The Springboks’ future participation in the Rugby Championship is in doubt if SA Rugby’s SANZAAR partners won’t budge on restructuring the tournament calendar.
The talks are reportedly being driven by SA Rugby and the Argentina Rugby Union, who are concerned over player welfare as top internationals currently do not have an off-season.
Springboks playing in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship or the other European leagues currently go straight from league action into mid-year Tests in July and then the Rugby Championship in August, before the November Test window and then go straight back into action for their respective clubs., if New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia aren’t willing to accept SARU’s proposal, the sporting body will consider pulling the Boks out of the competition from 2025.
“These days the South African rugby players play from January to December. It can’t go on like this,” a senior rugby administrator told“SA wants the Rugby Championship to take place in exactly the same time slot as the Six Nations, and not after. This is the only way South African players will be able to rest enough.”
The reports of Sanzaar talks come amidst rumours that World Rugby is close to finalising a global Test league from 2026, which would see a change in the July and November Test windows and a grand final between the best northern and southern nations every two years.
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