Springboks and All Blacks unveil split trophy for four-Test tour

The Springboks and All Blacks have unveiled a two-part trophy for their four-Test tour, with the completed prize going to the series winners. The deciding Test is scheduled for Baltimore on 12 September, when the two halves will be presented together if one team finishes ahead.

The trophy separates into two independent pieces, each representing one country, but concealed magnets pull them into a single object. If the series ends level at two wins apiece, South Africa and New Zealand will each keep one half instead of a winner being determined by an additional measure.

Gary Teichmann and Sean Fitzpatrick, the captains of the Springboks and All Blacks respectively in the 1996 series, brought the trophy together at its official unveiling in Johannesburg. The design was commissioned for the return of tours between the longstanding rivals and reflects a relationship that has produced more than a century of competition.

Its form is based on a blade of grass, an element shared by every player who takes part. The two sections are shaped as separate blades, allowing each to stand alone while showing a complete design only when placed together. Both were machined from solid aluminium and carry artwork from artists in South Africa and New Zealand.

Bonolo Chepape created the South African artwork around community, culture and the collective contribution behind sporting success. Kereama Taepa’s New Zealand design draws on the Māori story of Tāne and Whiro, brothers who follow different paths while pursuing the same objective. The base also combines two national materials: black Pakohe stone from Aotearoa New Zealand and green Verdite from South Africa.

The public will see the trophy assembled for the first time on Saturday, when the Springboks face the All Blacks in the opening Test at 10bet Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The first two tours between the nations, in 1921 and 1928, were both shared, giving the split-prize idea an earlier parallel in the rivalry’s history. This tour is the eighth of 12 between the teams to feature four Tests.