2022 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour: Springboks Team Photograph
DUBLIN, IRELAND - NOVEMBER 04: The South Africa team during the South Africa men's national rugby team photograph at Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel on November 04, 2022 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile/Gallo Images)

Home » Rugby World Cup 2.0? Springboks to enter new tournament in 2026!

Rugby World Cup 2.0? Springboks to enter new tournament in 2026!

Springboks rugby, and world rugby as we know it, is about to change for good. There is a new global tournament that has reportedly just been finalized. MUST READ: RASSIE ERASMUS NAMES TWO SURPRISE SPRINGBOKS CAPTAIN CANDIDATES – REPORT The North and South are set to unite from 2026 for the World League, according to PlanetRugby. The […]

By Dean Boyle
21-06-23 16:34
in Featured
2022 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour: Springboks Team Photograph
DUBLIN, IRELAND - NOVEMBER 04: The South Africa team during the South Africa men's national rugby team photograph at Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel on November 04, 2022 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile/Gallo Images)

Springboks rugby, and world rugby as we know it, is about to change for good. There is a new global tournament that has reportedly just been finalized.

MUST READ: RASSIE ERASMUS NAMES TWO SURPRISE SPRINGBOKS CAPTAIN CANDIDATES – REPORT

The North and South are set to unite from 2026 for the World League, according to PlanetRugby.

The Springboks, along with the world’s twelve highest ranked teams, are set to enter into a new tournament that will change international rugby as we know it.

ALSO READ: ICYMI – SEVEN SPRINGBOKS SET TO BE SENT HOME BEFORE RUGBY WORLD CUP

SPRINGBOKS TO PARTICIPATE IN NEW TOURNAMENT FROM 2026

The new ‘World League’ will replace the traditional July Test series as well as the November internationals.

Furthermore, there will be two groups of six nations composed of the Rugby Championship sides (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina), the Six Nations outfits (Ireland, France, Scotland, England, Wales and Italy) as well as Japan and Fiji.

READ – FULL LIST: SPRINGBOKS ON TRIAL TO MAKE OR BREAK RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD

SA Rugby Test team Springboks during their national anthem. Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Hollywoodbets.
The Springboks during their national anthem. Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Hollywoodbets.

ALSO READ: SPRINGBOK LEGENDS SET TO BE REPLACED BY THESE MEN AT THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

The winner of each group will then compete in a final to determine the World League champions.

The tournament is set to take place every two years and is, in essence, a mini World Cup given that the World’s top teams are involved and for the first time ever, the north and south will be uniting on the international stage in a tournament that is not the Rugby World Cup.

READ – SPRINGBOKS: 10 PLAYERS IN LINE TO EARN RUGBY WORLD CUP DEBUTS

WORLD LEAGUE TO REPLACE JUNE AND NOVEMBER TESTS

The Southern Hemispheres sides will host three of the Northern Hemisphere sides in July.

In turn, the Northern Hemisphere sides will play host to the Southern Hemisphere in November.

READ – SPRINGBOKS: RASSIE TO SEND 15 PLAYERS TO NZ! – REPORT

Meaning, the Test matches will take place at the same time as the July and November window except it will be replaced by the World League every two years.

Therefore, the Boks will be competing in a new tournament alongside the worlds top 12 nations.

ALSO READ – SPRINGBOKS: NINE PLAYERS AT RISK OF MISSING RUGBY WORLD CUP

ALSO READ – SPRINGBOKS: FOUR PLAYERS LIKELY TO EARN RARE BOK STARTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA

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