The Nations Championship Trophy, the ‘ultimate prize in the Nations Championship’, has been unveiled for the first time ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship.

The trophy, which stands at 67cm tall and weighs 15kg, will be awarded to the winners of the Nations Championship as a ‘symbol of a new era for the sport’.

On the reveal of the trophy, the CEO of Six Nations Rugby, Tom Harrison said: “The Nations Championship will decide the dominant force in global rugby, and the unveiling of the trophy the teams will compete to win marks the final countdown to the start of a tournament that has been years in the making. Created by the game, for the game, its players and the fans, the Nations Championship is more than just a tournament; it is a catalyst of growth for a sport that is ready to go truly global.”

The inspiration for the trophy was led by the global nature of the Nations Championship, with key design elements including the gold-plated globe at the centre of the creation and the lines of latitude and longitude referenced in the handles that wrap around the body of the Trophy.

The trophy has been described as 'more than silverware; it is the symbol of a new era for the sport; a tournament built by the game for the game, its players and its fans, bringing together the world's leading rugby nations in pursuit of global supremacy.'

On the unveiling of the trophy, the SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris said: “The waiting is almost over, and the anticipation for the inaugural Nations Championship continues to build, and the unveiling of the new trophy signals that kick-off is not far away. SANZAAR, the players, the fans and the broadcasters are all excited by the new tournament which starts in the Southern Hemisphere on July 4 and heralds a new era for northern versus southern rivalry.”

The Nations Championship introduces a new tournament format that puts countries from the Northern Hemisphere, the Six Nations teams, against countries from the Southern Hemisphere such as the SANZAAR nations as well as Fiji and Japan.

Each team will play six fixtures against the countries in the opposing hemisphere groups, with all of the matches taking place in two chapters: in July and November.

On the Nations Championship, Harrison said: “The Nations Championship will stand alongside the best tournaments and events in world sport by sharing the same key ingredients that set them apart: jeopardy, unpredictability, and elite athletes competing at the highest levels, delivering incredible sporting drama. Every fixture in July and November is unmissable, and the comprehensive access fans have through global broadcast partnership means that fans need never miss a moment of the action.”

Every match matters, as a nation’s group ranking affects who they face in the Finals Weekend, which will take place in London at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

The three-day ‘Finals Weekend’ festival will conclude with a 'climactic fixture’ which will see the top two teams, one from each hemisphere, battle it out to become the inaugural champions and lift the newly unveiled trophy.

On the introduction of this new tournament, Morris said: “SANZAAR believes innovation is vital to the ongoing growth and health of the sport, and the Nations Championship is an important part of the future. The twelve best teams in world rugby will battle it out for the overall title of Nations Championship champion, while uniquely all teams will determine, through match results in July and November and the Finals weekend, which hemisphere is dominant in the world of rugby”.

The first chapter of the inaugural Nations Championships will kick off on Saturday 4th July as New Zealand and France create history as they play the first fixture of this ‘bold new tournament format’.