All Blacks Chairman Sends Strong Warning to Springboks Despite Sacking Coach Scott Robertson
The All Blacks of New Zealand are currently doing some thorough internal assessment for their national team, a move that has led to the sacking of head coach Scott Robertson on Thursday, January 15, 2025.
The decision to let Robertson leave came just six months before a major tour of South Africa and under two years ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
All Blacks and the Springboks are known to be the two strongest rugby teams in the World and also the rivalry between them. They faced each other twice in 2025, with NZ winning the first leg at Eden Park but losing the second leg at Sky Stadium.
All Blacks to face Springboks in 2026
In the inaugural edition of the tour, New Zealand will travel to South Africa in August and September 2026. The All Blacks will begin their campaign with a clash against the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday, 7 August, 2026 before facing the Sharks, Bulls and Lions, alongside a four-match Test series against the Springboks.
The confirmed South African venues for the Test matches include Ellis Park in Johannesburg, DHL Stadium in Cape Town and FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, before the series concludes with a historic fourth Test at a neutral international location. Further information regarding the final Test venue is expected to be announced in the coming months.
Rugby Greatest Rivalry Tour fixtures for 2026
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The 2026 edition of rugby’s most iconic rivalry will feature a packed schedule across South Africa, beginning in early August. Action gets underway on Friday, 7 August, when the DHL Stormers host New Zealand at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.
New Zealand will then travel to Durban to face the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Kings Park on Tuesday, 11 August, before taking on the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, 15 August.
The first official Test match between South Africa and New Zealand is scheduled for Saturday, 22 August, at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Following the opening Test, the Lions will meet New Zealand at the same Johannesburg venue on Tuesday, 25 August. The second Test is set for Saturday, 29 August, with the Springboks welcoming New Zealand to DHL Stadium in Cape Town, while the third Test will be played at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday, 5 September.
The historic series concludes with a fourth and final Test on Saturday, 12 September, with the host venue to be confirmed at a later date.
David Kirk sends strong warning to Springboks
Even amid the uncertainty surrounding the All Blacks following Robertson’s abrupt departure from the head coaching role, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Chair David Kirk maintained that the side still has the quality to challenge the world-number-one Springboks.
Kirk warned that they are still capable of beating Rassie Erasmus's side during the Rugby Greatest Rivalry Tour and also reclaim the Rugby World Cup title from them in 2027, while still crediting Robertson for building a strong team for the All Blacks.
“Credit is absolutely due to Scott Robertson. He has put together a group of high-quality players and introduced several younger players to Test match rugby and given them plenty of game time,” Kirk told reporters in Auckland.
“I don’t doubt that we’ve got the players to beat South Africa in South Africa and to win the World Cup in 2027.”
Kirk said the halfway stage of the Rugby World Cup cycle provides an appropriate opportunity to assess how the All Blacks have developed across the opening two seasons. He added that the team faces a demanding fixture list in 2026, with the 2027 World Cup continuing to be the ultimate priority.
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Source: Briefly News
