Springboks

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – JULY 27: Duane Vermeulen of South Africa loses the ball during the 2019 Rugby Championship Test Match between New Zealand and South Africa at Westpac Stadium on July 27, 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Springboks’ Rugby Championship hinges on Currie Cup

World Rugby’s decision to create a new emergency international window threw the door open for the Rugby Championship to be staged in a single country in November and December.

Springboks

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – JULY 27: Duane Vermeulen of South Africa loses the ball during the 2019 Rugby Championship Test Match between New Zealand and South Africa at Westpac Stadium on July 27, 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber says that his team will not be able to compete in the Rugby Championship if the Currie Cup doesn’t start very soon.

World Rugby’s decision to create a new emergency international window threw the door open for the Rugby Championship to be staged in a single country in November and December.

Currie Cup game-time is vital

New Zealand are all but confirmed as hosts, unsurprisingly since the tiny island nation have seemingly avoided the worst of the pandemic. The islands also sport slightly more temperate weather in what will be summer months, than Australia, South Africa or Argentina.

That means that Australia, Argentina and South Africa will spend at least six weeks in New Zealand towards the end of the year.

World Rugby fixed the dates for the Rugby Championship to be held between November 7 and December 12 in one country.

Nienaber says that the Springboks will not risk their personnel if adequate preparation time for the Rugby Championship is not afforded to his team.

Central to Nienaber’s preparation will be SA Rugby’s ability to get the Currie Cup up and running before the end of August.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that the players have received sufficient conditioning so that they can play rugby,” Nienaber told Rapport.

Rugby Championship will require a large squad

Nienaber intends to take a 45-man squad to the Rugby Championship but said he could only do so if the players had notched at least six Currie Cup matches before departure for the land of the long white cloud.

His stipulations appear to rule out any Springboks based in Japan, who like those back in South Africa have not trained or played since the March shut down.

The Boks will require a large squad as they will not be able to jet in replacement players at short notice.

“If we can’t play six games, then I don’t think we will go,” Nienaber said. “The player well-being risk would just be too great.”

“It’s about practical considerations,” he added about the size of his squad.

“If you pick three hookers and you lose one, a new one has to fly from South Africa. He will then have to be quarantined for two weeks. He will therefore only be able to play in his fourth week.

“We will go to New Zealand with at least four hookers, four tightheads and four looseheads.”

South Africa will not host any international rugby this season placing extra importance on ensuring the Currie Cup gets off the ground