All Blacks tour of South Africa 2026

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fixture list is out:

Fri Aug 7: v Stormers, Cape Town

Tue Aug 11: v Sharks, Durban

Sat Aug 15: v Bulls, Pretoria

Sat Aug 22: First test v Springboks, Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

Tue Aug 25: v Lions, Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

Sat Aug 29: Second test v Springboks, Cape Town

Sat Sep 5: Third test v Springboks, Johannesburg (FNB Stadium)

Sat Sep 12: Fourth test v Springboks, neutral venue TBA

 

[Dan54]

Whoops posted this NZ thread WOB, sorry for double up. Anyway please schedule has been released early, and I bet there are plenty of kiwis checking their bank accounts and doing budgets to see if they can do the tour. Unfortunately (although I told Mrs after holiday to Wales etc last year never again on long plane trips) I have checked mine and so may have to content myself with tv.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I felt like this needed a dedicated thread if only to give the "NZR are the Devil" crowd somewhere to vent

 

[Sully]

I think a tour every four years is a great idea.

 

[Giulia]

Whoops posted this NZ thread WOB, sorry for double up. Anyway please schedule has been released early, and I bet there are plenty of kiwis checking their bank accounts and doing budgets to see if they can do the tour. Unfortunately (although I told Mrs after holiday to Wales etc last year never again on long plane trips) I have checked mine and so may have to content myself with tv.

After going to the Brisbane Lions Test had me hyped up for further trips I was thinking South Africa 2033. Went off the idea a bit when I looked up the climate averages for July & August and realised I'd be wearing a jacket everywhere. Not quite what I had in mind for a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

 

[Dan54]

I think a tour every four years is a great idea.

So do I, and as much as I love the tour, I don't think any more frequent than that is good. Keep things fresh. And I firmly believe you have to plan ahead etc for these , and RA knowing that is what's in air will come up with alternatives.

 

[Blue]

Damn I am going to visit SA for that. Bulls game followed by 1st test.

 

[Giulia]

Sat Aug 22: First test v Springboks, Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

Tue Aug 25: v Lions, Johannesburg (Ellis Park)

Sat Aug 29: Second test v Springboks, Cape Town

Sat Sep 5: Third test v Springboks, Johannesburg (FNB Stadium)

If I were a New Zealand tourist I'd be inclined to go some place new the 3rd weekend and watch on TV not visit Johannesburg a 2nd time

 

[Dan54]

I meant to post this here.
On a bit of reflection of season etc, I looking forward to next year. And the tour to SA being the best for me, for a couple of reasons. 1; I love the idea of tours etc, especially between us and SA. 2; Probably most importantly, most of us have said our players miss a fair bit without playing SA teams in super rugby. I think 4 tests against them in a fairly concentrated tour will be absolute gold in helping prepare team for WC in 27!
Actually similar in 2030 year before WC, will be bloody great build up and probably for both teams!

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I know, I know, i'm a dismal pillock..... but this is shaping up as a horror show.

NZ's 3 pre-tour matches are France and Ireland and Italy. NZ might rock up to South Africa already 0 and 3 for 2026 with their precious aura smeared in shit and hanging halfway out of their arses. (if Italy can knock off Aus 2 times in a row then they can upset this NZ outfit ffs)

No coaching staff changes between now and then and Razor and his old local buddies could easily preside over an 0-4 pantsing. Maybe 1-3 if the bokkes go 2-0 up and dont bother running out their top team in T3 and T4. Which in itself would be a massive national shaming for The Great Rivalry that by 2026 wasn't.

 

[Dan54]

I not arguing with your worries Dismal, and could be a horror show, but still about time we had a good hard series to knock us into shape.
Our boys (and suspect Aussies too) need some decent hard games and for us not just the Aussie super teams.
The easy way out is doing same ol same ol, everyone getting a hard on because we held the Bled for another year, and things looked rosey in super??
I would rather get a touch up from the Boks (if that is what happens) , then come home a bit knackered and play the Wallabies, and if Abs get beaten there, give them something to try and sort out the next year. Man it will f***en tough, but bloody interesting!
The series will be tougher than a Lions series I reckon, by a fair bit.

I never been an AB supporter who only lives for wins, sometimes we need a kick up the arse to remind us how tough it is.