Freedom Cup

Freedom Cup
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2004
Number of teams	2
Country	South Africa ; New Zealand
Holders	South Africa (2025)
Most titles	New Zealand (16 titles)

Last updated September 14, 2025

The Freedom Cup (Afrikaans : Vryheidsbeker)^[1] is a minor international rugby union trophy contested between South Africa and New Zealand, during The Rugby Championship and previously during The Rugby Championship's predecessor, the Tri Nations. It was first contested in 2004 (the 10 year anniversary of South African democracy), in a one-off test. The game, played at Ellis Park, Johannesburg was won 40–26 by South Africa. However, in the 2006 Tri Nations Series, it was contested in all three New Zealand–South Africa matches.

In 2006, New Zealand won the first two matches, winning the Freedom Cup for the first time, but during the post-match presentation following the third game which was won by South Africa, Supersport presenter Joost van der Westhuizen incorrectly presented the trophy to Springbok captain John Smit who accepted it in front of millions of television viewers. The mistake was later corrected, off-air.

Matches

As of 13 September 2025^[update].

Details	P	New Zealand	South Africa	D	New Zealand points	South Africa points
New Zealand	18	13	4	1	528	310
South Africa	20	11	9	0	555	495
Neutral Venue ^{[note 1]}	2	1	1	0	48	48
Overall	40	25	14	1	1,131	853

Source:^[2]

Results

Year	Date	Venue	Home	Score	Away
2025	13 September	Sky Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	10–43	South Africa
2025	6 September	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	24–17	South Africa
2024	7 September	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town	South Africa	18–12	New Zealand
2024	31 August	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	31–27	New Zealand
2023	15 July	Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland	New Zealand	35–20	South Africa
2022	13 August	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	23–35	New Zealand
2022	6 August	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit	South Africa	26–10	New Zealand
2021	2 October	Robina Stadium, Gold Coast, Queensland	New Zealand	29–31	South Africa
2021	25 September	North Queensland Stadium, Townsville	New Zealand	19–17	South Africa
2019	27 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	16–16	South Africa
2018	6 October	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria	South Africa	30–32	New Zealand
2018	15 September	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	34–36	South Africa
2017	7 October	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town	South Africa	24–25	New Zealand
2017	16 September	North Harbour Stadium, Albany	New Zealand	57–0	South Africa
2016	8 October	Kings Park Stadium, Durban	South Africa	15–57	New Zealand
2016	17 September	Rugby League Park, Christchurch	New Zealand	41–13	South Africa
2015	25 July	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	20–27	New Zealand
2014	4 October	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	27–25	New Zealand
2014	13 September	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	14–10	South Africa
2013	5 October	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	27–38	New Zealand
2013	14 September	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	29–15	South Africa
2012	6 October	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg	South Africa	16–32	New Zealand
2012	15 September	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin	New Zealand	21–11	South Africa
2011	20 August	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth	South Africa	18–5	New Zealand
2011	30 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	40–7	South Africa
2010	21 August	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg	South Africa	22–29	New Zealand
	17 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	31–17	South Africa
	10 July	Eden Park, Auckland	New Zealand	32–12	South Africa
2009	12 September	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton	New Zealand	29–32	South Africa
	1 August	Kings Park Stadium, Durban	South Africa	31–19	New Zealand
	25 July	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein	South Africa	28–19	New Zealand
2008	16 August	Newlands, Cape Town	South Africa	0–19	New Zealand
	12 July	Carisbrook, Dunedin	New Zealand	28–30	South Africa
	5 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	19–8	South Africa
2007	14 July	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	New Zealand	33–6	South Africa
2007	23 June	Kings Park Stadium, Durban	South Africa	21–26	New Zealand
2006	2 September	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg	South Africa	21–20	New Zealand
	26 August	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	South Africa	26–45	New Zealand
	22 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington	New Zealand	35–17	South Africa
2004	14 August	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	South Africa	40–26	New Zealand

Notes

↑ Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the two tests played during the 2021 Rugby Championship were both staged in Queensland Australia

References

↑ Agter die doellyn (eBoek): Glorieryke oomblikke in Springbokrugby met getuienisse en lewensverhale deur Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Beast Mtawarira, Morne Steyn, Juan Smith, Jannie en Bismarck du Plessis, Peter de Villiers ... Christelike Uitgewersmpy. 15 July 2011. ISBN 9781431603244 – via Google Books.
↑ Pick and Go rugby archive ^{[ usurped ]} – select All Blacks and Boks, Freedom Cup.

External links

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[first-2] Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the two tests played during the 2021 Rugby Championship were both staged in Queensland Australia

[1] Agter die doellyn (eBoek): Glorieryke oomblikke in Springbokrugby met getuienisse en lewensverhale deur Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Beast Mtawarira, Morne Steyn, Juan Smith, Jannie en Bismarck du Plessis, Peter de Villiers ... Christelike Uitgewersmpy. 15 July 2011. ISBN 9781431603244 – via Google Books.

[pick-3] Pick and Go rugby archive ^{[ usurped ]} – select All Blacks and Boks, Freedom Cup.

[1]

[note 1]

[2]