Castle Lager Rugby

Championship

ALL STATS

CURRENT CHAMPIONSSPRINGBOKS

YEAR STARTED1996

NUMBER OF TEAMS4

MATCHES PER TEAM6

OVERVIEW

ABOUT

The Castle Lager Rugby Championship is an international rugby union competition featuring Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The competition has existed in various forms of the four countries: National unions, called SANZAR. The Springboks were crowned champions in 2024 and were the first ever champions for the first time by winning four of their six games. They also won a shortened version of the competition in 2019, and were also champions of the Tri-Nations, as the competition was called before the Pumas joined in 2012, in 1998, 2004 and 2009.

THE HISTORY

The inaugural Tri-Nations tournament was held in 1996, and was won by New Zealand. The Springboks won their first title in 1998, and Australia their first in 2000. The first Castle Lager Rugby Championship, in 2012, was also won by New Zealand, when Argentina joined the revamped competition. Since 1996, New Zealand have won 20 championship titles, South Africa six (in 1998, 2004, 2009, 2019, 2024 and 2025) and Australia four.