DURBAN - SANZAAR has confirmed that the Rugby Championship has been saved after a period of uncertainty and the eight remaining matches will all be played in Queensland, with the Springboks resuming action on Sunday, Septemeber 12 with a match against Australia at the CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
The Boks’ eagerly awaited 100th Test match against old foe New Zealand wil take place on September 25 in the northern Queensland city of Townsville.
The tournament had been cast into doubt when New Zealand pulled out of their against the Wallabies (scheduled for this week) and called off their home matches against South Africa because of a clamp down on their borders following a Covid-19 outbreak in Auckland.
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SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris said in a statement "We thought last year was tough when we had to implement a Tri-Nations tournament in Australia with South Africa absent due to the pandemic, but the current disruption caused by the 'delta variant' of COVID-19 has seen government authorities tighten up border bio-security measures substantially.
“This is totally understandable but after exploring several options, including moving the tournament to South Africa and even Europe, we now look forward with excitement to the remainder of the Rugby Championship in Queensland.
“We are very excited about this unique format and rugby experience as we look to deliver a month of “Double Headers” with the world's best players in Queensland, something never done in international rugby before.”
2021 Rugby Championship Match Schedule *
Round 1
Sat 14 August: New Zealand 57 v Australia 22 [Eden Park, Auckland]
Sat 14 August: South Africa 32 v Argentina 12 [Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth]
Round 2
Sat 21 August: Argentina 29 v South Africa 10 [Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth]
TBC: Australia v New Zealand: Optus Stadium, Perth**
Round 3
Sunday 12 September: New Zealand v Argentina: CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Sunday 12 September: South Africa v Australia: CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Round 4
Saturday 18 September: Argentina v New Zealand: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday 18 September: Australia v South Africa: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Round 5
Sat 25 September: New Zealand v South Africa: QLD Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Sat 25 September: Australia v Argentina: QLD Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Round 6
Sat 2 October: South Africa v New Zealand: CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Sat 2 October: Argentina v Australia: CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast
IOL Sport