The first match of the “The Greatest Rugby Rivalry” tour of SA by New Zealand in 2026 will be at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, according to sports minister Gayton McKenzie.
He said this at the recent Eastern Cape Sports Awards at the Boardwalk Hotel in Gqeberha, saying SA Rugby and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) had reached formal agreements.
Saru chief executive Rian Oberholzer said in September that eight matches — including three Tests, four contests against United Rugby Championship (URC) franchises the Stormers, Lions, Sharks and Bulls, and one match against SA A — would mark the All Blacks’ first full tour to SA in 30 years when they arrive in 2026.
“We have signed a memorandum of understanding, and we are in the planning phases now. We have a draft schedule that must still be agreed,” he told the Daily Maverick.
The first series under this new agreement will be played in SA in 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of the All Blacks’ last tour to the republic in 1996.
Sean Fitzpatrick’s men won that series 2-1, becoming the first All Black team to ever win a series in SA.
The Boks will tour New Zealand in 2030, with a similar eight-match schedule.
The 1937 tourists remain the only Springbok team to win a series in New Zealand.
McKenzie was addressing a gathering of sports stars, politicians and other role players when he made the statement.
“Saru has just signed a deal with the New Zealand federation and the All Blacks are going to play the few games here [SA] and first will be here in this province,” McKenzie said.
“The province has given us Siya Kolisi, you have not just given us the captain but the best in the history of rugby and the best coach Rassie Erasmus,” he said.
Kolisi, from Zwide, has led the Springboks to two Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023 while Erasmus has been the mentor in the coaching box.
Eastern Province acting president George Malgas confirmed that the union jointly with Border Rugby had submitted proposals to stage Springbok games. Border and EP have a partnership.
Malgas said that in their proposals they had informed the mother body they wanted tier-one nations.
The Springboks will have inbound tours by Italy and Georgia in 2025 along with Rugby Championship games against Australia as their home games, according to Rapport.
Then in 2026, it will be the New Zealand entourage coming to the rainbow nation for a full-on tour.
“I mentioned openly in the last council meeting we had with Rian Oberholzer there on Friday,” Malgas said.
“Because of the collaboration between Border and EP, we are the Eastern Cape rugby structure at the moment.
“SA Rugby have their own behind-the-scenes conversations, of course, which don’t involve us.
“We have hosted the All Blacks before in 2012 and want to host them again.
“Respectfully to a nation like Italy, we want big tier-one nations.”
Malgas said the collaboration with Border was to get the Eastern Cape government behind their plans.
EP were snubbed when Portugal played a Test against the Boks earlier in 2024.
Bloemfontein ended up hosting the game and at the time Malgas blamed EP’s internal tensions.
When approached on specifics relating to the NZ tour to SA in 2026, Saru kept its cards close to its chest.
A spokesperson for SA Rugby said no decision had been made as to where future Tests and tour matches would be hosted.
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