It was the eighty-first game between the islands and was the second one-off game after the fundraiser for the Otago Rugby Football Union in 2012 which the South won 32–24 at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

The second one-off was first considered by new All Blacks head coach Ian Foster on 4 June.

On 30 June was then confirmed to be played at Eden Park on 29 August.

[1] The teams were coached by assistant coaches John Plumtree and Scott McLeod for the North, and Greg Feek and Brad Mooar for the South.

On 21 August, the match was postponed to 5 September and was reschedule to be played at Sky Stadium when the country moved back to level 2 and Auckland moved back to level 3.