Sanzaar has confirmed the Rugby Championship is set take place in Australia, in November and December this year.
The confirmation followed a detailed assessment of tournament hosting submissions from New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia, Sanzaar said in a statement. The tournament was moved from its traditional August-September window due to the ongoing effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The matches will be played within the recently announced World Rugby sanctioned southern hemisphere playing window of 7 November to 12 December. The tournament will comprise a six-week, 12-match, ‘home and away’ tournament involving Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Sanzaar CEO Andy Marinos said: ‘We are delighted that Sanzaar can at last confirm the participants and host country for The Rugby Championship and put an end to continued speculation about the tournaments’ format and location.
‘Traditionally it’s played as an international, cross-border series of home and away matches between Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa but due to the pandemic this is obviously not possible this year.
‘We have, therefore, worked very hard as a group to ensure TRC takes place this year, albeit in one country, and Sanzaar was meticulous in assessing the two options for hosting presented to it by New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia.
‘Sanzaar ultimately determined that based on government required quarantine protocols [for entry and training prior to the tournament] and commercial underwriting, the Rugby Australia submission was the most desirable and workable in terms of tournament logistics for the essential pre-tournament preparation period and the six-week tournament itself.’
