Is All Blacks’ tour of South Africa a new chapter for rugby union?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, New Zealand are unbeaten in the warm-up games on their tour of South AfricaByAlastair TelferBBC Sport journalistPublished27 minutes agoOne point.That is what separated South Africa and New Zealand in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, as the Springboks went back-to-back to become the first nation to win the tournament four times.Rassie Erasmus’ world champions sit top of the rankings and have also won back-to-back Rugby Championships. They are indisputably the game’s dominant force.Their predecessors as rugby union’s supreme team were the All Blacks, who won their own back-to-back World Cups, in 2011 and 2015.The landscape may have changed and their roles may have reversed of late, but they remain the game’s most glamourous and marketable teams.And now they are poised to begin that most rare of modern phenomenons – a multi-week tour that includes a proper Test series.This year’s Rugby Championship – the southern hemisphere’s premier international competition – has been cancelled to make room for the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa, leaving Australia and Argentina to arrange their own fixtures.The first Test is on Saturday, when Dave Rennie – just three Tests into his reign as New Zealand coach – takes his side into the first of three Tests in South Africa as part of what has been dubbed the ‘Greatest Rivalry’ tour.A fourth game – not part of the official series – will also be played in Baltimore, marking the first Test between the two long-time rivals on American soil.Within an increasingly competitive sporting landscape, BBC Sport looks at why the tour is happening and what it could mean for the future of international rugby union.’Under strain economically’ – why is the tour happening?The tours will be staged every four years, with New Zealand next hosting the Springboks in 2030.It has been unveiled that South Africa and New Zealand want to create a product that financially rivals British and Irish Lions tours,, external and they expect to make millions in profit from this joint venture.
Last year’s Lions tour made Australia Rugby $35m in profit, wiping out debts of £17.9m.
A report from Deloitte, which has been obtained by New Zealand media outlet Stuff,, external revealed the current Super Rugby Pacific model is “under strain economically, commercially, and in delivering on its high performance purpose”.
It stated that all five New Zealand provinces were cumulatively unprofitable across the past six years, with current holders the Hurricanes posting a loss of $1.4m in 2023 and almost $2m in 2025.
The competition contains teams from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji after South Africa’s decision to join the United Rugby Championship in 2021.
New Zealand have lost star players to lucrative deals in Japan and Europe, with Richie Mo’unga, Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane – all starters in the 2023 World Cup final – having recently spent time outside their native country.
Despite not being able to match certain wages abroad, the All Blacks have a strict policy that you must play in New Zealand to be considered for international selection.
