SANZAAR has announced that the South African team will not travel to Australia to play in The Rugby Championship 2020 against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.
Due to several factors, including South African government travel restrictions, player welfare and safety concerns, and the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on South African players both in South Africa and across their various clubs in the UK and Europe, the Springboks will remain in South Africa.
The impact of this will see SANZAAR now reverting back to its original international competition format of the Tri-Nations, this time involving Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.
The six-match Tri-Nations will now see each team play each other twice, with matches to be played in Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle over six consecutive weekends.
South African Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux, stated, "SANZAAR and Rugby Australia have bent over backwards to make The Rugby Championship happen and it would have been unfair on them and their partners and state government to delay a decision any longer."
"This is a hugely disappointing outcome for supporters and commercial partners but the on-going impacts of the pandemic in multiple dispensations mean we are unable to deliver a Springbok team without seriously compromising player welfare, apart from other logistical challenges.”
The first two matches involving Australia and New Zealand double up as the final two Bledisloe Cup series matches.
Tri-Nations Match Schedule 2020
October 31: Australia v New Zealand (ANZ Stadium, Sydney)
November 7: Australia v New Zealand (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
November 14: New Zealand v Argentina (Bankwest Stadium, Sydney)
November 21: Argentina v Australia (McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle)
November 28: Argentina v New Zealand (McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle)
December 5: Australia v Argentina (Bankwest Stadium, Sydney)
