Springboks v All Blacks USA Test slammed as the ‘most egregious money-grab in rugby’s history’

The decision to take the fourth Test between the Springboks and All Blacks to the USA during the Greatest Rivalry series has been criticised.

New Zealand-based journalist Gregor Paul has accused the governing bodies of an “egregious money-grab” by playing it at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) particularly coming under fire.

Paul reckons they have “become so heavily weighted towards making money as to raise legitimate concerns that the team are being set up to inevitably suffer a drop in success.”

He added: “It has reached the point where it seems NZR believes that making money is the sole reason the All Blacks bother playing anyone.”

Hurting the supporters and players

Like many unions around the world, NZR have their issues financially but, as a result, Paul believes that the loyal supporters, as well as the players themselves, are paying the price.

“This seems to me to be the most egregious money-grab in rugby’s history: a decision that sells the genuine rugby fan short, compromises the physical well-being of the players and disrupts the nostalgic narrative of this being a traditional tour,” he wrote in the New Zealand Herald.

Several locations were suggested, including Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, which hosted the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up between the Springboks and All Blacks.

Croke Park in Dublin was also reportedly considered but they ultimately decided on taking it to the USA.

“If the fourth game against the Springboks had been allocated to Twickenham as originally intended, it could have made sense: a (potential) decider in front of the significant, respective expat populations of both nations in London, which is one direct 12-hour flight away from South Africa,” Paul wrote.

“Instead, the day after playing the third of three brutal tests in consecutive weekends, both teams will endure an 18-hour journey to a city on the United States eastern seaboard that has zero affinity with rugby and no historic or cultural links to either South Africa or New Zealand.”

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Increasing number of overseas Tests

It is not the first time the All Blacks have played a tier one nation in the USA having faced Ireland in both 2016 and, most recently, 2025, with these overseas fixtures becoming more and more common.

Paul reckons that it is potentially hurting the team and suggested that it may have played a part in Scott Robertson’s downfall.

Robertson was sacked following an underwhelming couple of years in charge but Paul does not believe that he was helped by the schedule.

“That NZR wants to squeeze more ticket and hospitality revenue out of the All Blacks is understandable,” Paul added.

“But the question now is whether it is pursuing money at the expense of all other considerations such as home fan expectations, high-performance needs, and global obligations to grow the sport through scheduling fixtures with Tier Two nations. Crucially, is the pursuit of money affecting the ability of the team to win?

“It’s certainly fair to ask whether the All Blacks’ schedule in the past two years was a hidden factor in the demise of recently departed head coach Scott Robertson?

“The All Blacks played 16 of their 27 tests on his watch away from home (60%) – a figure that would have risen to 63% by the end of his contracted four-year tenure.”

That, according to Paul, is in contrast to Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, who in their first few years in charge only played 47 per cent and 54 per cent of their games away from home.

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