SA Rugby confirms tiebreaker plan to ensure winner in 'Greatest Rivalry' series

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series between the  Springboks and  All Blacks will not end with the arch rivals sharing the spoils, according to an  SA Rugby official.

New Zealand will head out to South Africa in early August with the All Blacks taking on all four of the United Rugby Championship sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.

The All Blacks and Springboks are the most successful nations in the history of Test rugby, with the men in black having a 76 percent winning record and the Boks are second best with 64%.

However, South Africa have won the most Rugby World Cup titles (four) while New Zealand are next best with three triumphs at the global showpiece.

The Boks and All Blacks have been battling it out at the international level since 1921, when South Africa drew a Test series in New Zealand. Since then, they have faced each other in 12 series, with New Zealand and South Africa hosting six of those apiece.

The Springboks clinched their only series victory on New Zealand soil in 1937, while the All Blacks had to wait until 1996 to claim that momentous achievement in South Africa.

It is therefore no surprise that the upcoming clashes between the arch-rivals has been dubbed as the "Greatest Rivalry" series and there has been lots of hype in the build-up to the upcoming Tests.

And now SA Rugby's general manager of operations, Yusuf Jackson, has confirmed that should the Test series be level at 2-2 after the fourth encounter in Baltimore on September 12,

"There will be a tiebreaker in the event the series is drawn and there will be an ultimate winner," he told SARugbymag.co.za.

Jackson said SA Rugby and NZ Rugby were in agreement that the eagerly anticipated series should not be drawn.

"The question we asked both teams was, 'Are we happy to shake hands in Baltimore and share the trophy?' Both were aligned. 'No, we want a winner'," he added.

Jackson mentioned the British & Irish Lions' three-Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a 1-1 draw after the teams' third and final Test at Eden Park finished level at 15-15.

He revealed that if the Boks v All Blacks series is level after 80 minutes in Baltimore, the series will be decided by a tiebreaker.

"We are exploring the various [tiebreak] options," said Jackson. "Being mindful of player well-being and match integrity, that could be extra-time or sudden death.

"All of that is being deliberated at this point."

He said that whatever tiebreaker is decided upon, the series will be decided in Baltimore on September 12.

"There are no plans for another match because of the schedule," Jackson confirmed. "The fourth Test will deliver a series result, if we go there.

"Everyone agrees that we want a winner and we have explored this with representatives of both team managements around a table.

"When we go to New Zealand (for the return series in 2030), one team will have the bragging rights of champions."

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