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Delve deep into the recent McKinsey Review and analyse Super Rugby action from the weekend just gone. Jeff Wilson, Sir John Kirwan and Kane Hames are joined by Les Elder and an exclusive interview with Jason Holland ahead of the Blues v Hurricanes match this weekend.
The Rugby Championship will be revamped in 2021 with an old-fashioned tour theme being injected that will see the All Blacks play the Springboks at home only every other year.
The shift in format will put an end to the All Blacks having to travel to both Argentina and South Africa in one calendar year.
Instead, they will play two home tests against one of the Pumas or Boks and two away tests against the other.
The Wallabies will do the same in mirror image, with the fixtures reversing the next year to ensure that whichever side the All Blacks played at home in 2021 they play away in 2022.
It is hoped that it will generate a greater sense of occasion for fans as the Boks will only be in New Zealand every second year and likewise, the All Blacks will only play biennially in South Africa.
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Australia and New Zealand will continue to play each other home and away as will South Africa and Argentina.
TJ Perenara of the All Blacks leads the Haka during The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Test match between the All Blacks and Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images
The move is also designed to introduce a retro-theme where international sides can feel they are on an old-fashioned tour.
While it is unlikely, the possibility will exist of the All Blacks travelling with an extended squad to play mid-week fixtures in either Argentina or South Africa.
Sanzaar is hopeful that playing back-to-back tests in this format will give the tournament a more compelling edge and potentially make it a harder competition to win.
Since Argentina joined in 2012 the All Blacks have won six of the eight titles. They didn't win in either 2015 or 2019 – years in which the competition was truncated because of the World Cup.
When it has been played in its true format where each team plays each team home and away, the All Blacks have dominated to the point that they have often been declared champions after five games and sometimes even after just four.
Arguably, some of their dominance has come on the back of a favourable schedule where they play three home tests in succession.
The format has been consistent since 2012 – with the All Blacks opening their campaign in Australia, before playing a return in New Zealand the following week.
They then play Argentina and South Africa in consecutive weeks at home, before playing the Pumas away and then the Boks in South Africa.
All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea in action during the rugby test against Tonga at Waikato Stadium. Photo / Dean Purcell
Only once in the six occasions the tournament has run in full, has the title still been up for grabs when the All Blacks have played their final test in South Africa.
The change is also being driven by a desire to cut down the travel burden on the players.
Since 2012 the All Blacks have found it an extreme challenge to play in Argentina one week and South Africa the next and then head to Europe a few weeks after they return from the Republic.
Playing in either South Africa or Argentina and being based there for two weeks will reduce air travel for all teams and cut some of the expense.
