Wallabies set for midweek South Africa, New Zealand tours, Anzac Bledisloe Cup

Southern Hemisphere rugby is set for an exciting overhaul with Phil Waugh telling JAMIE PANDARAM that the Wallabies won’t miss out and a long-touted Anzac Day clash gets closer.

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh is working on a new look Wallabies schedule. Picture: Tim Hunter.

THE Wallabies are in discussions with the All Blacks and Springboks for their own tours and midweek games, after New Zealand and South Africa agreed to four-Test tours in 2026 and 2030 that threw the future of The Rugby Championship in doubt this week.

But Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh has moved to douse speculation that the annual four-nation tournament was in jeopardy, and that Australia would be disadvantaged by the Kiwi-South African deal.

RA is organising Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup games against the All Blacks from 2026, while they’re in discussions with their SANZAAR partners – including Argentina – for unprecedented inbound and outbound tours.

The Wallabies will see more of South Africa under a revised future schedule. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

This will also coincide with the planned introduction of the Nations Championship, the 12-team north versus south tournament that will be a mini-World Cup in between Cup cycles, set to begin in 2026.

“In 2027 and 29 we plan to have the competitive TRC,” Waugh told this masthead.

“In 2028 we are in early discussions regarding traditional three-Test tours with potential midweek matches against provincial teams between the SANZAAR nations. Again, this is focused on fan engagement and maximising commercial outcomes”

“In 2026 and 30 the plan will be to ensure we have a minimum of two, hopefully three Bledisloes, and a home South African Test for the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate.

“We’ll still have one Test match against South Africa on home soil in 2026 and 2030.

“And in the Nations Cup years we have the opportunity to play more home Test matches than we do currently.”

As for the long-touted Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup match, which will be held in Perth around Super Rugby games in the same city, Waugh said: “We would do it as soon as possible if we could, but we’re obviously working with New Zealand Rugby to ensure it works for both New Zealand rugby, and Rugby Australia.

The All Blacks could perform the haka on Anzac Day. Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images

“But it would be the ultimate Anzac Day clash wouldn’t it, the Wallabies versus the All Blacks, so we’re certainly very eager to accelerate that Test match and scheduling the Anzac Bledisloe.”

The deal between South Africa and New Zealand – the Kiwis will tour South Africa for three Tests and midweek games against clubs in 2026, and the nations will have a fourth Test in either the UK or US later that year before the Boks return the favour and tour New Zealand in 2030 – had threatened to severely impact RA’s already precarious finances.

But the new discussions about Wallabies tours, additional Bledisloe games, ensuring a full-strength Boks still play in Australia in the touring years, and playing against lower-ranked teams like Japan and Fiji for Nations Championship points would ensure a healthy return for RA, Waugh said.

“The length of the tour means there is a shorter window for us to play South Africa within the Reg 9 window,” Waugh said.

World Rugby’s regulation nine demands club release their international stars during designated periods of the year to ensure they’re available for Tests.

“Given the eligibility policies for both us and New Zealand, we can play Test matches outside the Reg 9 window, so there is more flexibility for the Bledisloe Cups,” Waugh said.

Tests against Argentina will continue despite the revamped schedule with South Africa and New Zealand. Picture: JUAN MABROMATA / AFP

“So, we’ll be ensuring we schedule good competitive Test matches against Argentina while the South Africa versus New Zealand series is going on, but we’ll also have the opportunity for Test matches against Japan and Fiji that are attractive.”

The Nations Championship will introduce a global tournament where every Test match counts for points on a ladder, with the top northern hemisphere team and southern hemisphere team playing a final.

World Rugby has already agreed to extend Reg 9 by one week in November to accommodate the final, and it is planned that all teams who finish second to sixth will also face their counterparts who finished in the same position that weekend.

“It gives every Test match relevance, and ensures we have the northern hemisphere teams coming here bringing their best players after their club seasons,” Waugh said.

“There have been historical tours where key players have been rested for that July tour to the southern hemisphere, having a Nations Cup ensures we have the best players in the world from the north in Australia.

“The relevance it provides for the audience is helpful for fan engagement and keeps the Test schedule as interesting as possible.”

RA is in the midst of broadcast negotiations, which expire at the end of 2025.

“As we go into the next broadcast cycle being 2026-30, we need to come together as a joint venture and work through how we can maximise the commercials and the revenue, while maintaining the performance benefits of playing the top nations in the world on an annual basis,” Waugh said.

“We’re looking at the attractiveness of different content, how we’re providing creative solutions to maximise fan engagement, which ultimately leads to commercial outcomes.

Waugh believes the new schedule will be more attractive to broadcasters. Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images

“New Zealand and South Africa have been very transparent to SANZAAR about their arrangement, and then it’s about ensuring the overall revenue into the game for SANZAAR Unions is maximised across the four-year cycle.

“There will still be Bledisloe Cups annually, ideally, it’s three Bledisloe Cup matches each year in 2026 and 2030.

“So it’s ensuring we have the appropriate number of Bledisloe Cups and that’s certainly our intent, to work with New Zealand Rugby to secure that.

“And then it’s ensuring we schedule Argentinian and a South African Tests and possibly series in Australia for the Nelson Mandela Plate as well. This needs to be competed for within the regulation nine window so we get the best South Africans playing against the Wallabies in Australia. The success of this year’s TRC matches versus South Africa shows the value and potential of this SANZAAR content.

“We will ensure we’re maximising interest in Wallabies Test matches, as well as broader SANZAAR Test matches in 2026 and 2030.

“While there is the New Zealand tour to South Africa, and the return tour in 2030, it’s very much around how we maximise the interest around all the Test matches SANZAAR countries are playing in that window and across the four-year cycle.”

Originally published as Wallabies set for midweek South Africa, New Zealand tours, Anzac Bledisloe Cup