The great nations of the South confirmed a major reform of the international calendar on Thursday 16 October: a tour will replace the Rugby Championship next year, while a new global tournament will be born from 2026.

Revolution under way! The members of SANZAAR (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) have announced an upheaval of the international calendar from 2026: the annual Rugby Championship will be suspended next season, replaced by “a multi-week tour between August and September“. The tournament will return in 2027, then in 2028 and 2029.

According to SANZAAR’s official statement, the aim is to vary the meetings between the four southern nations through bilateral tours rather than through a single annual grouped competition. For example, the All Blacks are due to travel to South Africa in 2026, while the Springboks will tour New Zealand in 2030.

At the same time, a new tournament named the Nations Championship will be launched in 2026, 2028 and 2030. It is to bring together the world’s twelve best nations from both hemispheres in two blocks of fixtures in July and November, every two years. This new format aims to maximise international exposure and to satisfy broadcasters and fans alike.

A “new era for rugby”

Brendan Morris, chairman of SANZAAR, defends the overhaul as “a new era for southern hemisphere rugby”, the fruit of collaborative work with the unions, the broadcasters and the supporters. The goal: to offer renewed momentum and standout moments every season. It has been made clear that this reorganisation will have no impact on the British and Irish Lions tour, still scheduled for 2029 in New Zealand.

With this reform, international rugby in the southern hemisphere enters a phase of experimentation: what balance between annual competitions and targeted tours? It is a bold gamble, in keeping with SANZAAR’s stated ambitions.