Springboks and All Blacks confirm Lions-style tour for 'greatest rivalry'

Jordie Barrett of New Zealand collides with Cheslin Kolbe of South Africa during The Rugby Championship match in Auckland in September (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi is relishing playing host to a landmark New Zealand tour on the scale of a British & Irish Lions series when the All Blacks visit South Africa next August.

Dubbed “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” by promoters, it will be the first of what is planned to be a quadrennial tour alternating between rugby union’s most successful two nations, playing four Test matches as well as tour games against South Africa’s URC franchises across August and September 2026.