent the Southern Hemisphere.
  • At the heart of the competition are two battles of equal significance: the race between individual nations to become Nations Championship champion, and the collective contest between North and South to establish the dominant Hemisphere in international rugby.