Springboks vs All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: ALL the fixtures
South African rugby fans are counting down to one of the biggest events in recent memory as the Springboks prepare to host New Zealand.
Black News 
South African rugby fans are counting down to one of the biggest events in the professional era as the Springboks prepare to host New Zealand in an unprecedented eight-match tour across South Africa and the United States.
Dubbed “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”, the 2026 tour will see the All Blacks face South Africa’s four United Rugby Championship franchises before contesting a historic four-Test Freedom Cup series against the Springboks.
It marks the first revival of the traditional touring format between the two nations since the launch of the Tri-Nations in 1996.
Historic return of traditional tours
The tour follows an agreement reached between the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to bring back the classic bilateral tours that defined international rugby for decades before professionalism reshaped the calendar.
Instead of meeting only during the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will spend more than a month in South Africa, recreating the touring traditions that produced some of rugby’s greatest contests.
The Rugby Championship has consequently shifted to a biennial format from 2027 onwards.
Four provinces to test the All Blacks
Before facing the Springboks, the All Blacks will tackle South Africa’s strongest provincial sides:
- Friday, 7 August: Stormers vs New Zealand, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 19:00
- Tuesday, 11 August: Sharks vs New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – 19:00
- Saturday, 15 August: Bulls vs New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – 19:00
- Tuesday, 25 August: Lions vs New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 19:00
The provincial fixtures are expected to provide valuable preparation for both the visitors and South Africa’s leading franchises.
Four-Test Freedom Cup series
The centrepiece of the tour will be an expanded four-match Test series between rugby’s two most successful nations.
The fixtures are:
- Saturday, 22 August: First Test, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 17:05
- Saturday, 29 August: Second Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 17:05
- Saturday, 5 September: Third Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg – 17:05
- Saturday, 12 September: Fourth Test, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States – TBC
The final Test will make history as the first Springbok-All Blacks encounter to be played in the United States.
Women’s curtain-raiser
Adding another historic element to the tour, the Springbok Women will face the Black Ferns in a curtain-raiser at FNB Stadium on 5 September, giving supporters a showcase of both men’s and women’s international rugby on the same day.
Springboks begin preparations
South Africa recently named a 43-player squad under head coach Rassie Erasmus ahead of their one-off warm-up clash against Argentina and the New Zealand series.
The expanded squad reflects the physical demands of a tour that will stretch over five weeks against rugby’s oldest rivals.
New Zealand are expected to name their 44-man squad on Monday, 27 July.
A rivalry unlike any other
The Springboks and All Blacks have long set the benchmark in world rugby, with their rivalry spanning more than a century.
The 2026 tour promises to reignite the tradition of extended international tours, giving supporters multiple opportunities to witness one of sport’s most celebrated rivalries while providing a unique test for both nations ahead of the next Rugby World Cup cycle.
