SA Rugby has unveiled the formats for its 2021 domestic competition and Currie Cup as voted for at its special general meeting on Tuesday.

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The meeting determined the domestic tournament (provisionally named the SA Cup) and the Currie Cup formats for 2021.

In the ‘SA Cup’, all 14 unions will be divided into two pools on historic log standings and will contest a single-round competition to identify eight teams for a knockout stage of quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.

In the Currie Cup, the four mooted PRO Rugby franchises plus the top four non-franchise qualifiers from the SA Cup would contest the Currie Cup Premier Division over a double round with semi-final and final. The bottom six SA Cup teams will contest the Currie Cup First Division in a single-round competition before the semi-final and final.

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SA Rugby president Mark Alexander thanked the membership for its deliberations and the outcomes of the meeting.

‘These are extraordinary times, if this had been an ordinary year, we would not have had this meeting,’ he said.

‘But we needed to take radical steps to avoid financial meltdown because of the Covid-19 crisis.’

Roux said that SA Rugby remained committed to the Sanzaar partnership and a continued participation in the Rugby Championship.

‘We will advise our Sanzaar partners of the general meeting’s decision,’ Roux said. ‘We remain part of the joint venture and will pursue the “Super Series” discussions in good faith.’

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