Six Nations: Springboks won’t get their chance

The Springboks have long been linked with a move to join their Northern Hemisphere counterparts in an expanded Six Nations but that won’t be coming true, according to reports.

An explosive report by The Daily Telegraph has ended any and all speculation that the Springboks could ditch the Rugby Championship for the premier Northern Hemisphere competition.

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SA Rugby had previously told their Sanzaar counterparts that they were “exploring their options” but this news has squashed such talk. Instead, the best of the Southern Hemisphere will play the best of the Northern every two years.

‘Grand final’ plans: How it works

• Northern hemisphere sides will play three southern opponents away from home in the July window, bringing to an end the traditional summer tours of two or three Tests against one host country.
• The fixtures will be replicated at the home venues of the northern hemisphere nations in the November window, with the top team from each pool facing each other in a grand final, and ranking play-off games for the others.
• The tournament will be held every two years from 2026, with fixtures rotated so that every side plays against each other over a two-tournament cycle
  

Sources have indicated that the new league is on course to be unveiled by the start of the Rugby World Cup in France this September.

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Sorry Rassie, the Springboks are staying put

Director of Rugby for the Springboks Rassie Erasmus told the Daily Mail last year that he was very keen on seeing the national team switch allegiances.

“Just remember, this is purely my own personal opinion. I don’t need to get myself into any more trouble! I’ve always been a massive fan of the Six Nations. Murrayfield is awesome, the Aviva is awesome, Twickenham is awesome. I love the atmospheres and their rich tradition of singing,” Erasmus commented.

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“Speaking from the South African side of the fence, I would love to see the Springboks in the Six Nations. The style of play, the travel and the time zones would all suit South Africa. You could fly in overnight on Thursday, play on a Saturday and fly back on Sunday. It would be easy. When we go to Australia or New Zealand, you wake up at 2am and don’t know what day it is! 

“We are locked in with the Rugby Championship until 2025, so for now it is still hypothetical. Just please don’t mistake this for me saying the Rugby Championship is bad. I love New Zealand, I love Australia and I love Argentina. Gus Pichot is a legend. If someone with proper research showed me that South Africa joining the Six Nations would make the Rugby Championship weaker and damage the growth of the global game, then we shouldn’t do it. But right now, speaking as a South African, I think joining the Six Nations would be awesome.”

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