All Blacks left wing Rieko Ioane looking to beat Springboks right-wing Cheslin Kolbe during a Rugby Championship test last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
All Blacks left wing Rieko Ioane looking to beat Springboks right-wing Cheslin Kolbe during a Rugby Championship test last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
SANZAAR and tournament hosts Rugby Australia have confirmed the full schedule for the Rugby Championship which will feature 12 tests on back-to-back weekends between the Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina.
Each round will be played as a doubleheader with the opening fixture locked in for Brisbane's Suncorp Stadiumon Saturday 7 November before five straight doubleheaders across Sydney and Newcastle.
Australia's games against the All Blacks during the Rugby Championship will also double as matches for the Bledisloe Cup. Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium will host the third Bledisloe Cup test on Saturday 7 November before Sydney's ANZ Stadium hosts the final transtasman clash on Saturday 12 December.
The 2020 Rugby Championship will be the first time the Springboks have played since their memorable Rugby World Cup win in Japan last year, and will take on the Pumas in their first clash on November 7.
The world champions will take on the All Blacks on two weekends in a row in weeks three and four of the competition.
All Blacks left wing Rieko Ioane looking to beat Springboks right-wing Cheslin Kolbe during a Rugby Championship test last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said a lot of hard work went into making the tournament go ahead.
"It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point, but we are delighted that we can now confirm the match dates and venues for The Rugby Championship 2020. The Rugby Championship is one of the game's show piece events and includes some of the best rugby talent in the world.
"While the rescheduling and reconfiguration of the Super Rugby season has not been ideal all the member unions have been committed in getting rugby back on the field and the culmination of this will be the TRC in Australia. I would like to thank all of our Unions and their staff for their dedication and hard work since the onset of this pandemic. Our Broadcasters and Commercial partners have been fantastic in working with us and continually adapting in what has been a very dynamic environment.
"SANZAAR would like to thank Rugby Australia as host nation and Destination NSW and Tourism Australia for their commitment and involvement with venues and tournament logistics and assisting Rugby Australia in delivering this event.
"It is fantastic to be able to take matches to three cities - Brisbane, Newcastle and Sydney. The six double-header Saturdays are a first for the tournament and will produce an exciting feast of rugby for spectators at the venues who will actually be getting two world class international tests for the price of one entry ticket. Thanks to our committed family of broadcasters this action will also be delivered to the living rooms of our overseas rugby fans providing a rugby feast similar to what we experienced a year ago with the Rugby World Cup."
Rugby Australia interim CEO Rob Clarke added: "What a fantastic tournament ahead for fans in Australia. Six unmissable back-to-back doubleheaders featuring four of the very best Test nations in World Rugby – all in our backyard.
"This really is a once in a lifetime event and I want to thank our terrific Government partners, in Destination New South Wales, as well as Gladys Berejiklian and her New South Wales Government in making this tournament possible.
"I also want to acknowledge Tourism Australia and Tourism Events Queensland for their support, as we showcase the very best of Australia to the rest of the world over the coming months."
