CONFIRMED: Here are the fixtures for 'Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry' Tests as Springboks host All Blacks

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour between the Springboks and All Blacks has been officially confirmed.

The blockbuster series will take place in 2026, replacing the Rugby Championship for that year, with the reigning world champions and World Cup runners-up set to face each other in three Tests on South African soil.

New Zealand, the second most successful World Cup side after the Boks, will also face South Africa’s four franchises in midweek matches as part of the International Series.

Fixtures are scheduled from August 7 to September 12, with the quadrennial tour kicking off with a Friday clash against the Stormers in Cape Town. The final Test will take place at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on September 5, while Ellis Park (August 22) will host the opening Test and the DHL Stadium (August 29) will stage the second encounter in the Mother City.

A fourth Test, at an international venue still to be confirmed, is also on the cards. The Springboks will reciprocate the tour in 2030, with the Rugby Championship set to resume in 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus welcomed the announcement of a full Test series — especially against the Boks’ fiercest rivals.

“This one is big for us,” Erasmus said of the confirmation.

“We’ve known for a while that they’ve been working on Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, and now it’s officially announced. We were part of the scheduling with the franchises, and they’ve taken our input into account.

“When you go on tour, it’s big for team building. You get to know each other better, you get frustrated with each other, you get to understand the coaches better, and you get to know the culture of the country you visit.

“I know the game is much more professional now than it was in 1996, but I think most players will enjoy this. I’m very excited about this move and what it means for rugby.”

While the Rugby Championship will return in 2027 — played over a full double round instead of the shortened World Cup-year format — Erasmus believes facing New Zealand in four Tests will be invaluable for the Springboks’ development.

He added that temporarily not facing Argentina and Australia wouldn’t take too much away from the broader competition picture.

“As far as I understand, and I’d hate it if I were part of it, Argentina or Australia won’t just be thrown aside,” Erasmus said.

“I would personally not like that — not that I have a say. The sad part is that we won’t play the Rugby Championship next year, but we will face a team that’s ruled world rugby for the last 20 years. We’ve only caught up to them over the last five.

“Rugby-wise, I can’t see many negatives. But hell, we don’t want to drop our partners who’ve looked after us so well in the past.”

Erasmus isn’t looking too far ahead, however. Before Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry comes around, the Springboks must first tackle five November Tests in Europe.

The South Africans currently hold every major international trophy available to them — the Webb Ellis Cup, the Rugby Championship title, the Freedom Cup (against New Zealand), the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate (against Australia), and the Argentina Cup (against the Pumas).

Still, Erasmus was quick to dismiss any notion of early bragging rights.

“It’s really too far away,” he said.

“We can maybe start planning the operational stuff, but that’s about it. For now, the focus is on the year-end tour and the 2027 World Cup draw — then we’ll get to that.”

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures 2026

August 7: Stormers v New Zealand at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
August 11: Sharks v New Zealand at Kings Park, Durban
August 15: Bulls v New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
August 22: First Test – South Africa v New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
August 25: Lions v New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
August 29: Second Test – South Africa v New Zealand at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
September 5: Third Test – South Africa v New Zealand at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg September 12: Fourth Test – South Africa v New Zealand (venue to be announced)