Overview

• The Rugby Championship will not run in 2026, is expected to be shortened in 2027, and is not likely to resume in its current format until 2029, according to reporting from The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.
• Plans reported for 2026 replace the tournament with SANZAAR tours, led by a seven-game All Blacks trip to South Africa featuring provincial matches and three Tests with a possible fourth in Europe.
• Similar tours are being prepared for 2028, with the Wallabies slated for two three-Test series against New Zealand and either South Africa or Argentina.
• A 12-team Nations Championship is due to launch in 2026 with six cross-hemisphere fixtures and a November finals weekend, reducing the window for traditional northern July tours.
• Officials say the new structure promises greater jeopardy and broadcast revenue flowing through the SANZAAR pool, while two Bledisloe Cup Tests next year and discussion of an Anzac Day match are understood to be under consideration.