Everything you need to know about this year's upcoming Rugby Championship. Video / NZ Herald
Confirmation of the Rugby Championship draw has delivered the All Blacks nine home tests this season - a schedule that sees Dunedin awarded the 100th match against the Springboks.
Of the 10 tests played before embarking on their end of year tour, the All Blacks' only away outing is the second Bledisloe Cup test in Perth on August 21.
This year the All Blacks will play 14, possibly 15, tests with away trips to Wales, Italy, Ireland and France to follow the Rugby Championship.
The international season kicks off with three home tests – one against Tonga, two versus Fiji - in July before the All Blacks take on the Wallabies in three successive outings that begin on August 7 at Eden Park. The two other Bledisloe Cup tests will be played in Perth and Wellington.
The All Blacks then host two tests each against the Pumas and Springboks in New Zealand, with those nations first quarantining in Australia.
The headline test against the world champion Springboks in Dunedin on September 25 will be the 100th between New Zealand and South Africa.
The match also doubles as the 100-year anniversary of the two nations' rich rugby history, and features in the same city as their first test; which the All Blacks won 13-5 at Carisbrook on August 13, 1921.
Anticipation is sure to reach fever pitch after the Springboks opted out of contesting the Rugby Championship in Australia last year. The Springboks' first outing since winning the 2019 World Cup in Japan will be two tests against Georgia in preparation for the British and Irish Lions series.
The All Blacks and Springboks will face off for the 100th time in tests as part of this tour. Photo / Photosport
All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who confirmed he will name a replacement captain for Sam Cane for the July tests and Rugby Championship, already has one eye on the Boks.
"I can't wait for that one," Foster said on Friday at Eden Park. "All the memories of big test matches, it's hard to look past South Africa – even the ones I've been involved in, some of those games have been huge.
"There's something about it. There seems to be a mutual respect for the two nations that brings the most out in us. To be part of the chance to remember a bit of history will be pretty cool.
"We're assuming they've done a lot of work in the past 12 months. We know they've been through a tough time. Now they're back playing. They just probably haven't had a lot of time together but that's a pretty common denominator.
"We know what the British and Irish Lions means. They've got a big preparation time before that. They'll come into the Rugby Championship battle hardened, as will the Aussies after their series against the French."
Hosting nine home tests is a major advantage for Foster in his second season as All Blacks head coach as he seeks to improve on last year's 50 per cent win record that included three wins, two losses and one draw in a Covid-condensed campaign.
"I don't know if it's an advantage over everyone, because you look at Australia last year they had four at home and won one," Foster said. "We've still got to perform. It's going to give us a settled preparation but I don't mind the travel.
"Going to Perth will be good for us and the end of year tour will be good for us. Part of being an All Black is you've got to win on the road.
"I quite like the way the Bledisloe has been compartmentalised into a bit of a block. That's exciting, and having a week off between one and two with the travel component is quite good. We've got the chance to devote ourselves to that."
Foster admitted the stretch of four tests against the Pumas and Springboks over four weeks to finish the Rugby Championship will test the All Blacks' depth.
"It's going to be demanding on everyone. It's certainly not ideal, we all know that, but with World Rugby regulations and quarantining it's a fact of life for everyone.
"We learnt last year that the four in a row is too many but no one can complain they're not on the same starting line."
Foster plans to name separate squads of around 35 players for the July tests and Rugby Championship. He confirmed Cane would, in all likelihood, be unavailable until the back end of the year, with a replacement skipper set to be named.
"He could play on the end of year tour," Foster said of Cane. "At the moment they've given us an early to mid-September timeframe which means technically he is available potentially late September, but I'd say that's a long shot.
"We've got a large group there who have had a tase of it. This year we'll be looking at that group to see their advancements. You look at July and it's a natural time for us to play around with a few things but it's not like we're going to pick one squad for July and an entirely new one for August."
Rugby fans throughout Aotearoa can expect to be able to make it to an All Blacks test in 2021. Photo / Photosport
Crusaders centre Jack Goodhue's ACL injury rules him out for the year; prop Joe Moody could return from his foot issue in early September and Ardie Savea is expected to return from a knee injury in the next two weeks.
After completing their Japanese sabbaticals, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett will be included for the July tests; but TJ Perenara's situation is a little more complicated in that he technically needs to play one domestic match after signing a new contract before being available.
"They're back and available," Foster said of Retallick and Barrett. "They'll be like everyone when they get out of quarantine, they've got a programme in place, we'll see how they look.
"We've been watching them in their other competitions. It's very hard to compare with the standards there but we'll work through that."
All Blacks schedule:
Third Bledisloe Cup test:
Saturday 7 August All Blacks vs Australia, 7.05pm, Eden Park, Auckland
