NZR+<\/a>.<\/p>\nA New Era for Rugby<\/p>\n
The Nations Championship is a new global rugby competition launching in July\u202f2026, bringing together the top 12 Northern and Southern Hemisphere nations in a series of high-stakes matches, with points and rankings leading to a Finals Weekend in London late in the year. The All Blacks will host three key July fixtures in the Southern Hemisphere Series, facing France in Christchurch, Italy in Wellington, and Ireland in Auckland.<\/p>\n
Ranfurly Shield<\/p>\n
In 2025, the Ranfurly Shield changed hands four times, with Taranaki, Waikato, Southland, Canterbury and finally Otago enjoying memorable runs. Otago secured it with a thrilling 38\u201336 win over Canterbury and defended it against North Harbour. In 2026, Otago begin as holders and will look to make Forsyth Barr Stadium a long term home for the coveted \u2018Log o\u2019 Wood\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Black Ferns History in South Africa<\/p>\n
In 2026, the Black Ferns will make history in South Africa, playing their first full Test on South African soil as part of the \u201cRugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry\u201d tour. Their clash with Springboks Women in Johannesburg on 5\u202fSeptember will serve as a curtain\u2011raiser to the All Blacks v Springboks Test in front of a packed crowd.<\/p>\n
One Year to Go: Rugby World Cup 2027<\/p>\n
October\u202f1, 2026, marks one year until the 2027 Rugby World Cup kicks off in Australia. With the All Blacks drawn in the same pool as hosts Australia for the first time, there\u2019s a strong chance the tournament\u2019s opening game will be a classic showdown between the two old rivals.<\/p>\n
Under 85kg Rugby\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under\u202f85kg rugby made headlines in\u202f2025, capped by a thrilling National Under\u202f85kg Club Cup final at Eden Park, where the HSOB Light Bears edged P\u014dneke FC Wanderers 24\u201319 in a dramatic finish. The New Zealand Under\u202f85kg team also completed a historic two-match tour of Sri Lanka against the Tuskers in sold-out games. With the grade growing fast, 2026 promises even more excitement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Next Generation on the World Stage<\/p>\n
World Rugby has confirmed that the 2026 World Rugby Under\u202f20 Championship will be hosted by Georgia. After expanding from 12 to 16 teams to boost global competitiveness, the age\u2011grade showpiece will welcome Fiji, Japan, USA and Uruguay alongside the traditional line\u2011up. For New\u202fZealand U20s, who fell just short to the Springboks U20s in the 2025 final, it\u2019s another shot at the title on a bigger stage in 2026. With the expanded format and fresh talent emerging, the Baby Blacks will be looking to go one better and lift the championship in Georgia.<\/p>\n
Whitney Hansen in Charge<\/p>\n
Whitney Hansen has been named the new Black Ferns Head Coach for 2026, taking over from Allan Bunting and becoming only the second woman to lead the iconic side. Her appointment brings real excitement for 2026, as she guides a generationally talented squad through an 11\u2011Test season and builds momentum ahead of the historic British & Irish Lions Series in 2027.<\/p>\n
Bledisloe Cup<\/p>\n
The Bledisloe Cup, the iconic Trans\u2011Tasman trophy the All Blacks have held since 2003, is back in the spotlight in 2026 as New Zealand look to defend it in a two\u2011Test series against Australia. The fierce rivalry sees the first clash at Eden Park in Auckland on 10 October and the return leg in Sydney the following week.<\/p>\n
Closing in on the Centurions Club<\/p>\n
All Blacks Captain Scott Barrett is closing in on a major milestone, with 91 Test caps to his name. If he reaches 100 Tests in 2026, he will join the All Blacks\u2019 elite group of 15 centurions, underscoring his durability and impact on the black jersey since his debut in 2016.<\/p>\n
Who Will Shine at the 2026 ASB Rugby Awards?<\/p>\n
Celebrating rugby\u2019s best moments and contributors, the ASB Rugby Awards are a highlight of the season, shining a spotlight on outstanding players, coaches, teams, and volunteers across the game. In 2026, we\u2019ll once again look forward to seeing who etches their name on these prestigious honours, recognising excellence from grassroots to the elite \u2014 all to be revealed at a night of rugby celebration.<\/p>\n
Fans Making the Moment<\/p>\n
Fans are the heart and soul of rugby, and 2026 promises plenty of unforgettable moments in the stands. From roaring crowds at NPC and Super Rugby to the electric atmosphere when the All Blacks and Black Ferns take the field, the year is set for passionate support, colourful chants, and unforgettable celebrations as fans cheer every big moment.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From blockbuster Tests and new competitions to emerging stars and historic milestones, 2026 shapes as a huge year…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":394434,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-394433","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394433"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394433\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/394434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}