2026 promises to be a big year in Rugby Union, with a host of events set to shape the narrative heading forward.
There are massive tours across the world, while the introduction of the Nations Championship will add spice to the international calendar.
Watch every second of Super Rugby Pacific live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Ahead of a massive 12 years, Rugby.com.au sits down and looks into the crystal ball to try to predict what will happen.
These predictions are anything but safe, starting with:
The Queensland Reds have built a formidable roster that should allow them to match them with the best.
Even with the likes of Angus Blyth and Liam Wright departing, the inclusion of Carter Gordon only adds quality to a roster stacked with close to 20 capped Wallabies.
After several years of quarter-final appearances, this could be the year the Reds go all the way to send Les Kiss off in style.
It’s a crucial season for the Western Force, who have continued their trend of recruiting quality talent.
The likes of Darby Lancaster, George Bridge, Sef Fa’agase and Franco Molina are all valuable additions but the big thing for Simon Cron’s side is the talent they’ve retained. Only Harry Potter (Waratahs) and Nic White (retired) depart from their Wallaby contingency, with nine returning for the 2026 season, including bona fide Test skipper Nick Champion de Crespigny.
This, along with a much more favourable travel schedule, sets the Force up for big things.
The Highlanders are in a similar situation in terms of breakout status; however, the loss of livewire scrumhalf Dylan Pledger for the season is a massive blow.
The All Blacks’ record at Eden Park is in mythological status, but all things must come to an end.
The Kiwis' 52-game unbeaten streak has become legendary; however, they face a major challenge in the form of Ireland (July) and Australia (October).
However, the team finds itself in an interesting situation following Scott Robertson's departure.
Last year’s Bledisloe Cup Test saw the Wallabies push the All Blacks as far as they have at the Auckland venue in a long time, with a heavy schedule in 2026 leaving the New Zealanders in danger of losing the streak.
Italy are flying under a lot of people’s radars, with 2026 the year ‘Gli Azzurri’ announce themselves as a force in World Rugby.
The Italians have been close to several big-name scalps in the past two years, including leading Ireland right before half-time, before falling by five points.
The golden generation of Italian Rugby are starting to come into their prime, setting up this year’s Six Nations as their best chance for a record finish and to unseat one of the top dogs.
2026 shapes as the year of the English after an excellent finish to the season.
England are in red-hot form, sweeping the end-of-year Tests and loom as the team to beat in the Six Nations.
With the Springboks and All Blacks battling it out in the ‘Greatest Rivalry’, it’ll allow the English to swoop in and take out the inaugural Nations Championship.
Joe Schmidt’s tenure as Wallabies coach will finish with a revenge series of sorts as they face Ireland, France and Italy.
The Australians were competitive across all three matches; however, they looked to be dealing with the effects of a long season and will be better for the rest.
This, coupled with the demands of travel and the potential of Ireland and France’s stars coming off a heavy club season, provides the perfect stage to send Schmidt out on a high.
The Ellis Park victory will stand in the history books as one of the Wallabies’ finest, with their lone match in September looming as the perfect chance for a repeat.
The fixture will come off the back of a gruelling four-Test series between the Springboks and All Blacks, with the fourth Test potentially being hosted in Europe.
This provides just a two week gap for South Africa to get to Australia and get over what will be a physical month of action.
While the Wallabies have a tough two-Test series against Argentina during the same period, the contest shapes as an ideal statement for Les Kiss in his first year in charge.
Super Rugby Women’s is becoming increasingly competitive, potentially leading to a first-time winner in 2026.
The NSW Waratahs remain the benchmark, but 2025 showed the competition is narrowing the gap.
The Force have already recruited strong with hooker Katalina Amosa, while the Queensland Reds are always a threat should they get their Sevens contingency back (more on this later).
The All Blacks and Springboks are almost too evenly matched to be decided.
The return of the old-fashioned tour is a welcome move by both sides but the inclusion of the additional Test leaves it ripe for a two-all draw.
It’ll lead to claims for either a fifth decider, given the attendance at the fourth, or a return to third, with the finale at a neutral venue.
2025 loomed as the year of crossover between the two programs but 2026 feels like an appropriate time for the complete integration.
Injuries cruelled the World Cup campaigns of Bienne Terita and Charlotte Caslick but the pair, alongside Tia Hinds showed their value and what players can achieve going between the two.
With the framework in place, the expanded fixtures in 2026 provide the chance for a host of Sevens stars to try their luck under a new coach.
The Men’s Sevens team showed their talent in Dubai to start the year, defying expectations to reach the Final.
With the return of Michael Icely and James Turner, the side will only get better as the young talent gets further experience.
The SVNS World Series has often been a two-horse race for the Women, but so many times it’s been decided by one team slipping up in the group stages.
This was the situation at the last Commonwealth Games and at the 2023 SVNS Grand Final in Madrid, where Australia and New Zealand met in the semi-finals.
With a three-leg World Championship, expect a semi-final between the two teams to decide the overall champions, leaving one of the teams needing results to go their way in Bordeaux.
This is an important prediction to preface because it’s not suggesting the usurpation of Jake Gordon, rather the continual rise of Wilson as a game-breaker.
The expectation will be for Tate McDermott to become the starting nine at the Test level with his club coach Kiss coming in; however, Gordon remains one of the best operators in the country.
He will stay the starting nine for the Waratahs and Wallabies, and instead, Wilson’s dynamic form off the bench will see him follow the pathway of Kalani Thomas and lead to at least one Test in 2026 where the Gordon-Wilson combination turns out in gold.
Sydney Uni product Freeman showed her class in the west in his first season at Super Rugby level.
Injury prevented her chance to push for a Test selection but Freeman is a quality playmaking option for the Wallaroos heading into the future.
Freeman is one of several promising talents signed up for 2026, with Waratahs hooker Millie Parker and Brumbies flanker Chioma Enyi two further to watch.
The Wallaroos are still gunning for their maiden win over the Black Ferns, who were hurting after their semi-final exit at the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
Last year saw two comprehensive victories for the Kiwis, although 2026 is a big chance for that gap to close between the two sides as the Australians build for a home World Cup.
2026 will be a big year for the Australian pathways as the dazzling talent in the under age groups get their chance to shine.
The U18s side that went undefeated in 2024 and 2025 will be primed to perform in the U20 World Championships, with a host of returning stars coming back for another year such as Edwin and Eli Langi, Tom Robinson, Toby Brial and Cooper Watters.
This, coupled with the inclusion of Kingsley Uys, Finn Mackay, Isaac Fonua, Angus Grover and potentially Heinz Lemoto, give Australia a formidable team.
But one name will stand above the rest.
Pritchard looms as the next big prospect to watch in Australian Rugby after his blistering finish to the season.
The excitement machine is coming off player of the tournament at the Global Youth Sevens and a try on Queensland Reds debut against Saitama Wild Knights.
Contracted for Super Rugby Pacific, Kiss will turn to the young star at some stage (should he remain fit) and the teenager will do enough for fans and pundits alike to call for his selection for next year’s World Cup.
Tangitau set Super Rugby alight in 2025 - with this season no different in a Highlanders team primed to improve.
The former Sevens star finished the year strong for All Blacks XV, scoring a double against the Barbarians and a try against their English counterpart.
The departure of Sevu Reece opens the door for Tangitau to break through ahd showcase his talent on the world stage.
The Red Roses are an all-powerful force in the women’s game, claiming an elusive World Cup title.
This presents an even bigger target for the chasing park, with Canada firmly at the top of the list.
The Canadians will be desperate for revenge, with an expanded 2026 calendar proving the perfect chance for them or either France or New Zealand to put together the perfect gameplan to knock them off.
The disbanding of the Rugby Championship in 2026 leaves Argentina as almost the forgotten team in the Southern Hemisphere.
Make no mistake, Los Pumas are one of the best teams currently in World Rugby and the Nations Championship is the perfect chance for them to take down some big scalps.
