The All Blacks will play the Wallabies in a Bledisloe Cup Anzac Day Test next year, with two other Tests locked in for the day of remembrance in 2029 and 2031.
After months of rumours that both organisations were getting closer to an agreement, New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia confirmed the Anzac Day series this morning.
All three fixtures will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane after financial support from the Queensland government.
The inaugural Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will kick-off at a family-friendly early afternoon time slot on Sunday April 25, 2027.
NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster said: "New Zealand and Australia share a special and unique bond built on sporting rivalries, friendship and those men and women who have served our countries in global conflicts, some making the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.
“Playing the Bledisloe Cup on Anzac Day creates a unique trans-Tasman sporting occasion that honours our countries’ shared history and cultures, while bringing people together through rugby.
“Rugby Australia is an important partner for us, and a strong game in Australia is good for rugby in New Zealand.
"Brisbane has long been seen as a home away from home with a large New Zealand population living there and we see this as a huge opportunity to work in partnership with Rugby Australia to grow the game in a key market."
Next year's fixture will come in the middle of Super Rugby and before the World Cup, hosted by Australia, which kicks off in October.
“The Anzac Day Bledisloe Test adds another key moment during the Super Rugby Pacific season as the early rounds will have the added element of selection intrigue ahead of this match," Lancaster said. "We've worked closely with our clubs to ensure it gives fans another compelling reason to engage with the competition across the season.”
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said: “Th first ever staging of an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will, we believe, create a new trans-Tasman sporting tradition that will bring our nations together and reinforce our shared values. We are grateful to our friends at New Zealand Rugby for this partnership and, along with the Queensland Government, we look forward to creating history together.”
The Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will form part of a three-Test Bledisloe Cup series in 2027, 2029 and 2031.
The remaining two Test matches will be played in The Rugby Championship later in the international calendar, with one scheduled in New Zealand and one in Australia.
“We’ve worked with the All Blacks who see value in an early Test match in Rugby World Cup and men’s Lions tour years, said Lancaster.
“We know the team will embrace the challenge of two matches in Australia and look forward to them playing in front of the thousands of New Zealanders who now call it home, and the many we know will head across the Tasman for the match.”
The Bledisloe Cup will remain a two-match series in 2028 and 2030 due to the Nations Championship.
Further match details and ticketing information will be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, Super Rugby Pacific is set to confirm the 2027 competition format in the coming weeks following the demise of Moana Pasifika.
ANZAC Bledisloe Cup fixtures
• Sunday, April 25, 2027 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
• Wednesday, April 25, 2029 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
• Friday, April 25, 2031 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
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