Revival of Tours Between South Africa and New Zealand Could Alter Rugby Championship Schedule

A significant revival of long-haul tours between South Africa and New Zealand could lead to the Rugby Championship being held only every other year. The South African Rugby Union has announced plans to host the All Blacks for a series of eight matches in 2026, including provincial games, South Africa A fixtures, and a three-Test series. Similarly, the Springboks are expected to tour New Zealand under the same format in 2030, in a concept dubbed “The Greatest Rugby Rivalry.”

Phil Waugh, Rugby Australia’s chief executive, suggested that these tours might shift the Rugby Championship’s schedule, indicating that it could be held in 2027 and 2029, but not during the tour years of 2026, 2028, and 2030. During those years, Australia could potentially host stand-alone tours instead.

The Rugby Championship, which started in 1996 and expanded to include Argentina in 2012, has seen disruptions due to Rugby World Cup scheduling and the pandemic but has remained an annual fixture. This potential change comes as 2026 will also mark the introduction of the Rugby Nations Championship, which will pit top teams from the northern and southern hemispheres against each other.

New Zealand coach Scott Robertson expressed enthusiasm for the return of these tours, calling them “awesome” and a “genuine tour” between two of rugby’s fiercest rivals. The last such large-scale tour occurred in 1996, when New Zealand famously won a Test series in South Africa 2-1.