The fourth and final Test between the Springboks and All Blacks will begin at 23:00 South African time on Saturday, 12 September, in Baltimore, United States.
The match will be the centrepiece of a four-Test series between two of rugby’s most decorated nations, billed as the ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ tour.
Before travelling to the United States, the teams will meet three times in South Africa. Those Tests will be played at Ellis Park on Saturday, 22 August, Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 29 August, and FNB Stadium on Saturday, 5 September.
All three South African fixtures are scheduled to kick off at 17:10.
The Baltimore match will start at 23:00 for viewers in South Africa, meaning supporters will have to stay up late to watch the concluding contest of the series.
The Springboks and All Blacks will play seven matches in South Africa during the tour. Alongside the three Tests, New Zealand will face four United Rugby Championship (URC) franchises before the international series begins.
The All Blacks start their South African schedule against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Friday, 7 August. They will then play the Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Tuesday, 11 August, the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 15 August, and the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday, 25 August.
However, ticket sales for those four provincial matches have been slower than expected, despite the All Blacks’ status as one of international rugby’s biggest attractions.
With only days remaining before New Zealand’s opening fixture against the Stormers, organisers have confirmed that none of the matches is close to being sold out.
Tickets for the Cape Town match are priced at R650 and R1 350, but demand has reportedly fallen significantly below expectations.
An SA Rugby spokesperson told Rapport: “Sales range from modest to poor, so ‘sold out’ signs won’t be going up anytime soon.”
The spokesperson added: “We hope things pick up, but it has been a struggle so far.”
Demand for the Tests involving the Springboks has been stronger. The first two matches of the series, at Ellis Park and Cape Town Stadium, have already sold out.
Tickets are still available for the third and final Test in South Africa at FNB Stadium. Prices range from R1 650 to R4 000, with seats remaining despite the long-standing rivalry between the Springboks and All Blacks.
The contrast between the strong demand for the international fixtures and the slower sales for the provincial matches will be a concern for SA Rugby as the tour approaches.
Interest in the Springboks remains exceptionally high, but organisers will be hoping ticket sales for the four matches against South Africa’s URC sides improve as each kick-off draws closer.
The tour’s final match in Baltimore will bring the four-Test programme to a close, with South African viewers facing a 23:00 start for the fixture.
