The inaugural Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour will see the All Blacks tour South Africa for a month from early August to early September, facing provincial sides and playing four Tests against the Springboks -- including one in Baltimore, Maryland in the USA.
The third Test between the All Blacks and Springboks at FNB Stadium will be preceded by a curtain-raiser between the Springbok Women and Black Ferns.
What is the RGR Tour?
The RGR is a new quadrennial series featuring South Africa and New Zealand -- a tour taking place every four years, with hosting duties alternating between the two countries. This year, four-time world champions South Africa will host three-time world champions New Zealand.
In 2030, the series flips -- South Africa will make its first professional-era tour of New Zealand, taking on provincial sides as well as a full Test series.
For a rivalry that already carries decades of history -- World Cup finals, ill-tempered Test series, generational players on both sides -- RGR gives it a permanent, recurring stage, turning what used to be standalone tours, Tests and tournament clashes into a grand occasion every four years.
Is RGR replacing the Rugby Championship?
RGR isn't replacing the Rugby Championship outright, but it is knocking it off the calendar in the years the tour runs. The Rugby Championship will not be held in 2026, and again won't be held in 2030 when the Springboks tour New Zealand.
The competition itself, organized by SANZAAR and featuring South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina, was already shifted from an annual event to a biennial one, so RGR is essentially claiming the years the Boks and All Blacks would otherwise have used for it.
Australia and Argentina have made alternative plans, playing Test matches during the window instead.
The move hasn't gone unchallenged -- Wallabies legend George Gregan publicly criticised the Springboks and All Blacks for building RGR at the expense of the Rugby Championship, as per SA Rugby Mag, arguing the two competitions could have run concurrently rather than forcing the Championship to pause.
SA Rugby and New Zealand Rugby built the concept to revive old-school touring rugby, and it's shaping up as a significant commercial venture for both unions, with Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium hosting the finale as part of a push into the US market ahead of 2031.
A private equity deal saw US firm Silver Lake acquire a minority stake in New Zealand Rugby and the All Blacks in 2022. Unions blocked SA Rugby from entering into a similar private equity deal in December 2024. The rejected proposal was widely reported to be a less lucrative offer than the one New Zealand accepted.
Globally, rugby union's financial model has been under strain for some time - with talented stars being lost to other sports (sometimes temporarily, as in the case of Wales' Louis Rees-Zammit in his brief NFL stint, but other times permanently). Reaching untapped markets could be essential for rugby's long-term development around the world.
Why is a RGR game being played in the USA?
The fourth and final Test of the series is being staged at the Baltimore Ravens' home stadium as World Rugby and New Zealand Rugby push to grow the sport's footprint in the United States ahead of the 2031 Rugby World Cup, which the US is set to host.
How to watch RGR
For South African viewers, the matches will be available to watch on SuperSport. For fans in New Zealand, it will be aired by Sky Sport. UK viewers will be able to watch the games on Sky Sports.
ESPN will provide coverage of the tour on our platforms.
Schedule for RGR Tour
August 7: Stormers vs. All Blacks - DHL Stadium, Cape Town
August 11: Sharks vs. All Blacks - Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
August 15: Bulls vs. All Blacks - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
August 22: Springboks vs. All Blacks - Ellis Park, Johannesburg
August 25: Lions vs. All Blacks - Ellis Park, Johannesburg
August 29: Springboks vs. All Blacks - DHL Stadium, Cape Town
September 5: Springbok Women vs. Black Ferns - FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
September 5: Springboks vs. All Blacks - FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
September 12: Springboks vs. All Blacks - M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore