Former Springboks Louis Koen, Braam van Straaten and Stefan Terblanche have shared their assessments of which national teams could secure places in the final of the inaugural Nations Championship as the competition enters a decisive stage.

The three former South African internationals have weighed in on the race for the November 29 showpiece, with the Springboks and New Zealand emerging as leading contenders in the Southern Hemisphere, while several European sides remain in contention for the Northern Hemisphere's place.

South Africa and New Zealand both enjoyed impressive campaigns during the opening phase of the competition in July, collecting the maximum 15 points from their three matches. However, the Springboks currently hold the advantage on points difference, having recorded a superior margin of 81 compared with New Zealand's 51.

The November fixtures are expected to play a major role in determining which team finishes at the top of the Southern Hemisphere standings. The Springboks face a demanding schedule, with matches against Italy, France and Ireland, while the All Blacks are scheduled to take on Scotland, Wales and England.

The encounter between South Africa and France on November 13 is particularly important because a victory could strengthen the Springboks' position and affect France's chances of topping the Northern Hemisphere standings.

France, Scotland, England and Ireland are among the teams competing for the northern conference's leading position. France entered the November phase at the top with 12 points, followed by Scotland on 11, while England and Ireland had 10 points each.

The tournament format means that only the highest-ranked team from each hemisphere will qualify for the championship final. The remaining teams will face opponents from the opposite hemisphere according to their final positions in the standings.

The final is scheduled for November 29 at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, London.

With several crucial fixtures still to be played, the predictions and assessments from Koen, van Straaten and Terblanche add to the discussion about which sides have the quality and consistency to reach the historic final.

The Springboks will be determined to secure their place in the title decider as they pursue another major international rugby honour, but New Zealand's strong start means South Africa cannot afford to lose sight of the All Blacks' results.

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