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'Only logical step': South African journalist predicts when the Springboks will join Six Nations
By Sam Smith
South Africaās four domestic teams joining the reformed United Rugby Championship is only the first step towards the āplanā to have the Springboks move north says journalist Craig Ray.
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The South African teams found immediate success in the URC, with the Bulls and Stormers making the final before the Cape-based took out the inaugural title and will now compete in next seasonās Champions Cup.
Speaking on Off the Ballās Monday Night Rugby show, the rugby writer explained that discussions are ongoing about the Springboks joining as early as 2024, months after next yearās World Cup.
Each step of the integration of South Africa into the European season has been a prelude to pave the way for the national side to join the Six Nations.
āItās totally part of the plan,ā Ray told Off The Ball.
āThe plan is to be in Six Nations by I think 2025. Possibly as early as 2024 after the World Cup.
āAnd itās certainly part of the discussions that are going on. Getting into the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup was the next step.
āThe only logical step from there is into the Six Nations.ā
Whether South Africaās inclusion would be at Italyās expense is unknown, but Ray indicated that a āSevens Nationsā tournament could include both of them.
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Ray was confidence that the Springboks would playing in the tournament by 2025.
āWhat thatās going to look like, as far as I know itās unclear. Maybe they have a better idea but I donāt think it necessarily means Italy are relegated. It can become a 7 Nations tournament.
āBut I think you can almost count on the Springboks being in it by 2025.
āI donāt think our relationship with New Zealand or Australia is going to completely fall by the wayside. I suspect it might be the best of both worlds.ā
To keep it at 6 they'll have to kick Italy š®š¹ out.
Interesting. If that happens & they still play Aus & the ABās, theyāll be playing virtually the full year in my reckoning. Tough on the players.
They could very well join the six nations and ditch rugby champs, but tour the southern hemisphere teams in the June/ July window like the rest of Europe. That would obviously come at the cost of hosting the annual 3 tests against Argentina(1) and (2) against either the AB's or Ausies as well, but that's exactly the international equivalent of the price we payed for moving to Europe in club competitions. It could also have the follow on effect of hosting test matches in November instead of touring Europe, which would allow those mentioned teams to tour us for 1 match. At that stage we will be totally aligned with the Northern Hemisphere Rugby schedule, which would be perfect for the Boks in terms of logistics and preperation. Many would be critical of this idea because of moving away from age old rivalries that have essentially become apart of our culture as rugby loving Saffas, but if you look at the enthusiasm around a match when teams like England and Ireland face the AB's or Ausies (which sometimes happens very rarely, England have only faced the AB's twice since 2015), it hardly looks as if those rivalries are damaged from a lack of frequent games. It might in fact even be enhanced by it.