Twickenham will host the 'Finals Weekend' of the inaugural Nations Championship next November. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA Wire

A new-look rugby competition will start next year, bringing together the best teams of the northern and southern hemispheres with Ireland facing Australia in round one next July.

The Nations Championship is a new 12-team tournament first mooted three years ago to replace the traditional summer tours that northern hemisphere teams make to countries in the south and then the other way round in November.

The Six Nations teams will represent the northern hemisphere and face the Sanzar nations, as well as invitational teams Japan and Fiji.

The new competition, designed to give more purpose to

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