Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: A tour like no other

A Rugby has committed significant planning and resources to deliver this year’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, which will see the All Blacks play South Africa’s four URC teams and the Springboks in a four-Test series.

The scale of the eight-match tour is unprecedented in recent history, with SA Rugby general manager of operations Yusuf Jackson detailing the immense logistical undertaking behind it.

“This is as close to a World Cup as you’re going to get in terms of scale and logistics,” he tells SA Rugby magazine.

The last time the All Blacks visited South Africa for a full-scale tour was 30 years ago, and the return of that traditional format has added another layer of significance to what is already one of rugby’s most storied rivalries.

The tour will include four franchise fixtures and three Tests in South Africa’s largest stadia. The series will then move to the USA for the decider at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, marking the first time such a fixture will be staged on American soil.

If the series is level after the Baltimore Test, a tie-breaker will be used to determine the series winner.

The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry concept dates back to 2023, when SA Rugby and NZ Rugby aligned on the vision and began laying the groundwork for what would become a landmark event in the international rugby calendar.

“Both unions agreed this is what we want to do, and it’s been a work in progress ever since,” says Jackson.

Careful planning around squad size and movement forms a key part of the operational framework.

“The [All Blacks] touring party will be 80 or just over 80,” Jackson said. “Each squad will have maybe 81 or 82, but effectively it’s 80-80.”

Ensuring parity between the teams has been a deliberate strategy from the outset.

“There’s no sense of a home-ground advantage where one team has more people. We’re keeping it equal,” says Jackson. “Before the third Test, it reduces to 65-65 for the final leg.”

Both teams will then travel together on a single charter flight to the USA.

For the South African leg, New Zealand will adopt a traditional touring model, moving as a single unit between cities.

“They are going proper old school, moving the whole group from point to point,” says Jackson.

The All Blacks will arrive towards the end of July in three separate groups on the same day before establishing an initial base in Cape Town.

Athlone Stadium has been designated as their primary training base during their stay in the Mother City, with plans to host an open day for fans.

“We want to create access for supporters where possible, which is why we’re planning an open session,” Jackson explains.

The All Blacks will also train at Northwood in Durban and St Stithians in Johannesburg.

The Springboks, meanwhile, will use facilities such as Ellis Park and the High Performance Centre in Bellville.

From Cape Town, the All Blacks will travel to Durban and Johannesburg, taking on South Africa’s URC sides along the way.

“After Cape Town, the whole touring group moves together on charter,” Jackson explains. “We’ve locked in all the charter flights. Domestically, both teams travel on dedicated charters, and then there’s a single international charter after the third Test.”

In contrast, the Springboks will operate from a central base.

“The Boks will be in Johannesburg from 9 August up until the end of the first Test at Ellis Park,” says Jackson. “Then they will come to Cape Town on the Sunday for the week leading up to the Cape Town Test. On the Sunday they will go back to Johannesburg and stay there to prepare for the third Test.”

Behind the scenes, planning has involved extensive coordination between the two unions.

“We’ve had both team managements in our boardroom, going through everything line by line,” says Jackson. “Where teams stay, where they train, arrival times, what kit each team will wear for each tour match, captains’ runs … everything is locked in.”

The collaborative approach reflects the joint-venture nature of the series.

“It’s a JV in the true sense,” he says. “Both unions are equally involved in decision-making.

“We have weekly meetings across operational, commercial and tour-related areas. Everything is mapped out in detail.”

Accommodation has been secured for the duration of the tour, with New Zealand rotating between hotels, while the Springboks will primarily operate from Johannesburg, with a secondary base in Cape Town.

“A World Cup is seven weeks but a tour of this nature is fundamentally different and requires a mind shift,” says Jackson. “New Zealand are in Johannesburg from 12 August until 23 August and have asked us if they could break away for four days at a different hotel, just for a change of scenery.”

Contingency planning has been built into every stage of the tour, while recovery protocols have also been carefully considered.

“We have primary and secondary training venues in each city,” says Jackson. ‘If weather affects conditions, we have backup options ready.”

“One of the more unique tour requirements is portable saunas,” he adds. ‘They don’t want to share hotel facilities, so we’re setting up dedicated units at team hotels.”

SA Rugby has expanded its operational team to meet the demands of the tour.

“We have bolstered our event delivery capabilities,” Jackson says. “We also work closely with all host cities, stadiums and local unions.

“Our venue specialists work with stadium management to ensure everything is ready, from lighting to infrastructure.”

For SA Rugby, the tour represents its most significant undertaking since the 1995 World Cup.

“We want to make sure we get it right for teams, fans and partners,” says Jackson. “The learnings will become part of the blueprint for 2030 [when the Springboks tour New Zealand].”

He is clear on the broader significance of the series.

“This is a tour like no other. This is not just rugby’s greatest rivalry … it is one of sport’s greatest rivalries, capable of standing alongside the biggest and most iconic match-ups in world sport.”

Venues

The venues selected for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series are integral to the overall narrative of the tour.

The three South African Tests will be played at Ellis Park (62,000 capacity), Cape Town Stadium (58,000) and FNB Stadium (92,000), while the fourth Test takes place at the 71 000-capacity M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

“We looked at stadium capacity because, ultimately, it’s about the most seats – that’s what maximises revenue,” says Jackson.

Ellis Park’s historical significance made it the natural starting point.

“It’s where this rivalry really got going. The 1995 World Cup final was there, our first match after readmission [in 1992] was there.”

Cape Town Stadium offers a modern, world-class experience, while FNB Stadium delivers scale.

“It’s one of the biggest stadiums in the world,” says Jackson. “We’d be happy with a full house.”

Jackson compared South Africa’s venues to leading international stadiums.

“At Everton, it’s brand new, you can still smell the paint, with massive screens,’ he said. ‘Then you go to Old Trafford – it’s proper old school. No big screens, no replays. It’s about the experience.”

That philosophy aligns with Ellis Park’s enduring appeal.

“There are very few stadia globally that can replicate that energy,” says Jackson.

Experience

The tour has been designed as a complete fan experience.

“One of our taglines is “I was there”,” says Jackson. ‘Twenty or 30 years from now, you want to say you were part of it.”

That sense of occasion sits at the heart of the series, particularly with the All Blacks returning for a full tour for the first time since 1996.

Ticketing structures have been carefully designed to cater for a wide range of supporters.

“We deliberately set aside four to five categories depending on the venue,” Jackson explains. “We’ve got a premium offering – and that excludes hospitality – because some supporters want to sit on the halfway line, be near the tunnel, be there for the anthems. And they are prepared to pay for it.”

He adds that Springbok Test pricing is aligned with international benchmarks, despite ongoing debate around affordability.

“If you take a premium Springbok ticket at around R2,000, that’s about £100,” he says. “Globally, for a premium rugby match, it’s closer to £170 or £180. So why exclude ourselves from that trend?”

Jackson emphasises that the value lies in the live experience.

“People question why pay for a ticket if you can watch on TV. Because you don’t smell the onions, you don’t hear the crowd, you don’t feel it.

“When you are there, you experience all of that and so much more, and that’s the difference.”

Match day has evolved well beyond the match itself.

“Previously, rugby was 80 minutes and half-time,” Jackson says. “Now it’s a 12-hour event. Gates open at 12 and there’s an offering from the moment fans arrive.”

Fan engagement extends across the entire day, with villages, entertainment stages and sponsor activations forming part of the experience.

“We’ve got 17 partners around the Springboks and most of them activate on match day. That’s what they pay for – engagement with fans,” Jackson says.

The buildup to kick-off is carefully structured.

“There’s a concerted effort in the final minutes before kick-off – music, performances, the team run-out, flyovers. It all builds into one moment.

“After the match, it’s not lights off. Fans go back to the fan village, there’s more entertainment, food, drinks. If the team wins, people stay longer … you can clearly see it in the numbers.”

For those unable to attend tour matches, SA Rugby will expand its Bok Town fan parks across the country.

“If the Test is in Cape Town, Bok Town might be in Gqeberha or Bloemfontein,” Jackson explains. ‘It’s about giving fans that shared experience wherever they are.

“As much as it’s about rugby, it’s about creating an experience people will never forget.”

Security

The tour will be treated as a high-security national event, with extensive measures in place across all venues.

“We’ve put in an application for it to be a protected event with National Government,” says Jackson. “NatJoints [the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, South Africa’s premier safety and security coordination body] is fully involved … it’s almost like hosting a visiting head of state.”

Security planning spans all host cities and involves coordination between national and provincial SAPS, metro and traffic police, and private security.

“There are emergency provincial meetings chaired by SAPS in each region,” Jackson explains. “They take responsibility and can even call off an event if needed.”

Dedicated security teams will travel with both squads.

“Teams move with a blue-light escort to training and matches. All movements are monitored and coordinated. Match officials have their own close protection officers to ensure they are at the venue safely and on time.”

Training venues will be tightly controlled, while hotels will operate under strict protocols.

“Outside of designated public sessions, training is completely closed,” he says. “We zone it off fully.

“Teams occupy dedicated hotel floors, which are easier to secure.”

Food preparation is also carefully managed – a precaution rooted in one of the most enduring controversies in rugby history.

The ‘Suzie’ incident, a long-standing conspiracy theory that members of the All Blacks team were deliberately poisoned before the 1995 World Cup final, remains part of the folklore surrounding this rivalry. While never proven, it continues to inform modern-day planning.

“Nothing is served without the approval of team management,” Jackson says.
Dietary requirements are strictly controlled, with team chefs and management overseeing all meals.

Tradition

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry looks to revive the traditions of classic rugby tours.
Jackson reveals the Sharks will wear a special jersey for their clash at Kings Park.

“The All Blacks are black, the Sharks are black, so how does that work?” he says. “I asked the Sharks: would your players want to swap their jersey for a white or grey All Blacks jersey? Or a proper All Blacks one?”

The answer was unequivocal.

“The Sharks then said they wanted to do a special jersey. And we said, of course you can.”

New Zealand will also revive the tradition of commemorative trophies.

“If a team beats them, they’ll hand over something special to mark the occasion,’ says Jackson. ‘That’s part of the heritage.

“For some players, it may be the only time they face the All Blacks,’ he adds. ‘To stand for the anthem, to see the haka, to swap jerseys and share a beer afterwards – that’s what touring is about.”

Business

Financial sustainability is a key outcome of the tour. As a joint venture between SA Rugby and NZ Rugby, commercial rights are shared equally.

“We’ve got a central commercial agency that pulls the rights together and manages activations,’ explains Jackson. ‘That ensures there’s no conflict between partners.”

The tour is expected to deliver a major financial boost, particularly after SA Rugby lost significant revenue when the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour was played without spectators due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Revenue streams include ticket sales, sponsorship, broadcasting rights, merchandising and match-day activations.

Ticket demand has been strong.

“We had over 97 000 people pre-register,” says Jackson. “Each could buy up to four tickets, so theoretically the matches could have sold out immediately.”
Cape Town Stadium sold out early, with the remaining venues expected to follow.

Travel

The tour’s appeal extends beyond rugby.

“For travelling fans, you can build an incredible experience around it,” Jackson says, pointing to destinations such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, with access to nearby game reserves.

While supporters are expected to travel from New Zealand, a significant number are likely to come from the expatriate community in the UK and Europe.

“Everything is in place,” Jackson says. “Now it’s down to the teams to deliver.”