Overview

• The Rugby Championship will not run in 2026 but returns in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with a full edition staged before the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
• Non-Championship years shift to August–September multi-week tours, including an All Blacks tour to South Africa in 2026 and a reciprocal Springboks visit to New Zealand in 2030.
• The Nations Championship is scheduled for 2026, 2028 and 2030, set to feature the SANZAAR nations against the Six Nations plus Japan and Fiji, with a final at Twickenham.
• Rugby Australia’s late lobbying, led by CEO Phil Waugh, was reportedly pivotal in retaining a 2028 Rugby Championship.
• SANZAAR says the calendar was designed with unions and broadcasters, with detailed fixtures to follow, and it aligns with major events such as the 2029 Lions tour to New Zealand and the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup.