All things come to those are great

The SPRINGBOKS and ALL BLACKS face off in the inaugural 'Greatest Rivalry' series in 2026. Will it grow the game or is it simply leaving others behind?

- JOE ROBINSON

THE NAME, 'The Greatest Rivalry' says a lot. I hope people don't see that in an arrogant way, but the history between us and New Zealand is really rich. For us to call it 'The Greatest Rivalry' is not to say it's better than other competitions, but it speaks to the deep history between us and New Zealand." Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is long enough in the tooth to know that international rugby's newest showpiece will knock a few noses out of joint but when you are ranked first and second in the world and have shared the last four men's World Cups between you, you've probably earned the right to be a bit bolshy with your branding.

After all, in the ever-narrowing world we live in where the attention of eyeballs is harder to earn than ever, having a punchy hook is far from your biggest concern.

‘The Greatest Rivalry’ is a grand planned move to send these two great rugby nations into the sporting stratosphere regardless of who they may leave behind. As an elevator pitch, there is a lot to like about this new agreement between the All Blacks and South Africa. An alternating tour every four years between two of rugby’s biggest powerhouses starting in 2026 in South Africa. The biggest brand in world rugby, the All Blacks, against arguably the best team the game has ever seen, the Springboks.

The inaugural 2026 series will see three Tests in South Africa in front of sellout crowds and a final match at an international venue to spread the global rugby gospel, likely to be London or the USA.

Better yet for the purists, it's a proper old-school tour that will see the travelling side face domestic teams, somewhat like the beloved British & Irish Lions tour. In total, it will be an eight-game, five-week feast of rugby between two sides that are genuine rivals and are the best in the world.