The final weekend of the 2026 Nations Championship and World Rugby Nations Cup delivered a series of standout individual performances, with several players making decisive contributions before the international rugby break.

From established international stars to emerging talents, the weekend highlighted players who made their mark through attacking brilliance, physicality and match-winning moments.

Damian McKenzie – New Zealand

Damian McKenzie appears to be thriving in an All Blacks side that is embracing a more attacking style of rugby under Dave Rennie’s leadership.

Following New Zealand’s impressive victory over Ireland, McKenzie spoke positively about the freedom the team has been given to play an expansive game.

That approach appeared to suit the playmaker, who combined effectively with the Hurricanes trio of Cam Roigard, Ruben Love and Jordie Barrett. While McKenzie’s 23rd Test try was a notable achievement, his most memorable contribution came through his footwork, which saw him evade eight Irish defenders.

Maxime Lamothe – France

France’s forward pack continues to benefit from the powerful presence of Maxime Lamothe.

The Bordeaux-Bègles hooker has established himself as a formidable ball-carrier and has already played a key role in his club’s success, starting in both of their consecutive Champions Cup final victories.

The 27-year-old earned his first France cap last November and has since started two of the team’s three Tests this month, further strengthening his credentials at international level.

Josh Canham – Australia

Australia’s convincing win over Italy provided another glimpse of the young talent available to the Wallabies as they build towards a home Men’s Rugby World Cup.

Josh Canham was at the centre of the performance, scoring three tries in a memorable display.

Despite being only 25 and having just four Test caps, the forward has already attracted praise for his potential. Outgoing Australia head coach Joe Schmidt highlighted Canham’s ability to contribute in the lineout while acknowledging his limited experience at Test level.

With Les Kiss set to take over as Schmidt’s successor, Canham will be looking to build on a performance that suggests he could become an important part of Australia’s future.

Paul de Villiers – South Africa

South Africa’s Nations Championship campaign has provided opportunities to develop greater squad depth, and Paul de Villiers has emerged as one of the most impressive new faces.

The former South Africa U20 captain was brought into the side against England and has continued to grow in confidence. His progress was rewarded with his first Test try during the Springboks’ comprehensive victory over Wales in Durban.

Jamie Dobie – Scotland

Jamie Dobie’s versatility makes him a valuable option for Scotland, with the ability to operate at scrum-half or on the wing.

He made a major impact against Fiji after entering the match in the 47th minute for George Horne. His two second-half tries helped Scotland recover control of a contest that had threatened to slip away from them.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – England

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was one of England’s most dangerous attacking players in their clash with Argentina.

Alongside Tommy Freeman, whose aerial ability and finishing complemented Feyi-Waboso’s pace and footwork, he provided England with a potent threat out wide.

Feyi-Waboso’s attacking influence was clear throughout the match. His break helped create Ben Earl’s first try before he produced a decisive burst to score a pivotal try in Santiago del Estero.

The Exeter winger finished the match with three line-breaks and 14 defenders beaten, making him one of the most difficult players for Argentina to contain.

Paul Altier – Hong Kong China

Paul Altier produced one of the weekend’s biggest match-winning moments in the World Rugby Nations Cup as Hong Kong China stunned Uruguay in Montevideo.

The Richmond winger held his nerve to land a 45-metre penalty with only minutes remaining, securing a memorable victory for his side.

Altier had already contributed two penalties and three conversions, but his final kick proved the most important. His composed response after successfully landing the decisive penalty, followed by a restrained fist pump, captured the significance of the moment.

Alexandru Savin – Romania

Romania produced one of the weekend’s most dramatic comebacks, overturning a 17-point deficit to defeat Samoa 38-37.

With Samoa leading 31-14 around the 50-minute mark, Romania appeared to be heading towards another difficult result in a challenging 2026 campaign.

Alexandru Savin played a crucial role in the turnaround after coming off the bench for the final 30 minutes. The loosehead prop helped complete a maul to bring Romania back into the contest before scoring again deep into added time.

His second try, a powerful low drive with more than 82 minutes played, sparked celebrations as Romania completed a remarkable comeback victory.

Together, the weekend’s performances showcased the depth of talent across international rugby, with established stars delivering moments of brilliance and emerging players making strong cases for greater opportunities ahead of the next stage of their international careers.