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"The Greatest Rugby Rivalry": All Blacks, Springboks to alternate hosting extended four-yearly tours
SENZ • September 4th, 2024 11:15 am
Great news, rugby fans - tours are on the way back. And not just any old tours, tours involving the planet's greatest rivalry - the All Blacks and the Springboks.
According to South African publication Daily Maverick, the Springboks and All Blacks will take turns hosting extended tours on a four-yearly basis, starting in 2026.
The heavyweights will play eight matches per tour, including a three-test series and games against local provincial or franchise sides in an event which will be dubbed "The Greatest Rugby Rivalry".
The first edition in two years' time involves the All Blacks visiting South Africa, where they'll reportedly play four matches against United Championship sides the Bull, Stormers, Sharks and Lions. They'll also face South Africa A.
It will mark the first time the All Blacks have played a three-Test series in South Africa since their historic 2-1 win back in 1996.
The two sides will also meet for a fourth Test in 2026, likely to be played at a neutral venue in Europe or North America.
New Zealand will take their turn to host in 2030, when the Springboks will attempt to replicate their feats of 1937 and win a second Test series in Aotearoa.
Representatives of both national unions reportedly met before last weekend's Test between the All Blacks and South Africa in Johannesburg to iron out the details.
World Rugby still needs to sign off on the initiative, but it's understood those talks have already progressed.
It would also mean the Rugby Championship schedule would likely be pushed back to align with the Six Nations - a change SA Rugby have been pursuing for some time, given the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions all play in European competitions.
"I just spent two days with the New Zealand leadership in what we are calling the 'Greatest Rugby Rivalry'," Oberholzer told the Daily Maverick.
"It's a working title, although some people might say it is arrogant to say that," Oberholzer added. "We have signed a memorandum of understanding and we are in the planning phases now. We have a draft schedule that must still be agreed.
"We met with the commercial brokers on setting the commercial property, the sponsorship matrix and we will go to market in due course. We believe we have to be in the broadcast market soon.
"It is a collaboration of two unions that have agreed to work together off the field. We believe we have to be closer - and we have never been close.
"Let's fight on the field and let's work off the field to the betterment of both of the unions. We have such a challenge in rugby with funding, so we have to create our own opportunities, and that is what we are busy with at the moment."
Reacting to the news on SENZ Mornings, sports commentator Andrew Gourdie says the two unions are striking while the iron's hot in a move that will be a huge boost to international rugby's calendar.
"I think the Springboks have obviously got one up over the All Blacks at the moment but this rivalry is back where it should be, so to hear that this sort of tour is back is fantastic - a return to the glory days.
"It might be slightly concerning for some of the other nations in the Rugby Championship, but I think perhaps NZ Rugby and SA Rugby are looking at this going - 'we've got to capitalise on this'.
"There's going to be a huge global audience for this tour so I love it and the fans will love it too, I'm sure.
"It's something to look forward to between World Cups like a Lions tour, it means pretty much every year, we're going to have something really meaningful to look forward to."
The All Blacks play the second Test of their two-match series against the Springboks in Cape Town on Sunday (NZ time).
