Rugby Championship could be shelved in 2026 and 2028 amid tour plans

Southern Hemisphere rugby chiefs are reportedly considering a dramatic overhaul of the Rugby Championship that could see the tournament shelved in 2026 and 2028 and reduced in 2027, with the current multi-match round-robin format not expected to return until 2029. The proposed changes would replace at least some editions of the Championship with extended, traditional-style tours in which visiting nations play several club sides and a series of Tests, officials and reports said.

Under the plans under discussion, next year would feature a high-profile seven-match tour by New Zealand to South Africa, including matches against URC clubs and a three-Test series against the Springboks, with a possible fourth Test to be played in Europe. Similar tours involving other SANZAAR nations could follow in 2028, potentially supplanting that year's Championship. Organisers are also preparing a new 12-team Nations Championship starting in 2026, which would stage cross-hemisphere Tests and a November finals weekend, further complicating the international calendar.

Proponents argue the tours and Nations Championship would generate greater commercial returns and clearer marquee fixtures, but...