The tour, like no other, now has a trophy like no other.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, the revived series between the Springboks and All Blacks, unveiled an unusual piece of silverware in Johannesburg on Wednesday — a trophy made in two halves that are drawn together by hidden magnets.
The concept is designed to reflect the relationship between the two rugby nations: fiercely independent and proud of their own identities, yet inseparably linked by one of the sport’s greatest rivalries.
The trophy was unveiled by the captains of the 1996 series, Springbok great Gary Teichmann and All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick.
The winners of the four-Test tour will take both halves home after the final Test in Baltimore on September 12. If the series ends 2-2, each country will retain one half. SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said the decision to split the trophy was partly driven by the possibility of a drawn series.
“The brief to the agencies was to create a trophy that was really like no other, and one to capture the essence of the rivalry,” Oberholzer said.
“The thinking included the idea that the trophy could be split in two to represent the two halves of the rivalry or that each nation could keep one half if the series was shared. This is the eighth time in 12 tours that the series has included four Tests, and if each team has won two Tests at the end of 320 minutes of intense rugby, it seemed inappropriate to decide a winner on an arbitrary metric.”
It is a nod to history, too. The first two tours between the Springboks and All Blacks, in 1921 and 1928, were both drawn.
The trophy itself is shaped like a blade of grass, representing the experience of every player who has taken part in the rivalry. It consists of two individual blades, one representing South Africa and the other New Zealand.
Each stands alone, reflecting the separate identity, culture and history of the two countries. When brought together, however, they form a single trophy.
Each 65 cm-high blade has been precision-machined from solid aluminium and weighs 7kg. The 9.5kg base is made from two different stones — black Pakohe from Aotearoa New Zealand and green Verdite from South Africa.
The blades also carry artwork from artists in the two countries.
The South African half features work by Bonolo Chepape, whose layered patterns draw on community, culture and shared experience, reflecting the idea that sporting greatness is never achieved alone.
The New Zealand blade features artwork by Kereama Taepa, inspired by the Māori creation story of Tāne and Whiro, two brothers who pursue the same goal by different paths.
The trophy took a year to develop and build, and will have its first competitive prize at stake when the Springboks and All Blacks meet at Ellis Park on Saturday (kick-off 5pm).