The Springboks’ ongoing Rugby Championship title defence could be the last in the competition’s current format for several years.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Rugby Championship will not be staged in 2026 or 2028, while 2027 will feature a shortened edition due to the World Cup.

The current format is only expected to return in 2029.

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Instead, 2026 will see the All Blacks embark on a blockbuster seven-match tour of South Africa, facing the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions, alongside three Tests against the Springboks – with a possible fourth Test to follow in Europe. Similar Sanzaar tours are planned for 2028.

The shake-up comes just as the Rugby Championship has gained momentum in recent years, particularly with the “mini-tour” format introduced in 2022. Teams play back-to-back Tests in one country, which helps to build narratives and intensity.

The Boks have just come off a gruelling two-Test series against the All Blacks and hosted the Wallabies for two Tests last month.

Overlaying all of this is the launch of the Nations Championship in 2026, which is a 12-team north-south competition featuring cross-hemisphere Tests and a finals weekend in November.

While this offers more “jeopardy” and commercial pull, it will cut back on traditional July inbound tours from the northern hemisphere.

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