Freedom Cup

Freedom Cup
SportRugby union
Instituted2004
Number of teams2
Country South Africa
 New Zealand
Holders South Africa (2026)
Most titles New Zealand (16 titles)

The Freedom Cup (Afrikaans: Vryheidsbeker) is a minor international rugby union trophy contested between South Africa and New Zealand as part of The Rugby Championship. It is a glass goblet on a wooden base.

As of 2026, it has been contested 21 times with New Zealand winning or retaining the trophy 16 times while South Africa have done so 5 times.

History

The Freedom Cup was introduced to mark the 10 year anniversary of South African democracy in 2004. Although the teams played each other multiple times a year, the original idea was for the cup to be contested only once every second year, in a single nominated match rather than over an entire Tri-Nations tournament (as the Rugby Championship was then known).

The first winners of the Freedom Cup were the Springboks, following a 40-26 victory at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, during the 2004 Tri Nations Series. As part of the democracy celebrations that the cup represented, Nelson Mandela attended the match.

In keeping with the original plan, there were no Freedom Cup matches in 2005. However, starting with the 2006 Tri Nations Series, the two nations agreed that it would become a bilateral series trophy, contested in all three (later two) New Zealand–South Africa matches. The All Blacks won the first two matches that year, but after South Africa's victory in the third game, Supersport presenter Joost van der Westhuizen incorrectly presented the trophy to Springbok captain John Smit who accepted it in front of millions of television viewers. The mistake was corrected after the South Africans had begun parading with the trophy.

In 2015 the Freedom Cup broke off its base when New Zealand captain Richie McCaw unboxed it ahead of that year's one-off test. It was repaired in New Zealand and travelled to South Africa, where it was retained by the visitors.

Bilateral series within Tri-Nations and Rugby Championships

The Freedom Cup was awarded annually from 2006-2025 (except 2020, due to COVID), going to whichever team won more of that year's Tri-Nations or Rugby Championship matches between the two teams. In drawn series the holder retains the cup.

Tri-Nations tournaments featured three tests between South Africa and New Zealand, except in World Cup years (2007, 2011) when only two were played. From 2012 the Tri-Nations expanded to the four-team Rugby Championship and the new draw reduced the number of Freedom Cup matches by one (two matches most years; one in World Cup years).

Due to COVID pandemic travel restrictions there were no Freedom Cup matches in 2020, and in 2021 Australia hosted both matches, meaning that the Freedom Cup was contested on neutral ground for the first time. Later, one match was played in Baltimore, United States in 2026.

"Greatest Rivalry" tours

From 2026 the two countries agreed to four-yearly tours known as "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry". These test series will replace the Rugby Championship in those years and feature a different trophy. As a result, the Freedom Cup will also be at stake. The new trophy's halves each represent one of the two nations. It is held together by magnets and can be separated if the four-test series is drawn.

Matches

As of 13 September 2026.

Host P  New Zealand  South Africa D New Zealand points South Africa points
New Zealand New Zealand 18 13 4 1 528 310
South Africa South Africa 23 12 11 0 638 573
Neutral Venue 3 1 2 0 76 91
Overall 44 26 17 1 1,242 974

Source:

Results

Year Date Venue Home Score Away Trophy
Winner
2026 12 September M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore (United States) South Africa  43–28  New Zealand South Africa
5 September FNB Stadium, Johannesburg South Africa  29–24  New Zealand
29 August Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town South Africa  33–26  New Zealand
22 August Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  16–33  New Zealand
2025 13 September Sky Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  10–43  South Africa South Africa
6 September Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand  24–17  South Africa
2024 7 September Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town South Africa  18–12  New Zealand South Africa
31 August Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  31–27  New Zealand
2023 15 July Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland New Zealand  35–20  South Africa New Zealand
2022 13 August Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  23–35  New Zealand New Zealand
6 August Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit South Africa  26–10  New Zealand
2021 2 October Robina Stadium, Gold Coast (Australia) South Africa  31–29  New Zealand New Zealand
25 September North Queensland Stadium, Townsville (Australia) New Zealand  19–17  South Africa
2019 27 July Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  16–16  South Africa New Zealand
2018 6 October Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria South Africa  30–32  New Zealand New Zealand
15 September Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  34–36  South Africa
2017 7 October Newlands Stadium, Cape Town South Africa  24–25  New Zealand New Zealand
16 September North Harbour Stadium, Albany New Zealand  57–0  South Africa
2016 8 October Kings Park Stadium, Durban South Africa  15–57  New Zealand New Zealand
17 September Rugby League Park, Christchurch New Zealand  41–13  South Africa
2015 25 July Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  20–27  New Zealand New Zealand
2014 4 October Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  27–25  New Zealand New Zealand
13 September Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  14–10  South Africa
2013 5 October Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  27–38  New Zealand New Zealand
14 September Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand  29–15  South Africa
2012 6 October FNB Stadium, Johannesburg South Africa  16–32  New Zealand New Zealand
15 September Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin New Zealand  21–11  South Africa
2011 20 August Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth South Africa  18–5  New Zealand New Zealand
30 July Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  40–7  South Africa
2010 21 August FNB Stadium, Johannesburg South Africa  22–29  New Zealand New Zealand
17 July Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  31–17  South Africa
10 July Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand  32–12  South Africa
2009 12 September Waikato Stadium, Hamilton New Zealand  29–32  South Africa South Africa
1 August Kings Park Stadium, Durban South Africa  31–19  New Zealand
25 July Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein South Africa  28–19  New Zealand
2008 16 August Newlands, Cape Town South Africa  0–19  New Zealand New Zealand
12 July Carisbrook, Dunedin New Zealand  28–30  South Africa
5 July Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  19–8  South Africa
2007 14 July Lancaster Park, Christchurch New Zealand  33–6  South Africa New Zealand
23 June Kings Park Stadium, Durban South Africa  21–26  New Zealand
2006 2 September Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg South Africa  21–20  New Zealand New Zealand
26 August Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria South Africa  26–45  New Zealand
22 July Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington New Zealand  35–17  South Africa
2004 14 August Ellis Park, Johannesburg South Africa  40–26  New Zealand South Africa

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the two tests played during the 2021 Rugby Championship were both staged in Queensland, Australia. Later, in 2026, the final game of the 2026 New Zealand tour of South Africa was played in Baltimore, United States.

References

  1. ↑ Agter die doellyn (eBoek): Glorieryke oomblikke in Springbokrugby met getuienisse en lewensverhale deur Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Beast Mtawarira, Morne Steyn, Juan Smith, Jannie en Bismarck du Plessis, Peter de Villiers ... Christelike Uitgewersmpy. 15 July 2011. ISBN 9781431603244 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Easton, Paul (26 July 2015). "Freedom Cup rushed for repairs after mishap". Stuff. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Boks and All Blacks to vie for Freedom Cup". ESPN. 29 July 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  4. ↑ Paul, Gregor (20 August 2026). "All Blacks: Ellis Park defeat and following drinking session that led to team's rebirth". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 Sansom, Tom (11 September 2025). "EXPLAINED: What is the Freedom Cup? All Blacks vs Springboks – Rugby Championship". Ruck.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Nell, Stephen (2006). "Boks were Freedom Cup winners for an instant". IOL. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Easton, Paul (26 July 2015). "Freedom Cup rushed for repairs after mishap". Stuff. Sunday Star Times. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "South Africa 20 vs New Zealand 27". World Rugby. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Williamson, Nathan (24 August 2021). "SANZAAR confirm schedule for Rugby Championship". Rugby.com.au. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "All Blacks and Springboks to contest new trophy with magnets that can split in half". Stuff. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Pick and Go rugby archive – select All Blacks and Boks, Freedom Cup.