NZ Rugby touring South Africa in 2026

Article posted by Coliseum, October 23^rd, 2025

Image: FNB Stadium, Azamat373, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour which pits South Africa against New Zealand will take place in 2026 with Test matches in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Planet Rugby said the alternating quadrennial tour between South Africa and New Zealand marks a defining new chapter for the intense rivalry between the sport’s most successful and storied nations.

South Africa will host New Zealand in August and September next year, with the All Blacks scheduled to play four provincial games against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions, with a four-Test series against the Springboks.

Ellis Park, DHL Stadium and FNB Stadium will host the first three Test matches, with the fourth Test set to be hosted at a to be confirmed neutral international venue.

The visit in 2026 will mark 30 years since New Zealand’s last major tour of South Africa, where the visitors embarked on an eight-match schedule, culminating in a historic 2-1 Test series win.

In the reciprocal 2030 iteration, South Africa will conduct their first professional era tour to New Zealand.

The inaugural tour will also replace the 2026 Rugby Championship, which will be shelved and return in 2027.

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said, “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.

“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, as we rekindle our friendship with our greatest adversaries.

“This announcement promises more drama, physicality, strategy, and unpredictability in a rivalry regarded as one of the most intense in world sport.”

“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,”

Mark Robinson, New Zealand Rugby CEO, added, “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 to see and engage with. All eight matches during this tour will be a showcase of our sport for fans, whether they are in New Zealand, on the ground in South Africa, or across the globe.”

Back-to-back Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, added, “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.

“I have no doubt the Springbok fans will be there waiting to welcome the All Blacks fans to South Africa. Let’s get excited; let’s get behind it and, people of South Africa, it’s an opportunity for us to show the world once again who we are and what we are about – we certainly can’t wait for it.”

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett added, “This is a huge rivalry, and one that is founded on mutual respect, but for 80 minutes these are two teams that every time they play there’s everything on the line.

“The intensity is right up there, and it is shaping up to be a heck of a tour. The format will be great, and there will be a whole lot of excited fans watching from home and travelling with us as well. We are looking forward to it.”

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