Greatest Rivalry trophy revealed as series permutation is confirmed
TROPHY REVEAL: The tour like no other now has a trophy like no other.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, presented by Castle Double Malt, on Wednesday unveiled a world first with a trophy created in two halves – yet drawn together by magnetism – to capture the unique bond between the Springboks and All Blacks.
The concept was developed exclusively for the revival of rugby tours between the nations, to capture a simple truth: that as distinct and proud as are the two rugby cultures, each is inexorably drawn to the other as two halves of the greatest rivalry.
The winners of the four-test Tour will receive both halves following the final Test in Baltimore, USA, on September 12 2026.
Should the series be drawn, each nation will retain one half of the trophy.
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The spectacular creation was publicly brought together for the first time by the captains of the 1996 series – Gary Teichmann (Springboks) and Sean Fitzpatrick (All Blacks) – at an official unveiling in Johannesburg.
“The brief to the agencies was to create a trophy that was really like no other, and one to capture the essence of the rivalry,” said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.
“The thinking included the idea that the trophy could be split in two to represent the two halves of the rivalry or that each nation could keep one half if the series was shared.
“This is the eighth time in 12 tours that the series has included four Tests, and if each team has won two tests at the end of 320 minutes of intense rugby, it seemed inappropriate to decide a winner on an arbitrary metric.”
Steve Lancaster, CEO of New Zealand Rugby, said: “The trophy is a really fitting way to recognise what this rivalry is about. It’s something different and unique, and importantly, it tells the story of two teams and two countries that have been competing against each other for more than 100 years.
“Every Test adds to that history. There’s a real respect between the two sides, but also that desire to get one over each other and find a way to win.
“And if the Series is drawn, the fact the trophy can be shared is something special to this tour and this concept. It’s a fitting reflection of just how closely matched these teams have been over the years, and the intensity of a rivalry that has endured for more than a century.”
The first two tours between the teams – in 1921 and 1928 – were shared.
The trophy will be seen by the general public for the first time on Saturday when the Springboks meet the All Blacks in the first test at 10bet Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
