The All Blacks are heading back to South Africa in 2026 for a full tour - four Test matches and four midweek games - their first proper series there since the historic 1996 triumph that finally broke an 87-year curse.

Three of the Tests will take place on South African soil, with a fourth at a neutral venue, widely tipped to be Twickenham.

Billed as “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”, this tour is more than just a collection of games - it is a return to rugby’s ultimate proving ground. Few opponents have tested the All Blacks like the Springboks, whose ferocity and home advantage have long made them New Zealand’s most feared rivals.

Winning in South Africa has always been considered the ultimate challenge, and history shows it’s no easy feat.

New Zealand first toured South Africa in 1928, establishing a relationship built on intense competition and mutual respect. Subsequent tours followed in 1949, 1960, 1970, and 1976, each leaving its mark on the legacy of the rivalry.

In 1986, the controversial Cavaliers went on an unofficial tour during the apartheid-era sporting ban, but it was the official return in 1996 that became legendary.

That year, under the leadership of Sean Fitzpatrick and a determined All Blacks side, New Zealand finally claimed a series victory on South African soil - a feat that had eluded them for nearly seven decades.

Since then, tours to South Africa have been limited to the Tri-Nations and, later, The Rugby Championship, typically comprising one or two Tests at most.

While important, these shorter trips could never replicate the intensity and drama of a full-scale tour, where every match - midweek or Test - counts toward building form, resilience, and momentum. The 2026 tour marks a return to that old-school format, offering a genuine test of the All Blacks’ depth, strategy, and endurance.

In recent years, the Springboks have often held the upper hand. They have won five of the last six encounters with New Zealand, including inflicting the All Blacks’ worst-ever Test loss in Wellington just last month.

That defeat was a painful reminder of the mountain that awaits in South Africa, but it has also added fuel to the All Blacks’ determination. Every fan knows that this is not just about wins and losses - it is about pride, legacy, and the chance to prove themselves against their fiercest foe on the biggest stage.

This tour is the ultimate build-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Players, coaches, and fans alike will treat it as a crucial opportunity to fine-tune tactics, blood new talent, and measure themselves against the very best.

A successful tour would not only restore confidence after a challenging period but also cement the All Blacks’ status as the standard-bearers of world rugby.

For All Blacks fans, the 2026 South Africa tour promises everything that makes rugby so compelling: history, rivalry, skill, and drama. It is a chance to revisit the storied battles of the past while writing a new chapter in one of sport’s most enduring rivalries. Three Tests on South African soil, a fourth at a neutral venue, and four midweek matches will push the team to their limits - physically, mentally, and strategically.

The Springboks remain the benchmark, the ultimate challenge, and the yardstick by which the All Blacks measure themselves. Winning in South Africa has always been rugby’s greatest prize, and the 2026 tour represents the next opportunity to claim it. Fans will watch, players will fight, and history will be made once again.