- 1 Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: what is this new competition between the All Blacks and the Springboks?
- 2 An old-school tour between the All Blacks and Springboks
- 3 104 clashes and 7 world titles: a rivalry stretching back to 1921
- 4 The full schedule for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
- 5 Squads and team news: a setback for New Zealand, the Boks looking strong
- 6 A contest already built for the future
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: what is this new competition between the All Blacks and the Springboks? 
The All Blacks and the Springboks will launch Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in 2026. A fresh tour that brings one of sport’s most legendary matchups roaring back to life.
An old-school tour between the All Blacks and Springboks
The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry project came about after the global calendar was reshaped. Once SANZAAR, the southern hemisphere governing body, announced that the Rugby Championship would now be played every two years, the New Zealand and South African unions moved quickly. They saw a gap in the schedule and used it to build an event devoted entirely to their historic duel.
Officially called Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, the tour will take place every four years, with the host nation alternating between New Zealand and South Africa.
The idea: The touring side goes back to basics with a proper old-school trip. First comes four warm-up matches against local franchises in the host country, then four high-stakes Test matches against the national team. It is the classic format, a throwback to the golden age of touring that all but vanished when the game turned professional.
Just how rare this is says plenty about the occasion: the All Blacks have made only six proper tours of South Africa in their entire history. The last one was in 1996, almost 30 years ago, and New Zealand won the series.
104 clashes and 7 world titles: a rivalry stretching back to 1921
Since their first meeting in 1921, the two southern giants have faced each other 104 times. The overall record still favours New Zealand, with 62 wins to 42 for the Boks, and no draws.
Their shared history is also woven into the Rugby World Cup:
- 6 meetings in World Cup knockout matches.
- 2 iconic finals, both won by South Africa: the first in 1995 on home soil, the second in 2023 at the Stade de France.
- 7 world crowns between them, four for the Springboks and three for the All Blacks.
Those are staggering numbers, and they leave little room for debate: this is the biggest, fiercest fixture in international rugby.
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The full schedule for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
The first edition of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry will be staged in South Africa from 7 August to 12 September 2026. The headline addition is a women’s international showdown, with the Black Ferns taking on the Springboks Women as the curtain-raiser to the third Test, while the final clash will be taken to American soil.
| Date | Fixture | Stadium & City |
|---|---|---|
| 07 août | Stormers vs All Blacks | DHL Stadium, Le Cap |
| 11 août | Sharks vs All Blacks | Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban |
| 15 août | Bulls vs All Blacks | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |
| 22 août | Springboks vs All Blacks (1er Test) | Ellis Park, Johannesburg |
| 25 août | Lions vs All Blacks | Ellis Park, Johannesburg |
| 29 août | Springboks vs All Blacks (2e Test) | DHL Stadium, Le Cap |
| 05 septembre | Springboks Women vs Black Ferns | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 05 septembre | Springboks vs All Blacks (3e Test) | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 12 septembre | Springboks vs All Blacks (4e Test) | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore (USA) |
Squads and team news: a setback for New Zealand, the Boks looking strong
Scott Barrett out: a major blow for New Zealand 
Ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has named the wider squad set to travel to South Africa. The big negative is the confirmed absence of lock and captain Scott Barrett, who is out injured. That is a huge blow to New Zealand’s pack. To make matters worse, the All Blacks will also be without Leicester Fainga’anuku and Tamaiti Williams, who are both sidelined.
Eben Etzebeth is back: good news for South Africa 
For South Africa, coach Rassie Erasmus has some major returns to welcome. The best news is the comeback of giant lock Eben Etzebeth, who has completed his suspension and will be available from the opening fixtures to go toe to toe with the All Blacks.
A contest already built for the future
Designed to give the transition years in the southern hemisphere a bit more bite, Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry won’t be a one-off. The competition has long-term backing too: the next edition is already locked in for 2030. That time, it will be the Springboks heading to New Zealand to take on the franchises and the All Blacks on their own turf.
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Photo credit: Joe Allison/Getty Images
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