The four-Test Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and All Blacks will not end in a draw, with SA Rugby general manager of operations Yusuf Jackson confirming a tiebreaker will be used if the series is level after the Baltimore finale on September 12.
"There will be a tiebreaker in the event the series is drawn and there will be an ultimate winner," Jackson told SARugbymag.co.za. "Everyone agrees that we want a winner and we have explored this with representatives of both team managements around a table."
The format of the tiebreaker has not yet been finalised. Jackson indicated extra time or sudden death are among the options under consideration, with player welfare and match integrity the guiding factors in the deliberation. A fifth match is not on the table.
"The fourth Test will deliver a series result, if we go there. There are no plans for another match because of the schedule," Jackson confirmed.
The decision was driven partly by the memory of the 2017 Lions series in New Zealand, which ended in a forgettable 1-1 draw after the third Test finished 15-15 at Eden Park — a conclusion widely regarded as unsatisfying for all parties.
The series opens with the All Blacks facing all four URC franchises before three Tests against the Springboks — two in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town — with Baltimore hosting the decider. The return series is scheduled for New Zealand in 2030.