New tours era set to replace Rugby ChampionshipThe Rugby Championship will not take place next year, and the current format of the competition is unlikely to be played again until 2029, the Herald understands. As has been well signposted, the All Blacks are heading to South Africa next year for a seven-game tour featuring matches against the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions, as well as three Tests – with a fourth Test to be tacked on at the end in Europe. That will replace the Rugby Championship in 2026, but plans are also afoot for tours involving all four SANZAAR nations in 2028. The Wallabies are set to play two three-Test series in 2028, meaning they could either head to New Zealand for three Tests or host the All Blacks, followed by a similar arrangement with either South Africa or Argentina. That would mean no Rugby Championship in 2026, a shortened version in 2027 (a Rugby World Cup year), and again no Rugby Championship in 2028 – before a resumption of the current format in 2029.