Boks, Pumas to open ‘Rugby Championship’
8 Nov 2011
The Springboks will play Argentina in their first game of next year’s Rugby Championship, the four-team southern-hemisphere tournament replacing the existing Tri-Nations.
An agreement confirming Argentina’s participation was signed in Auckland recently by the Sanzar Joint Venture partners after several months of negotiations with the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) and the International Rugby Board (IRB).
The new-look tournament has been given a new name and a new fixture line-up with two Tests on each match day. Each participant plays home and away matches against each of the other three participants.
The Boks open their campaign against the Pumas in South Africa on 18 August before taking part in the first Rugby Championship match on the South American continent a week later. The match venues will be announced in due course.
‘The regular participation of Argentina at a higher level is long overdue and we are excited about their inclusion in The Rugby Championship,’ said Sanzar CEO Greg Peters, ‘Playing in the Championship will have significant benefits for Argentinian rugby as a whole and will bring new energy to the jewel in the crown of Sanzar.
‘The Pumas, as they showed at the recent Rugby World Cup, play an exciting and different brand of rugby to the other three teams, which will definitely add a new dimension.’
According to a statement by Sanzar, the new name of the Rugby Championship reflects its claim to be the ultimate contest, featuring teams that are currently ranked first, second, fourth and seventh in the world.
‘The Rugby Championship is an annual contest between the ‘best-of-the-best’ in world rugby – nations who have won six of the seven Rugby World Cups,’ said Peters.
Saru CEO Jurie Roux said he hopes these changes will result in a more balanced tournament. In the past, South Africa has suffered because of travel.
‘This is a significant moment in the history of Southern Hemisphere rugby and marks the launching pad to a dramatically changed landscape. It will add a new flavour and dimension to Sanzar rugby and offers the prospect of promoting rugby in other South American nations.
‘It also ensures a more logical and balanced Championship with fixtures and travel evened out across the region.’
The 2012 Championship will kick-off on 18 August 2012 and conclude on 6 October 2012. A Sanzar delegation will travel to Argentina in November on a fact-finding visit during which it will conduct venue inspections and hold discussions with the UAR, host broadcasters, sponsors and other key stakeholders to ensure the smooth transition from Tri-Nations to The Rugby Championship.
The Rugby Championship fixtures:
18 August 2012: Australia vs New Zealand, South Africa vs Argentina
25 August 2012: New Zealand vs Australia, Argentina vs South Africa
1 September 2012: Travel Bye
8 September 2012: Australia vs South Africa, New Zealand vs Argentina
15 September 2012: Australia vs Argentina, New Zealand vs South Africa
22 September 2012: Travel Bye
29 September 2012: South Africa vs Australia, Argentina vs New Zealand
6 October 2012: South Africa vs New Zealand, Argentina vs Australia
391 Comments
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8 Nov 2011, 15:26 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-200: OK, how do you think the 100% fair schedule would look like?
8 Nov 2011, 15:26 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-194:
and you really think they have a lot of respect for South African rugby have you ever wondered in 95′ why they played like that, I wouldnt have thought it would have been that hard to get fired up put yourself in their shoes, that is the past though and they need to move on, I rewatched the game there was some niggle but it certainly wasn’t what you’re making it out to be.
8 Nov 2011, 15:26 pm
@Nils(Nils)-198: I fly to Oz frequently and to Arg and Chile on business. Believe me it is always the same everytime I fly to those countries.
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-190: How many times have you flown to Australia and how many times have you flown to Argentina and Chile? I have so many times and am talking with experience. I am right you can ask many that fly those routes.
8 Nov 2011, 15:27 pm
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-190: yes my brother varkie there are trade winds ect but the biggest factor is the rotation of the frikkin planet – a pilot told me this on the way to Brazil.
8 Nov 2011, 15:27 pm
@Puma(Puma)-199:
Fair call he was better this year
8 Nov 2011, 15:29 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-204: Exactly. Just ignore the Lions oke. He always just stirs nonsense.
8 Nov 2011, 15:30 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-200:
you whinge every day all day, I don’t differentiate between your whining I don’t have the time, that said just go out and try and win the thing the draw has been made it is what it is
8 Nov 2011, 15:30 pm
@Puma(Puma)-203: How’s Durban spring?
8 Nov 2011, 15:31 pm
@Puma(Puma)-203: twice to Aussie and 4 times to Europe, once to Canada, once to Uganda and once Kenya, once to Namibia and once to Zim … never to South America.
You probably also believe that the loo spins in different directions depending on which hemisphere you are in too?
8 Nov 2011, 15:31 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-202: got to agree, it didn’t look that bad, a very physical test match
8 Nov 2011, 15:32 pm
@Puma(Puma)-206: would be a pertinant comment if we still went about in tall ships…suppose he’ll be telling us the world is flat next!
8 Nov 2011, 15:33 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-210:
You never agree with me
8 Nov 2011, 15:35 pm
@Nils(Nils)-208: Durban is extreamly unplesant this time of the year but December and January is the worse! humidity is the killer.
and as a did you know ….. did you know that sweat is just a diluted form of pee? yes sharkievarkies walk around this time of the year covered from head to toe in pee.
8 Nov 2011, 15:36 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-192: Would be great if it could happen.
Also doubt it would ever happen.
8 Nov 2011, 15:36 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-212: I’m making an exception for the good of the game
8 Nov 2011, 15:36 pm
damnation …..thats a lot of rugby gents…
huge squads and lots of rotation the answer…
fark me
8 Nov 2011, 15:38 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-215:
lol
8 Nov 2011, 15:38 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-211: hehehehe….
8 Nov 2011, 15:38 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-202:
why did they play like that?
if you think there was nothing more “than a bit of niggle” then you are either lying about watching it or don’t know what you are talking about.
I especially love the bit where Umuggers older brother puts in his third high, late and dangerous hit on Andre Joubert and then high fives his mates whilst Joubert lies on the ground surrounded by doctors.
moan scum.
I would be quite happy if we never played the dirty coconut tacklers again.
8 Nov 2011, 15:41 pm
Will be superb to have a different format, double headers, new venues etc good for SH rugby, Ab’s desperate to be the first ” rugby championship” winners
8 Nov 2011, 15:42 pm
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-213:
8 Nov 2011, 15:42 pm
@grant10(grant10)-216: We will need squads of 40 I think. Of equal quality. Going to be tough.
This will test us how much depth we have in each conference. The conference with the least amount of depth will suffer if they pick up injuries.
Then some with the most amount of Boks will suffer more. Those players just keep playing in the June Internationals without the 3 week lay off. Not sure what saru was thinking.
8 Nov 2011, 15:43 pm
Truth is Arg, SA and Abs are getting dicked with the travel next year.
The Ausies have it VERY easy by comparison.
SA travel
SA-ARG-BYE-AUS-NZ-BYE-SA-SA
AUS travel
AUS-NZ-BYE-AUS-AUS-BYE-SA-ARG
NZ travel
AUS-NZ-BYE-ARG-SA-BYE-NZ-NZ
ARG travel
SA-ARG-BYE-NZ-AUS-BYE-ARG-ARG
8 Nov 2011, 15:44 pm
@Nils(Nils)-183:
funny how the problem of geography is conveniently south africa’s alone to deal/suffer with.
8 Nov 2011, 15:44 pm
@Puma(Puma)-214: yes – its money that is the driving force now – the sentimentality and camaraderie are completely out of the game…very sad…I miss the old amature days…not as much rugby but a ton more passion and you looked forward to every game.
8 Nov 2011, 15:45 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-219
my post referred to two games, the first part about 95′ perhaps the Samoans felt the white South African players were racist and didn’t think much of black people so a few cheap shots were justified, I thought the 2011 game had niggle but wasn’t over the top like you are suggesting, I don’t need to lie.
8 Nov 2011, 15:46 pm
@Puma(Puma)-222: I see Rassie has not renewed contracts with Pieter Louw,JD Moller and C Jantjies…..
Sharks should sign P Louw…..hard working and effective player.
Yip….at least 40 Puma …..although 45 probably better
Glad we got Joe Pietersen back…..and I suppose even G Van DEN HEEVER will add some value
8 Nov 2011, 15:48 pm
was chatting to some okes at the gym…..seems a lot of us are a bit gatvol at the state of the game…..seems it is all about money and quantity these days
8 Nov 2011, 15:48 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-223:
It will all even itself out, there will be no complaints about travel out of NZ, much like the Crusaders this year not a peep.
8 Nov 2011, 15:52 pm
@grant10(grant10)-227: You need to talk to your Shark mate. I have no connection. Pieter Louw would be a good buy (I think) the more we have the better. We all might be dipping into our u21 players……haha. Heck wish Plum would play some of our youngster in the coming S15.
Agree squads of 45 would be even better.
Agree this rugby schedule is just greed from saru.
8 Nov 2011, 15:52 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-226:
if they felt that the nasty white sonth africans were racists they shouldn’t have played.
Every time those poeslaps play us they try and injure players.
Forget it.
I would be happy never to play the basterauds again.
8 Nov 2011, 15:52 pm
@grant10(grant10)-227:
Conrad’s going to France.
8 Nov 2011, 15:56 pm
@grant10(grant10)-227: Ja P Louw is a grafter…but the sharks need midfield first and formost and then an effective openside fetcher…that would remedy the most glaring problems…and coaching staff with the apprication for 15man rugby…not saying Plum is **** but he lacks in imagination and HRE only knows one style of rugby…the good old crash it up and hope for the best!
8 Nov 2011, 15:57 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-225: Agree totally.
I would drop the world cup like a hat if we could have rugby tours again. fairer and a lot more exciting. You mix with the supporters coming in and the tours used to last for 3 months back then. Probably a bit long now but just bring them back. Way to go.
For now we have England that will tour this year, but the timing is wrong. During our S15. Should always finish a tourney first before starting another. Especially the first proper tour since ABs came in 96. Of course Lions in 2009. Just talking about one country touring.
8 Nov 2011, 15:57 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-231:
Fair enough but that might explain it perhaps you’ve never though about it from the other side.
8 Nov 2011, 15:58 pm
@Puma(Puma)-234: this year. Meant next year.
8 Nov 2011, 15:58 pm
@grant10(grant10)-227:
Good player that Plo? the guppies will be wise to buy a fetcher since Daniel is kak as a fetcher.
8 Nov 2011, 15:59 pm
@Puma(Puma)-234:
Agree WC is an 8 week snap shot lottery, an 8 week tour of Bokke country would be superb.
8 Nov 2011, 16:01 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-224: That’s why Boks do not play overseas straight after home games, they have a week rest unlike opponents who usually travel to SA straight after home games.
Plus SA have games at altitude. Any previous travel disadvantage has been cancelled as soon as battle bruised opponents have climb some 3000 meters to play fresh as daisies hosts.
That’s called “compensation”.
It’s hardly NZ/Aus fault Boks coachs used to screw up things like accommodation after jetlag.
8 Nov 2011, 16:04 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-233: We sure do need centres. Agree we don’t really have a openside fetcher. We have Botes but he is not in the class of a Brussow, Pocock and McCaw. Minnie is playing well there now as well.
Pity we lost some of our great centres and should have tried to hold onto Mostert.
8 Nov 2011, 16:07 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-238: Agree and likewise if we toured Nz. Awesome. Would welcome the tours back, nothing quite like the old tours.
8 Nov 2011, 16:07 pm
@Puma(Puma)-234: Ja – I wonder if the NZ crowd would agree with your sentimentnow that they have Bill…I still remember as a kid going to the stadiums and watching the Lions tour and watching it on TV…the whole country was abuzz…now a days its oh the AB’s are in the country…tomorrow they are gone…yawn!~
8 Nov 2011, 16:10 pm
@Puma(Puma)-241:
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-242:
Get rid off the world cup, tours and test matches.
8 Nov 2011, 16:12 pm
@Puma(Puma)-240: Botes was good…sense his getting a little to long in the tooth now..KD, Kanko,JD and the huuman wrecking ball just arn’t good cleaners so I think even with a decent fetcher he would still struggle but at least you slow down the opposition ball. At least Bissie is a good cleaner but you need more than one to contribute…!
8 Nov 2011, 16:13 pm
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-242: I think now that they have finally won it back they won’t worry so much about it.
Tours are the way to go. I remember Lions here in 74. They bliksemed us good. But heck it got the adrenaline going. Just wanted them back the next year to have revenge……hahaha. Had to wait until 1980 for that. We had NZ next in 76 that was awesome too.
I miss the tours. So if we all did hold this Rugby Championship every 4 years it would be great. Like a tour but with other countries playing each other here too. Would be awesome. A pipe dream I know but it would solve the travelling factor for all sh countries. We would all benefit by holding it.
8 Nov 2011, 16:14 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-223: One of the conditions of the SANZAR agreement that everyone trashes but doesn’t really understand is that we play our last 2 games at home, every year.
Which is great, don’t you think?
Arg and NZ have it too this year, but it’s not guaranteed each year.
Also, if I read your schedule right, we, NZ and Arg play their last 2 games at home. How does that work?
Who do arg play at home second to last?
8 Nov 2011, 16:14 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-243: Agree. Way to go.
8 Nov 2011, 16:14 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-243: and replace with what – S15?
8 Nov 2011, 16:17 pm
@David(David)-232: yes….good for him….Joe Pietersen is 1 of my favorites….looking forward to watching him again…
@gr8 white(gr8 white)-233: you okes definitley need a midfield! Ja….fetchers are worth there weight in gold…
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-237: daniels is an 8 imo…..never a fetcher…
8 Nov 2011, 16:18 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-246: SA and Argies have last 2 home games alternately playing either Blacks or Wallabies.
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