Late lobbying efforts from Australia have successfully preserved the Rugby Championship, which faced a potential revamp for 2028. Instead of replacing the tournament with inter-SANZAAR tours, SANZAAR announced plans for long-term continuity. The announcement was made in a release on Thursday, confirming that the Rugby Championship will take place in full during 2027, 2028, and 2029.
The future of the Rugby Championship was uncertain last month when reports indicated that the tournament might go into hiatus in both 2026 and 2030. This decision was driven by discussions among SANZAAR partners—Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina—who had proposed substituting the 2028 Rugby Championship with two three-Test series between select rivals. For instance, the Wallabies were set to either visit New Zealand for three Tests or host the All Blacks, followed by a similar arrangement with either South Africa or Argentina.
Sources familiar with the negotiations, who cannot speak publicly due to confidentiality, indicated that South Africa and New Zealand wanted to create a sense of “scarcity” around their Test matches, enhancing the value of their tours in 2026 and 2030. Rugby Australia, however, opposed this shift. Their position became firmer after the recent Rugby Championship, which was noted as one of the most competitive in years, with the Wallabies defeating South Africa and Argentina taking down the All Blacks.
At a meeting in London last month, Phil Waugh, the CEO of Rugby Australia, advocated for maintaining the traditional format of the tournament in 2028. His lobbying efforts proved fruitful, as SANZAAR officials confirmed during an executive committee meeting that the Rugby Championship will retain its status as the premier event on the Southern Hemisphere rugby calendar.
The tournament will not only continue in 2027, but it will also be played in its entirety ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Typically, World Cup years have seen the four teams play each other only once. However, due to Rugby Australia’s successful push for the World Cup to start later, on October 1, there is now sufficient time for two rounds of matches to occur.
While the SANZAAR calendar does not currently mention New Zealand’s upcoming seven-match tour of South Africa, dubbed “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry,” an announcement is anticipated soon. Fixtures are still being finalized, but the Wallabies are expected to compete against all three Southern Hemisphere rivals in 2026, although no formal Rugby Championship will be contested that year. A similar structure is expected for 2030 as well.
Waugh expressed enthusiasm about the development, stating, “The SANZAAR partnership has played an important role in growing the popularity and prosperity of rugby worldwide. Rugby Australia is excited to enter into a new five-year cycle alongside our great rivals South Africa, New Zealand, and Argentina. We are particularly looking forward to the Southern Hemisphere’s pre-eminent tournament, the Rugby Championship, playing in full in 2027, 2028, and 2029, along with a new, thrilling era of Bledisloe Cup, Mandela Challenge Plate, and Puma Trophy competition.”
SANZAAR Chief Executive Brendan Morris described the new five-year schedule as “innovative.” He noted, “By collaborating closely with our Unions and valued broadcasting and commercial partners, we’ve developed an innovative calendar designed to deliver thrilling rugby experiences and set new benchmarks for the game in the years to come. This new calendar for Southern Hemisphere rugby is all about bringing to the fans the highest level of world-class rugby and action.”
The announcement assures fans of continued high-stakes rugby in the Southern Hemisphere, fostering excitement and engagement in the sport. With the Rugby Championship firmly in place, the future looks promising for rugby union in the region.
