New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia have confirmed a new Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup fixture, with the All Blacks and Wallabies to meet at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium in 2027, 2029 and 2031. 1News reported that the first of the three confirmed matches will be played next year, while RNZ said all three Anzac Day tests will be staged in Brisbane, with the remaining Bledisloe matches in those years spread across The Rugby Championship schedule.
The decision is a major change to the rhythm of one of rugby's oldest rivalries. Putting a test match on Anzac Day gives the fixture a defined public moment and turns it into more than another rugby date. It also places the match directly inside a day of remembrance shared by Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster framed the decision as both symbolic and commercial. He said Australia is an important partner for New Zealand rugby and pointed to Brisbane's large New Zealand population. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said the first Anzac Day Bledisloe test could create a new trans-Tasman sporting tradition.
The Brisbane venue choice will divide some supporters. Suncorp Stadium is one of Australia's best rugby grounds and can deliver a strong event atmosphere. It is also not in New Zealand. None of the Anzac Day matches will be played in Aotearoa, although other Bledisloe matches in the three-test years will include New Zealand hosting one match.
The timing also affects Super Rugby Pacific. The 2027 fixture will arrive in the middle of the Super Rugby season and before the Rugby World Cup in Australia. Clubs, players and national selectors will need to manage form, injury risk and rest while keeping the domestic competition credible.
The challenge is tone. Anzac Day carries meaning beyond sport, and both unions will need to avoid making the remembrance connection feel like a marketing layer. The event will work best if ceremony, community and rugby are balanced carefully, with respect leading the build-up rather than hype alone.
On the field, the Bledisloe remains a hard rugby measure. Australia can stage a compelling event, but the match will only become a lasting tradition if the contest feels alive. The All Blacks have the stronger recent history. The Wallabies now have a new platform to challenge it.
