The All Blacks have arrived in South Africa to begin an eight-match tour — the first of its kind since 1996 — with a Welcome to Country ceremony at DHL Stadium in Cape Town scheduled for Friday.
The touring schedule takes in provincial matches against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions before four Tests: at 10bet Ellis Park, DHL Stadium, FNB Stadium, and a final Test in Baltimore, USA. The Springbok Women also feature, meeting the seven-time world champion Black Ferns at FNB Stadium in a double-header that SA Rugby expects will push combined live attendance across the full tour beyond a quarter of a million.
For the four URC franchises, the historical stakes are stark: no South African provincial side has beaten the All Blacks on home soil since the then-Orange Free State — now the Cheetahs — defeated them 15-10 in September 1976. On the 1996 tour, New Zealand went unbeaten through the provincial programme, winning three and drawing one, before claiming the Test series two matches to one — their first series victory in South Africa.
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer underlined the rarity of the occasion. "Most of the URC players weren't alive when the All Blacks last appeared against a provincial team," he said. "It won't be repeated here for another eight years, by which time there'll have been two more Rugby World Cups and four Nations Championships."
SA Rugby President Mark Alexander described the rivalry as "a celebration of history, tradition and the enduring spirit of the game" that "transcends sport."
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis extended a welcome to the tourists while making clear the Stormers would show no quarter in pursuit of that 50-year milestone.
Tickets for the provincial matches and the third Test remain available.