The Southern Hemisphere’s premier rugby tournament is back, and the 2025 Rugby Championship promises a thrilling contest for supremacy. With the defending champions, the Springboks, looking to retain their title and all four teams eager to make a statement, this year’s tournament is shaping up to be a blockbuster.
This is set to be a momentous year, as it will be the last annual tournament before a major format change to a biennial schedule with the introduction of the Nations Championship. This means the stakes are higher than ever for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa to claim the title.
The Teams & Key Match-ups
The tournament features the four heavyweights of Southern Hemisphere rugby:
- South Africa (Springboks): As the reigning World Champions and the winners of the 2024 Rugby Championship, the Springboks will be the team to beat.
- New Zealand (All Blacks): With a new coach in Scott Robertson, the All Blacks will be looking to reclaim their dominance and a new era for the famous team.
- Australia (Wallabies): The Wallabies, under new coach Joe Schmidt, will be eager to climb the rankings and win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 2002, coming off a hard-fought test series against the British & Irish Lions.
- Argentina (Los Pumas): Consistently a powerful and unpredictable force, Los Pumas are always a threat to the top teams, especially when playing at home.
The two clashes between New Zealand and South Africa are always highlights of the season. This year, they will take place at Eden Park in Auckland and Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington. Another interesting fixture will be the final round between Argentina and South Africa, which will be held at a neutral venue at Twickenham Stadium in London.
The Full 2025 Rugby Championship Schedule
The tournament runs from mid-August to early October. Here is the full fixture list:
Round 1 – Saturday, August 16
- South Africa vs. Australia, Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg (Kick-off: 18:10 SAST) – Tickets
- Argentina vs. New Zealand, Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba (Kick-off: 18:10 ART) – Tickets
Round 2 – Saturday, August 23
- South Africa vs. Australia, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (Kick-off: 17:10 SAST) – Tickets
- Argentina vs. New Zealand, Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires (Kick-off: 18:10 ART) – Tickets
Round 3 – Saturday, September 6
- Australia vs. Argentina, North Queensland Stadium, Townsville (Kick-off: 14:30 AEST) – Tickets
- New Zealand vs. South Africa, Eden Park, Auckland (Kick-off: 19:05 NZST) – Tickets
Round 4 – Saturday, September 13
- Australia vs. Argentina, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney (Kick-off: 14:00 AEST) – Tickets
- New Zealand vs. South Africa, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington (Kick-off: 19:05 NZST) – Tickets
Round 5 – Saturday, September 27
- New Zealand vs. Australia, Eden Park, Auckland (Kick-off: 17:05 NZST) – Tickets
- South Africa vs. Argentina, Kings Park Stadium, Durban (Kick-off: 17:10 SAST) – Tickets
Round 6 – Saturday, October 4
- Australia vs. New Zealand, Optus Stadium, Perth (Kick-off: 17:45 AWST) – Tickets
- Argentina vs. South Africa, Twickenham Stadium, London (Kick-off: 14:00 BST) – Tickets
How to Get Tickets
Tickets for the 2025 Rugby Championship are in high demand and are sold through a variety of official and secondary vendors. Fans are encouraged to check the official websites of the national rugby unions (e.g., Rugby Australia, NZ Rugby, SA Rugby) and authorised ticket vendors like Ticketmaster and Ticketek for the most up-to-date information on availability and pricing. Hospitality and tour packages may also be available through official travel partners for certain matches.
Last Updated on August 15, 2025 by Sports Tourist
