Source: Radio New Zealand
New Zealand celebrate during the Women’s Rugby World Cup third-place match against France, 2025. ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP
The Black Ferns will resume their rivalry with France for a three-Test home series in 2026, as part of the new WXV Global Series.
The series headlines a four-match home schedule between August and the end of October, which includes a Test against Australia where New Zealand will look to retain the O’Reilly Cup.
The Black Ferns, fresh off beating France in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup bronze final, will host the world’s fourth ranked side in Hamilton, Whangārei and Christchurch.
GM Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said they were pleased to secure four homes Tests next year.
“There’s a real rivalry between the Black Ferns and France, so hosting them as part of the WXV Global Series is exciting. The Black Ferns have won eight of the last thirteen Tests between these two nations and these teams faced off in the 2021 and 2025 RWC playoffs too, which adds significant intensity to the match-up. 2026 also marks 30 years since these two teams first played against one another, so there is new and old history here that we know fans will get behind and celebrate,” Lendrum said.
The Black Ferns will play 10 test matches in total next year, with three Tests against Pacific rivals in April, which will include the traditional Pac4 fixtures.
As part of the WXV Global Series, the Black Ferns will play six Tests in a home and away format against some of the top 12 teams in the world.
Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu said the side had plenty to prove.
“We have a great mix of Tests here at home and overseas. We’ve always said we want to play as much rugby as possible, so with so many Tests overseas and at home next year we want to make the most of those,” Tukuafu said.
“We look forward to playing in four different venues across the motu (country) to see as many of our incredible fans as possible. For me personally having a Test at home in Hamilton is going to be special, and when we take the field, it will have been two years since the Black Ferns last played there.”
Previously played through March and April, Super Rugby Aupiki will now take place between June and August, with six regular season games and a grand final.
Black Ferns four home Test matches in 2026:
- Black Ferns v Australia, Saturday 22 August, Go Media Stadium, Auckland
- Black Ferns v France, Saturday 17 October, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
- Black Ferns v France, Saturday 24 October, Semenoff Stadium, Whangārei
- Black Ferns v France, Saturday 31 October, One NZ Stadium, Christchurch
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
