Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says the Rugby Championship should be played at the same time as the Six Nations.
Sanzaar on Thursday ended speculation about the Rugby Championship’s future, confirming the tournament will be staged in 2027, 2028 and 2029. And for the first time, a full Rugby Championship will be played in a World Cup year (2027).
That was followed by confirmation of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, which will see the All Blacks tour South Africa in 2026 and the Springboks travel to New Zealand in 2030.
MORE: Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures announced
While speaking to the media about the tour, Erasmus threw his support behind long-standing calls for a global season. He said synchronising the international windows would make the game more coherent and player-friendly.
“I don’t want this to be a headline; this is my opinion,” he said. “But I think it would be fantastic if we could play the Rugby Championship in February, when the Six Nations is on. It would be so much easier if all the teams were aligned – not having some countries flat in June and others peaking in November.”
MORE: Rassie backs revival of All Blacks tours
The Bok coach added that a February Rugby Championship would also simplify how the game adapts to new laws.
“The law changes or variations would be easier to implement across the board with all the competitions starting at the same time,” Erasmus explained.
“In my honest opinion, I can’t see a reason why New Zealand, Argentina and Australia can’t play that competition at the same time as the Six Nations.
“There might be a big thing that I’m missing here, but yes, I like the idea. I’m just naming a few things – I’m not saying that’s the solution.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Rassie: Play Rugby Champs in February appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says the Rugby Championship should be played at the same time as the Six Nations.
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