Rugby Championship in disarray after trans-Tasman travel suspended!

In light of the New Zealand government’s decision to suspend travel between New Zealand and Australia for eight weeks from 23:59 on Friday, 23 July due to the current pandemic situation in Australia, SANZAAR is now reviewing its options for the match schedule for the Rugby Championship.

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These are difficult times but SANZAAR is confident a solution can be found to ensure the 12-match tournament proceeds.

SANZAAR CEO, Brendan Morris said, “The Rugby Championship is scheduled to be played primarily in New Zealand and Australia over the next two months, with the first two matches to be played in South Africa between the Springboks and Pumas. Following these opening two matches, both teams then travel to Australia and New Zealand for the remainder of the tournament.”

“SANZAAR and its member unions – Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby, South Africa Rugby and Argentina Rugby Union – will now work with the respective governments and health authorities in Australia and New Zealand, as we have successfully done recently with Super Rugby, to find the best solutions for the tournament given this latest development.”

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SANZAAR will announce any potential and necessary changes to the Rugby Championship schedule in due course.

The first match of this season’s tournament was due to be played on Saturday, 14 August – a little over three weeks from now.

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