Strewthcobber
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
During the week, didn't Argentina basically say they won't be playing NZ next year?
Australian rugby/RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
I'm pretty sure I read that there will be some kind of financial compensation. I hope RA and the UAR make sure it's substantial.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
Rugby Championship to be turfed under massive SANZAAR tours shake-up
The annual tournament between the Wallabies, All Blacks, Springboks and Pumas won’t be sighted again, in full, until 2029.
Cherry picked more of the detailed bits.
- The Rugby Championship will not take place next year, and the current format of the competition is unlikely to be played again until 2029, the Herald understands.
- That will replace the Rugby Championship in 2026, but plans are also afoot for tours involving all four SANZAAR nations in 2028. The Wallabies are set to play two three-Test series in 2028, meaning they could either head to New Zealand for three Tests or host the All Blacks, followed by a similar arrangement with either South Africa or Argentina.
- The irony of the change is that the Rugby Championship has been enjoying a strong couple of years – particularly in 2025. However, some of that success can be attributed to the “mini-tour” format introduced in 2022, which saw each nation play back-to-back Tests in one country.
- The Nations Championship, or Nations Cup, will launch next year. As the Herald has previously reported, Ireland, France and Italy are likely to travel south to face the Wallabies. The new 12-nation tournament will feature six north-vs-south fixtures before a “finals weekend” in the last week of November.
What it all means for the Bledisloe Cup
The new calendar is separate from Rugby Australia’s ongoing push for an Anzac Day Bledisloe Test – a concept that New Zealand Rugby chair David Kirk has at least shown some willingness to revisit, according to an interview with the Herald. It is understood there will be two Bledisloe Tests next year following the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa – one in New Zealand and one in Australia.That two-game format is likely to continue, although there is also the enticing prospect of a three-Test tour in 2028: either the Wallabies heading to New Zealand, or the All Blacks coming to Australia.
One issue for the potential Anzac Test is fierce opposition from the five New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, even if Kirk himself is sympathetic to the idea. RA will at least gain something from the All Blacks-South Africa tour, with broadcast revenue from Sky New Zealand and SuperSport in South Africa flowing into the shared SANZAAR pot.
Strewthcobber
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Need a spreadsheet to sort this out........
Strewthcobber
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
NZRU is repsonsible for when the test is on. SANZAAR for which weekend it's on.
Omar Comin'
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Still nothing about what the Wallabies will be doing while the NZ tour to SA is on next year.
I was thinking Australia should host a 4 nations with Argentina, Fiji and Japan. 3 double headers back to back to back would get good crowds.
I was thinking Australia should host a 4 nations with Argentina, Fiji and Japan. 3 double headers back to back to back would get good crowds.
Red Runner
Fred Wood (13)
yeah I can't believe NZ Rugby didn't consider an Australian domestic football grand final in their planning.
Ignoto
Geoff Shaw (53)
I really don't want to play three games against any of these teams. We play them enough especially the All Blacks.
Do something different rather than feed us this.
Major Tom
Dick Tooth (41)
Cheers. Don’t know why they wouldn’t start the game at 5/5:30. Does my head in.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
Exactly my thought. It's probably good timing for Rugby that there's no NRL on Saturday.
Strewthcobber
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Why would NZRU care about Australian sports fans who would potentially watch rugby, but will prioritize AFL over it?
Wilson
Tim Horan (67)
If anything the game this weekend was probably intentionally scheduled for New Zealand to avoid the AFL grand final - much better to play our home game in Perth the weekend after, kicking off only hours after it finished would make ticket sales that much harder in an otherwise AFL focused state. Not sure RA can really ask for much more consideration than that.
Major Tom
Dick Tooth (41)
Because you want eyeballs on the game? Surely it hurts them too?
Major Tom
Dick Tooth (41)
Yeah, the date is fine. Just play it at 530. That would be better for their own audience whilst finding clear air in the Aus space.
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
I’m sure they have their own reasons to play it at the time they are to satisfy their own fans and stake holders…
The AFL GF is completely irrelevant to that.
We would’ve reschedule a Bledisloe game in Australia if it clashed with a televised OMC reunion concert…
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
I don't know why it's been moved earlier, weren't the Puma's test early in Aus too? Noone over here keen on early times that I know of as it stuffs up NPC etc, unless it for people going to game? I genuinely think tv watchers prefer 7pm games myself. And surely RA would of said something, I doubt anyone in NZR would even know when AFL final is being played.
I also thought both teams had to agree on kick off times etc, well they should do.
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Major Tom
Dick Tooth (41)
Doesn’t it all start to add up though?
- NZ organise their own tour with SA
- Knock back the Anzac idea
Now this. The timeslot for the afl granny has been locked in for ages. Surely RA would’ve have been saying “any chance you can help us out and push it back a couple of hours?” And NZ have basically said “yeah leave it with us…”.
- NZ organise their own tour with SA
- Knock back the Anzac idea
Now this. The timeslot for the afl granny has been locked in for ages. Surely RA would’ve have been saying “any chance you can help us out and push it back a couple of hours?” And NZ have basically said “yeah leave it with us…”.
Upthemaroon!
Ward Prentice (10)
Time for a Rugby Ashes? Still can't fathom how the NZRU did not want an ANZAC game.