Saturday's Nations Championship predictions, betting tips and odds

Where to watch Saturday's Nations Championship matches

Fiji vs Scotland
ITV1, 2.10pm

South Africa vs Wales
ITV1, 4.40pm

Argentina vs England
ITV1,  8.10pm

Best bets for Saturday's Nations Championship matches

Over 40.5 Scotland points
2pts 20-21 Betfair

C Reinach to score two or more tries
1pt 11-4 bet365

Argentina
1pt 6-5 bet365

Fiji vs Scotland predictions

After matches in Argentina and South Africa over the last two weekends Scotland have taken the chance to rest their frontline players as they face Fiji back at Murrayfield.

However, despite the 14 changes to the team beaten by the Springboks, it's not a callow or inexperienced team and features the country's two leading tryscorers, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, on the wings.

They face a Fiji side who looked as if they had run out of gas against England last week, and a second-half red card was just the last straw as they collapsed to a 73-8 defeat, a week after losing as ten-point favourites to Wales.

Fiji's tally of just one try in the second half was a disappointing return for a team renowned for their running rugby, but their attack gets a bit of added pep this week as Virimi Vakatawa, capped 32 times by France, makes his Fiji debut.

Vakatawa was also a Sevens star for Les Bleus and is eligible to play for the country of his birth as more than three years have elapsed since his last appearance for France, although how much of his speed and footwork he retains at the age of 34 remains to be seen.

It's always tempting to bank on points when Fiji play but a better bet for this clash might be backing Scotland to score more than 40. 

The Scots put 11 tries on the board in tough fixtures against Argentina and South Africa and a fresher team boasting even more attacking pace and endeavour can post a big total.

Wales face a daunting trip to DurbanCredit: Nations Championship via Getty I

South Africa vs Wales predictions

A disastrous 2025 ended on the lowest of notes for Wales as they were hammered 73-0 by South Africa in Cardiff.

The handicap is in the 40s for this showdown in Durban, where the Springboks field another much-changed side with four debutants including fly-half Vusi Moyo.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus has made a habit of regularly overhauling his starting line-up but any side he picks will be physical and tough to break down.

There's also plenty of attacking firepower in a back three of Aphelele Fassi, Jaco Williams and Kurt-Lee Arendse, but one player to focus on could be recalled scrum-half Cobus Reinach.

The former Northampton and Montpellier number nine is renowned for his scoring rate and smart interceptions. He is odds-on to get on the scoresheet in what could be an open game, and the 11-4 that he crosses twice is worth taking.

Reinach registered a double against Argentina last year and has two World Cup hat-tricks to his name.

Argentina vs England predictions

Fans in England may not have much appetite for another sporting encounter with Argentina and this final fixture of the Nations Championship's southern hemisphere series may end in more disappointment.

Steve Borthwick's England side were given a huge physical workout in a defeat to South Africa two weeks ago, then had to head back to the UK where they comfortably beat Fiji last week before jetting off to South America.

Unlike many of his opposite numbers, Borthwick has not used the depth of his squad, naming an unchanged starting line-up from the landslide win over the Fijians.

England boast a record of just one defeat in their last 16 meetings with the Pumas but there have been some close encounters and three of the last four matches have been decided by points or fewer.

Argentina opened their summer campaign with a defeat to Scotland but were far more impressive in last week's 35-21 victory over Wales. 

The Pumas have picked up wins over New Zealand, South Africa, France and – famously – the British & Irish Lions over the last two years and are worth chancing at odds-against.

It's a third consecutive home game for Argentina while well-travelled England have to contend with a physical Pumas side and what is likely to be a hostile crowd.

Read this next:

France vs England: 4-1 Bet Builder tip, odds, team news 

Spain vs Argentina: 13-2 Bet Builder tip, odds, team news 

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