Overview
- Sanzaar formally ruled out staging the Rugby Championship in 2026, calling it a strategic pause under a new multi‑year calendar.
- New Zealand’s eight‑match tour of South Africa, including four tests, drives the scheduling conflict behind the decision.
- Argentina will play two tests against Australia and one against South Africa in 2026, with no All Blacks test until 2027.
- A 12‑team Nations Cup launches in 2026 on a biennial cycle, using July and November windows to reshape the global Test schedule.
- The Rugby Championship returns for 2027–2029, with the 2027 edition moved to July–August as World Cup preparation, before another pause in 2030.