By Kevin Rademeyer.
The 2025 Rugby Championship kicks off next weekend with two fiercely anticipated clashes: the Springboks host the Wallabies at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, while the All Blacks begin their campaign against Argentina at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, in Córdoba.
With rivalries renewed and squads reshaped, the tournament promises early fireworks and long-reaching implications.
For South African fans, the spotlight will initially fall on Johannesburg, where the world champions face a revitalised Australia squad led by Joe Schmidt.
The Wallabies arrive with a blend of familiar faces and disruptive new energy, bolstered by the return of two men who have history with the Springboks — scrumhalf Nic White and powerhouse lock Will Skelton.
White’s inclusion raised eyebrows after he was expected to retire following the British & Irish Lions series. But with injuries mounting, the veteran halfback has laced up once more, and South African supporters will not have forgotten his theatrics during the infamous 2022 clash, where he drew a yellow card with a dramatic dive that still sparks debate.
Skelton, meanwhile, has been released by La Rochelle and adds heavyweight muscle to Schmidt’s pack. His role in unravelling the Lions’ rhythm last season was decisive, and his physicality alongside Rob Valentini and Taniela Tupou, known to fans as the “Tongan Thor”, signals that the Wallabies are not arriving as underdogs. Schmidt knows the scale of the challenge.
“Playing South Africa on their home turf over two consecutive weekends is one of the toughest tasks in world rugby,” he admitted. “But we’ve kept our core group while adding depth and fresh bodies.”
New faces like uncapped winger Corey Toole and prop Aidan Ross will join stalwarts such as James Slipper, Tate McDermott, and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Flyhalf duties may fall to Brumbies pivot Tane Edmed with both Tom Lynagh and Noah Lolesio unavailable.
While the Wallabies prepare for a brutal baptism in Johannesburg, the All Blacks are set to open their campaign in Argentina. The fixture will mark the beginning of a defining season for New Zealand rugby, with one eye already on 2026, a year that will see the All Blacks return to South Africa for a full-scale tour for the first time since 1996.
That incoming tour, confirmed by SA Rugby, will feature three Tests and five additional matches against United Rugby Championship sides and the SA ‘A’ team. It promises to rekindle the 104-year rivalry in a format unseen since the professional era began, harking back to the drama and prestige of the 20th-century tours.
The last such tour, under captain Sean Fitzpatrick, saw the All Blacks claim their first ever series win on South African soil, a watershed moment in New Zealand’s rugby history. With the Springboks now reigning world champions and the rivalry arguably at its fiercest, the 2026 showdown will be rugby’s most anticipated event outside a World Cup.
For now, however, attention remains on the Rugby Championship’s opening weekend. The Springboks will want to stamp their authority early, particularly in front of a home crowd, while the Wallabies seek to reverse years of away-day struggles in the Republic. And in South America, the All Blacks will test their mettle against an Argentine side growing in confidence and cohesion.
The road to 2026 may have begun, but the battle for 2025 supremacy starts now.