World Rugby’s new Nations Cup has landed with the one thing a launch competition needed most: immediate noise on the scoreboard.
The governing body’s official round-one review confirmed 59 tries across six matches, with Georgia, Samoa, Chile, Tonga and the USA all winning while Canada and Spain drew 42-42 in Edmonton.
Opening round gives the format bite
The numbers matter because this tournament is supposed to sharpen the second tier before the expanded 2027 Rugby World Cup. A slow opening weekend would have fed doubts about jeopardy. Instead, the first block produced 444 points, late swings and enough attacking evidence to make the competition feel useful immediately.
Georgia’s 41-34 win over Uruguay gave the opener a proper edge, following the pressure points previewed by Read Rugby Union. Samoa then hammered Hong Kong China 66-19, while Tonga held off Zimbabwe 36-26.
Chile’s 48-31 victory over Romania supplied the clearest individual flashpoint. Diego Escobar scored twice, with World Rugby describing his late explosive finish as the moment that sealed the win in Santiago.
The tournament’s credibility was also helped by tighter finishes. Canada and Spain shared 84 points before Kyle Tremblay’s red-clock try and Takoda McMullin’s conversion, while Christopher Hilsenbeck kicked the USA past Portugal 30-29 on Independence Day.
For World Rugby, that is the sell: not just more fixtures, but fixtures that carry enough chaos, ranking pressure and World Cup consequence to hold attention.
https://www.facebook.com/worldrugby/videos/diego-escobar-absolute-dynamite-wrnationscup-chivrom/1427958812495858/
