How to get Michelin-starred dining with a side of world-class rugby

Words: Gordon Scott

The only problem with the Rugby World Cup is its infrequency. For those of us who love nothing more than watching the giants of the Northern Hemisphere take on the heavyweights of the south, a tournament every four years just isn’t enough. Yes, the Lions tours go some way to scratching the itch but, truth be told, they also always leave you wanting more.

Thank goodness, then, for the Nations Championship, a new biennial international rugby tournament that pits the Six Nations teams against Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Fiji. The first round of games, in July this year, largely took place in the Southern Hemisphere and there were some contests for the ages, including a ten-try classic between South Africa and Scotland in Pretoria and a ding-dong battle between Argentina and England at Santiago del Estero.

In November, the action resumes, this time in Europe, and Allianz Stadium will be at the heart of the action. Over three consecutive weekends, this great cathedral of rugby will host England’s three mouthwatering pool games, which see them play Australia on 8 November, Japan on 14 November and the mighty All Blacks on 21 November.

The sport’s biggest weekend

After that, the storied ground will be hosting the Finals Weekend, which will see 12 of the world’s top rugby teams play in six games across three action-packed days all in the same location – surely the sport’s biggest ever weekend. Friday 27 November will start with a match between the teams finishing sixth in their respective groups as well as a clash between the two third-placed teams. Saturday 28 November will host games between the fifth-placed teams and the second-placed teams. And then, on Sunday 29 November, Allianz Stadium will see the two fourth-placed teams battle it out before the competition culminates in the grand final between the two group winners. An estimated 247,000 fans are expected to attend across this one epic weekend – and if the first round of games is anything to go by, on-field fireworks are pretty much guaranteed.

Whatever happens on the pitch, a good time in the stands is a certainty: the home of England rugby is one of those rare stadiums where the hospitality is genuinely a match for heroics on the pitch. For the Nations Championship, Allianz Stadium is offering a suite of premium packages starting from £238.80 per person. Among the most popular is the Support Your Team offering, which enables fans to secure themselves a ticket for the day their team is playing before they know which day that will be (the exact line-up for the Finals Weekend will only be known once the final round of pool matches finishes on 21 November). The Support Your Team package includes an all-day grazing menu, access to an all-inclusive bar serving ales, Guinness and a selection of wines and post-match snacks.

Michelin-worthy pitchside hospitality

Across the three days of the Finals Weekend, there are a range of other hospitality packages, which include the Rugby Social, with its live music, all-inclusive bar and urban-style street food. For the gastronomically inclined, there are two great options: Champions Club by Tom Kerridge, which includes a three-course menu created by the two-Michelin-star chef, and East Wing by Tommy Banks, which includes a four-course British inspired meal and meet and greets with former pros. And for those for whom it is all about the rugby, the Pitchside Experience provides food and drinks, a live Q&A and chance to meet a former international legend, as well as lower tier seats within the 22s.

Brilliantly, Allianz Stadium also supports the Good for Rugby initiative, which means that profits generated by the Rugby Football Union will go towards growing participation, keeping people in the game for longer and supporting clubs in their local communities. This will help to develop the next generation of flankers and fly halves ready to thrill at the Nations Championships of the future. A good time and a good cause: let the games begin!

To explore the full range of Nations Championship packages, visit allianzstadiumtwickenham.com