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The Rugby Championship is an annual international rugby union competition featuring Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The 2025 Rugby Championship will run from mid-August to early October 2025.
In South Africa, the tournament is not available on BBC iPlayer directly, since the service is geo-restricted to UK viewers. However, you can still stream every match live by using PureVPN.
By connecting to a secure UK server with PureVPN, South African rugby fans can mask their local IP address and unlock BBC iPlayer’s coverage of the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa. This makes it possible to enjoy every match live , with the same access and quality as viewers in the UK.
2025 Rugby Championship Key Details
- Dates: August 16 – October 4, 2025
- Teams: Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
- Broadcasters: BBC Iplayer, Sky Sports
Why Do You Need VPN to Watch 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa
You need a VPN to watch the 2025 Rugby Championship live stream from South Africa because of regional broadcasting restrictions. BBC iPlayer holds exclusive streaming rights in the UK, which means anyone accessing from South Africa will be blocked due to their local IP address.

With PureVPN, you can bypass these geo-restrictions by masking your South African IP address and switching to a UK one. Once connected to a UK server, you’ll be able to stream the 2025 Rugby Championship live on BBC iPlayer as if you were watching from inside the UK.
How to Watch the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa on BBC iPlayer
The 2025 Rugby Championship will stream live on BBC iPlayer, one of the official broadcasters. However, if you’re in South Africa, you’ll face regional restrictions because BBC iPlayer is only available in the UK. This is where PureVPN becomes essential for rugby fans who don’t want to miss the action.
Here’s how to watch from South Africa:
- Subscribe to PureVPN and set up your account.
- Connect to a UK server through the PureVPN app to get a UK IP address.
- Visit the official BBC iPlayer website.
- Sign up for a free BBC iPlayer account using your email address (no subscription fee required).
- Install the BBC iPlayer app on your smart TV, mobile device, or stream directly via your browser.
- Use the search bar to find “Rugby Championship 2025.”
- Start streaming all live matches, commentary, and highlights as if you were in the UK.
By connecting to a UK server with PureVPN, South African fans can enjoy the 2025 Rugby Championship live in South Africa on BBC iPlayer with uninterrupted access.
Watch the 2025 Rugby Championship Online
If you are traveling or living in the US, PureVPN helps you access your home streaming service. Here’s a look at some of the official broadcasters for the 2025 Rugby Championship.
Watch 2025 Rugby Championship in Austria on Stan Sport

Stan Sport is the go-to streaming service in Australia for the 2025 Rugby Championship, showing every match live and on demand. To access it, you’ll need a basic Stan subscription (AUD $12/month) plus the Stan Sport add-on (AUD $20/month), for a total of AUD $32/month.
If you’re in South Africa but already have a Stan Sport subscription, you won’t be able to stream directly due to regional restrictions. By using PureVPN, you can connect to an Australian server, log into your Stan Sport account, and watch the 2025 Rugby Championship just as if you were back in Australia.
Watch 2025 Rugby Championship in Austria on Sky Sport

In New Zealand, Sky Sport is the exclusive broadcaster of the 2025 Rugby Championship. Subscriptions cost NZD $54.99/month or NZD $549.99/year at a discounted rate.
From South Africa, existing Sky Sport NZ subscribers can still access their account by connecting to a New Zealand server with PureVPN. This bypasses geo-blocks and lets you enjoy both live and on-demand coverage of the tournament.
Watch 2025 Rugby Championship in Austria on 9Now

9Now offers free-to-air streaming of the 2025 Rugby Championship in Australia, available with just a simple email signup. However, the service is geo-restricted to viewers in Australia.
South African fans can still enjoy 9Now’s free coverage by connecting to an Australian server with PureVPN. Once logged into your 9Now account, you’ll have access to live streaming and replays of every Rugby Championship 2025 match.
Rugby Championship 2025 Preview
The 2025 Rugby Championship continues with its distinctive “mini-tour” format, featuring the national teams of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
This edition runs from mid-August to early October across various locations, including a notable match between Argentina and South Africa at London’s Twickenham Stadium. This will be only the second time a Rugby Championship game is hosted outside the core Southern Hemisphere countries, emphasizing the tournament’s growing international appeal.

In 2025, each team plays six matches: three home and three away organized as two-match tours plus single home-and-away games against the remaining opponent. This format optimizes travel and competition balance while maintaining intense rivalries. South Africa, the defending champions and reigning World Cup winners, face strong challenges especially away from home, particularly in New Zealand.
The 2025 tournament is also significant as the last before the Rugby Championship shifts to a biennial schedule coinciding with the launch of the broader Nations Championship, signaling an evolving future for global southern hemisphere rugby competitions.
Rugby Championship 2025 Teams
- Argentina
- Australia
- New Zealand
- South Africa
Rugby Championship 2025 Schedule
Date | Match | Venue |
---|---|---|
August 16 | South Africa vs Australia | Johannesburg |
Argentina vs New Zealand | Cordoba | |
August 23 | South Africa vs Australia | Cape Town |
Argentina vs New Zealand | Buenos Aires | |
September 6 | Australia vs Argentina | Townsville |
New Zealand vs South Africa | Auckland | |
September 13 | Australia vs Argentina | Sydney |
New Zealand vs South Africa | Wellington | |
September 27 | New Zealand vs Australia | Auckland |
South Africa vs Argentina | Durban | |
October 4 | Australia vs New Zealand | Perth |
Argentina vs South Africa | Twickenham |
The Rugby Championship Format
The opening tournament of 1996 was contested by New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, with each nation playing each other home and away. New Zealand dominated the inaugural year and won every game they played. Although New Zealand won many of the early tournaments, most editions of the Tri Nations were hugely competitive and each nation had won the tournament at least once by 2000.
The success of the Tri Nations saw the tournament expand in 2006, when it was decided that each nation would play the others three times instead of twice. Then, in 2009, it was announced that Argentina would enter the competition in 2012. Until that point, Argentina had been the only tier one nation in the world that didn’t face regular international competition. When Argentina entered The Rugby Championship, the tournament reverted to a double round robin.
Counting down the days until we take to the field 🤩
— TheRugbyChampionship (@SanzarTRC) August 8, 2025
Who will lift the trophy in 2025?#TheRugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/L4d9sRIsls
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can stream the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa for free on BBC iPlayer, but you’ll need a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions since the service is only available in the UK.
Yes. Simply download the BBC iPlayer app via PureVPN, sign in with your free account, and enjoy free streaming of the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa.
Yes, VPNs are legal in South Africa. Using one to access free platforms like BBC iPlayer is safe, provided you comply with local laws.
Yes. With a UK server VPN connection, BBC iPlayer streams every live match, highlights, and replays of the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa.
Yes. Install the BBC iPlayer app on your smart TV, connect to a UK server via VPN, and watch the 2025 Rugby Championship in South Africa without paying.