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How to tune into Sport NationRugby's Greatest Rivalry: Details revealed for All Blacks 2026 tour of South Africa
Sport Nation •  October 17th, 2025 5:00 am
Springboks line up to face the All Blacks haka | Photo: Elias Rodriguez/Photosport
New Zealand Rugby and SA Rugby have officially announced a new reciprocal tour dubbed 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' - starting with South Africa hosting the All Blacks in 2026, before New Zealand welcomes the Springboks in 2030.
As the back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks are often regarded by Kiwi rugby fans as the true measuring stick for where the All Blacks stand in World Rugby. It's a rivalry that brings with it a high level of respect as the long-standing history between the two rugby nations continues.
Next year's inaugural edition of the tour will mark 30 years since the All Blacks last undertook a tour of this magnitude in South Africa. Back then in 1996, in rugby's first year of the professional era, the men in black defeated the Bokke on their turf for the first time, 2-1.
In what feels like a throwback to the classic days of Super Rugby when the New Zealand franchises would face the Lions (formerly the Cats), Storm, Sharks, and Bulls, the All Blacks will play those teams to begin their tour of South Africa before playing four Test matches against the Springboks.
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"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," All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said in a statement released by NZR.
"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."
That format includes a mid-week match against the Lions in between the first and second Tests. Barrett's Springbok counterpart shares the excitement for the initiative.
"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," South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said.
"I have no doubt the Springbok fans will be there waiting to welcome the All Blacks fans to South Africa."
Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi tackles All Blacks captain Scott Barrett | Photo: Marty Melville/Photosport
2030's version of the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour will see the South African side undergo a full-scale tour of New Zealand for the first time since the game went pro.
SANZAAR revealed Thursday that the Rugby Championship would not run in 2026 or 2030 to allow for tours of this nature to happen instead. The international competition that comprises of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina will return in between those years, including 2027, allowing for the SANZAAR nations to prepare for the Rugby World Cup to be held in Australia that year.
The changes to the Rugby Championship's calendar over the next five years would also allow for the proposed Nations Championship to take place in 2026, 2028 and 2030.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026 Tour
Friday 7 August: Stormers vs All Blacks at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday 11 August: Sharks vs All Blacks at Kings Park, Durban
Saturday 15 August: Bulls vs All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday 22 August: South Africa vs All Blacks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg (1st Test)
Tuesday 25 August: Lions vs All Blacks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Saturday 29 August: South Africa vs All Blacks at DHL Stadium, Cape Town (2nd Test)
Saturday 5 September: South Africa vs All Blacks at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg (3rd Test)
Saturday 12 September: South Africa vs All Blacks (venue for 4th Test to be announced)
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