{"id":861061,"date":"2026-08-19T17:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T17:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/861061\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T17:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T17:38:09","slug":"rugbys-greatest-rivalry-trophy-like-no-other-revealed-ahead-of-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/861061\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: Trophy ‘like no other’ revealed ahead of Tests"},"content":{"rendered":"

SA Rugby and New Zealand<\/a> Rugby have unveiled the trophy for the Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry series, which features a world-first concept to mark the bond between the Springboks and the All Blacks.<\/p>\n

The trophy is the first trophy to be built in two halves, held together by magnetism, and was developed exclusively for the Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry series to mark the resumption of regular tours between the two countries.<\/p>\n

The winner of the four-Test series, which gets underway on Saturday (August 22), will take home the full trophy in its entirety; but should the series be drawn, each nation will retain one half of the trophy.<\/p>\n

Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry trophy revealed ahead of Test series<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tour like no other now has a trophy like no other. Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry<\/a>, presented by Castle Double Malt, on Wednesday unveiled a world first with a trophy created in two halves \u2013 yet drawn together by magnetism \u2013 to capture the unique bond between the Springboks and All Blacks,\u201d a statement read.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n

Nick Evans: Where the Springboks have improved \u2018massively\u2019 and how the All Blacks could open them up<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe winners of the four-test Tour will receive both halves following the final Test in Baltimore, USA, on 12 September 2026. Should the series be drawn, each nation will retain one half of the trophy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trophy\u2019s shape is inspired by a blade of grass, an element common to every player\u2019s experience, and was developed by Strategy Creative of New Zealand alongside both unions. It is formed from two individual blades, one representing South Africa<\/a> and one representing New Zealand.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach blade stands independently, reflecting the unique identity, culture, and history of its nation. Only when the two pieces come together does the complete trophy emerge.<\/p>\n

\u201cHidden magnets draw the blades together. Like the rivalry itself, the force between them continues to bring the two nations back together, generation after generation. Each blade has been precision-machined from solid aluminium and features artwork from South African and New Zealand artists.<\/p>\n

Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe South African blade features artwork by Bonolo Chepape, whose work explores the idea that greatness is never achieved alone. Through layered patterns inspired by community, culture and shared experience, her artwork celebrates the many people who shape sporting excellence in South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe New Zealand<\/a> blade carries artwork by Kereama Taepa, inspired by the M\u0101ori creation story of T\u0101ne and Whiro \u2013 two brothers whose rivalry sees them pursue the same goal by different paths. His work reflects the tension, respect and connection that sit at the heart of great rivalries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trophy base continues the theme of two halves making a greater whole, as it is made of two distinct stones; black Pakohe stone from Aotearoa New Zealand, and green Verdite from South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the unveiling, Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said: \u201cThe brief to the agencies was to create a trophy that was really like no other, and one to capture the essence of the rivalry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n

Loose Pass: Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry questions as tour hasn\u2019t hit the hype heights of the British and Irish Lions<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve Lancaster, CEO of New Zealand Rugby, added: \u201cThe trophy is a really fitting way to recognise what this rivalry is about. It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery Test adds to that history. There\u2019s a real respect between the two sides, but also that desire to get one over each other and find a way to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if the Series is drawn, the fact the trophy can be shared is something special to this tour and this concept. It\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Springboks v All Blacks: Five focus points for New Zealand at Ellis Park, from a scrum that has to survive the bench to the one contest they can turn<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SA Rugby and New Zealand Rugby have unveiled the trophy for the Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry series, which features…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":861062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,818,1182,1736,44,760,85],"class_list":["post-861061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-home-page","tag-internationals","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861061","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=861061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/861062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=861061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=861061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=861061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}