South African and New Zealand rugby officials confirmed on Thursday the launch of “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry,” an alternating quadrennial tour series that will reignite one of sport’s most storied competitions between the world’s two most successful rugby nations.
The inaugural tour will see the All Blacks visit South Africa in August and September 2026 for an ambitious eight-match schedule, including four Tests against the Springboks and fixtures against all four South African franchises. In a groundbreaking move, the series will culminate with a fourth Test at a neutral international venue, with details to be announced in the coming months.
The announcement marks a return to rugby’s traditional touring format, with 2026 representing 30 years since New Zealand’s last major tour of South Africa. That 1996 series saw the All Blacks claim a historic 2-1 Test series victory across eight matches.
“This fierce competition between two very proud nations has delivered more than a century of drama on rugby fields across the world, including two Rugby World Cup finals,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer. “We saw last year how much it means for Springbok supporters to welcome the All Blacks to South Africa, and we can’t wait to see them tour our country next year.”
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The reciprocal arrangement will see South Africa conduct their first professional-era tour of New Zealand in 2030, marking a significant milestone for the Springboks.
The 2026 tour will provide South African franchises with their first opportunity to face international opposition since 2009. The All Blacks will face the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on August 7, followed by matches against the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Vodacom Bulls, and Lions.
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson highlighted the tour’s significance: “The rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks is fierce, but it’s also steeped in history and respect. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is everything that is great about traditional rugby tours whilst finding new ways to offer more for fans.”
Back-to-back Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi expressed his excitement for the upcoming challenge. “This is going to be something huge and something this generation will never forget. These are the tours we’ve only heard of. To experience this for the first time, where it’s like a Lions tour, is unbelievable for us as a group.”
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett echoed the sentiment: “This is a huge rivalry, and one that is founded off mutual respect, but for 80 minutes these are two teams that every time they play there’s everything on the line.”
The Test series will span three iconic South African venues: Ellis Park and FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, and DHL Stadium in Cape Town, before the neutral venue finale.
Complete 2026 tour fixtures:
- August 7: DHL Stormers v New Zealand (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
- August 11: Hollywoodbets Sharks v New Zealand (Kings Park, Durban)
- August 15: Vodacom Bulls v New Zealand (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
- August 22: First Test – South Africa v New Zealand (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- August 25: Lions v New Zealand (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- August 29: Second Test – South Africa v New Zealand (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
- September 5: Third Test – South Africa v New Zealand (FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)
- September 12: Fourth Test – South Africa v New Zealand (venue TBA)
Tickets, including match bundles, will be available for general sale early next year. Fans can register for priority access at greatest-rivalry.com.
The tour features a new visual identity incorporating both nations’ iconic emblems within a ‘V’ shape, symbolising the “versus” nature of this heavyweight international rivalry, with an earthy colour palette inspired by both countries’ landscapes.
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