The All Blacks have received a memorable welcome in Cape Town as they prepare for a historic tour featuring matches against South African teams and the Springboks.
Cape Town, South Africa (02 August 2026) – Before the tackles and packed stadiums, the All Blacks are getting a taste of South African hospitality.
The New Zealand rugby team has arrived in Cape Town ahead of their highly anticipated tour of South Africa, receiving a warm welcome from locals as they begin what will be their first full tour of the country in three decades.
Videos shared from the team’s arrival have captured moments of South African hospitality at its best, with hotel staff singing and welcoming the visitors as they settled into the city.
Rather than heading straight into rugby mode, the All Blacks have also had the opportunity to explore Cape Town, take in some of its culture and experience the energy that makes the Mother City a favourite destination. Soon they will become one half of one of rugby’s greatest rivalries.
The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour will be the All Blacks’ first full tour of South Africa since the historic 1996 series and will feature matches against all four South African United Rugby Championship franchises, as well as four Tests against the Springboks.
The tour gets underway on Friday, 7 August, when the All Blacks take on the Stormers in Cape Town.
From there, the team will continue their journey across South Africa, facing the country’s leading franchise sides before the focus shifts to a four-Test series against the Springboks.
The Test matches will be played at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Cape Town Stadium and FNB Stadium, while the final encounter will take place at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA.
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South African Pickleball Eyes Next Generation After World Cup ExperienceThe tour is expected to bring together two of rugby’s most successful and fiercely competitive nations, with South African and New Zealand supporters eagerly anticipating another chapter in their long-running rivalry.
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