Boks, All Blacks home Test series confirmed

RUGBY'S Greatest Rivalry tour between the Springboks and All Blacks has been officially confirmed.

- LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

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.