Tiebreak talks underway to ensure 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour has a winner

Anticipation is building for what promises to be one of the standout tours of the modern era, with New Zealand set to travel to South Africa for a blockbuster schedule that combines four Test matches with a series of fixtures against United Rugby Championship opposition.

The tour begins on 7 August at DHL Stadium, where the All Blacks face the Stormers, before moving through a packed provincial program that includes clashes with the Sharks on 11 August, the Bulls on 15 August, and the Lions on 25 August.

The first Test kicks off at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 22 August, before the series moves to Cape Town Stadium on 29 August and FNB Stadium in Nasrec on 5 September. It concludes with a historic fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA, on 12 September.

With the series consisting of four Test matches, there is a real possibility it could end in a draw, but SA Rugby's GM of operations, Yusuf Jackson, has confirmed that discussions have already taken place to make sure that should the contest finish level, a definitive winner is decided.

"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,'" Jackson said.

"We are exploring the various (tiebreak) options," he added. "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.

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

Next year will mark three decades since New Zealand's last full-scale tour of South Africa, when the All Blacks embarked on an eight-match schedule that ended in a famous 2-1 Test series victory.

In 2030, the Springboks will finally return the favour with their first full tour of New Zealand in the professional era.