SA Rugby president Mark Alexander has confirmed they are in discussion with World Rugby to gain permission to arrange at least three Tests before the Boks play the Lions next year.

The Springboks are scheduled to play a three-Test series against the British & Irish Lions between 24 July and 7 August next year.

However, as it stands, the world champions are set to head into the series without any international action since the 2019 World Cup final. This after the Covid-19 pandemic led to the Boks not playing any games in 2020.

But Alexander says that SA Rugby is looking into the possibility of organising a few Tests in preparation for the Lions series.

‘We are looking at that, we are busy with that,’ he said. ‘We are looking at having a couple of games. We will confirm that once we have confirmed with World Rugby that we can have games.

‘You know, we can’t just organise a game with another country. We have to get permission from World Rugby and we are seeking permission to have at least three or four games before we play the series.’

Alexander added that SA Rugby’s confident it’ll be granted permission because the 2021 rugby calendar is still under construction and a long way from being finalised.

‘The calendar is not finalised, we have only finalised the rugby calendar for this year. Next year’s calendar is still under discussion. One thing that is for sure is that it is still in July that we will be playing the British & Irish Lions series. That is confirmed. That is the only one confirmed for next year. World Rugby is still in discussion as to what is going to happen with the global calendar.

‘The way things are looking now. I think the calendar will remain the same for next year as well and we will probably look at changing the calendar in 2022 – to accommodate the Pro Rugby League, the Currie Cup, Inbound and Outbound Tours and the Rugby Championship – but it is under discussion.’

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