The Springboks could be participating in the Six Nations as soon as 2025, if a new report out of the UK is to be believed.
Johannesburg – The Springboks could be participating in the Six Nations as soon as 2025, if a new report out of the UK is to be believed.
Multiple news sites reported this morning that the world champions will be joining the northern hemisphere’s premier rugby tournament, replacing Italy in a restructured competition.
It is believed, as posted by the Daily Mail, that private equity firm CVC – which has a 365m (about R7.4 billion) stake in the competition – is the driving force behind the incorporation of the Springboks into the Six Nations.
On Wednesday, Sanzaar – the inter-union rugby governing body of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina – announced that the Springboks will participate in the Rugby Championship until at least 2025, which will bring to an end the current broadcasting deal.
This period of participation for the Springboks in the Championship has lessened from 2030, as reported in November 2020.
It is believed that SA Rugby are in direct talks with CVC, which also holds stakes in the English Premiership and United Rugby Championship about joining the Six Nations.
“(SA Rugby) did put us on notice they were exploring their options – that was well before Christmas,” the Sanzaar chief executive, Brendan Morris, said as reported by The Guardian.
“We’ve got a number of international and local broadcast deals that are extended to 2025. There was never any cause for alarm that we were never going to meet those obligations.
“We’re coming out of the worst three years in living memory of financial impact. Everybody has to do their due diligence in exploring what competitions to be involved in, and what provides the best opportunity for the best commercial outcome.”
SA Rugby has in recent months aligned itself more with a move up north.
Currently the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks participate in the URC against franchises from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales after ditching a 25-year long stint in SuperRugby.
The four SA franchises will also play in pan-European tournaments, including the elite Heineken Champions Cup, starting later this year in the 2022/23 season.
