The All Blacks arrived in South Africa this week to begin an eight-match odyssey that marks the resumption of full tours between rugby's fiercest rivals after a three-decade hiatus.
New Zealand will be welcomed at a ceremony at DHL Stadium on Friday, a week before facing the DHL Stormers at the same venue. Fixtures against the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Vodacom Bulls follow before the first Test at Ellis Park, with a midweek clash against the Emirates Lions sandwiched between the opening international and further Tests at DHL Stadium and FNB Stadium. The tour concludes with a fourth Test in Baltimore.
No South African provincial side has beaten the All Blacks on home soil since 1976, a record the four franchises will be eager to overturn. The Springbok Women will also meet the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium in a double-header that is expected to push total live attendance beyond a quarter of a million across the tour.
"Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is more than a contest between two proud nations; it is a celebration of history, tradition and the enduring spirit of the game," said Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby. "Each encounter between South Africa and New Zealand carries with it the weight of decades of competition, respect and shared excellence."