It is set to have major ramifications for Test rugby in the Southern Hemisphere

South Africa and New Zealand have agreed to renew traditional tours of one another’s nations for the first time in 30 years, with the deal set to have major ramifications for rugby in the Southern Hemisphere.

The tours, which were last held back in 1996, are set to begin again in 2026 and will be held every four years, while being marketed as ‘The Greatest Rugby Rivalry’. The first will see the All Blacks tour South Africa and play eight games in the country, including a three-test series against the world champion Springboks.

New Zealand are also set to face four opponents from the United Rugby Championship – namely the Bulls, the Lions, the Sharks and the Stormers -as well as a Springbok ‘A’ side on the tour, according to South African publication the Daily Maverick. The All Blacks would then host the Boks in 2030 and deliver an extended itinerary of their own.

Further reports suggest that the two sides will face each other four times in 2026, with another Test – aside from the planned three-match series – likely to take place at a neutral venue, with Twickenham or a stadium in North America both options.

The publication says that representatives from both unions met to discuss renewing the tours ahead of South Africa’s 31-27 triumph over New Zealand last week, with the final contracts being prepared and the marketing tagline seemingly decided. The tours must still get approval from World Rugby, however.

“I just spent two days with the New Zealand leadership in what we are calling the Greatest Rugby Rivalry,” said South African Rugby Union chief Rian Oberholzer told the Daily Maverick. “It’s a working title, although some people might say it is arrogant to say that.

“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.

  READ MORE :

Wallabies prop’s blunt response to suggestions the Springboks lodged complaint over injuries

Experienced Australia prop Allan Alaalatoa has hit back at suggestions that South Africa have made a formal request to World Rugby to investigate Australia’s injuries in a recent clash between the teams.

The Round Two Rugby Championship clash between the countries saw uncontested scrums taking place in the second half after the Wallabies lost both their loosehead props – Angus Bell and James Slipper – and tighthead Alaalatoa to injury.

Bell sustained a facial injury in the match which the Springboks won 30-12, while Slipper and Alaalatoa both failed HIAs.

Boks reportedly sought clarity on Wallabies injuries

According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, South African Rugby officials had reportedly sought clarity from World Rugby regarding the aforementioned injuries but a Rugby Australia spokesperson confirmed that no such request had been received from the governing body.

The implication is that the Springboks suspect the Wallabies could have faked or exaggerated the injuries in a bid to nullify a clear strength of their much vaunted ‘Bomb Squad’ bench.

But Alaalatoa dismissed those suggestions after he left the field at half-time after receiving an elbow to his head.

“Do they think I was trying to fake an HIA or something?” Alaalatoa asked reporters in Sante Fe ahead of Australia’s Round Four Rugby Championship Test with Argentina in Sante Fe on Saturday.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of that but what I do know is that if someone comes off injured, and then we have (failed a) HIA like we did on the weekend for myself and Slips (James Slipper), then my understanding is that they can’t return back to the field.

“I remember Joe (Schmidt) at the end of that game saying he’s never been a part of that game where things like that have happened, and I don’t think I have as well.”

The timing of the suggestions against the Wallabies comes at a strange time as their pack delivered a dominant scrum performance in their 20-19 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires last weekend.

Australia won three scrum penalties against Los Pumas in that clash and the have improved in that department under the guidance of veteran scrum coach Mike Cron.

The Wallabies have won 95.7 per cent of their own scrum ball in this year’s Rugby Championship, which is almost 10 percent higher than the Springboks and they are only behind the All Blacks who have a perfect 100 per cent record at the set-piece.