SANZAAR to review Rugby Championship schedule after trans-Tasman travel suspension

SANZAAR announced that they will be reviewing the Rugby Championship schedule after New Zealand government's decision to suspend travel between New Zealand and Australia.

The quarantine free travel will be suspended from 23:59 on 23rd July and will be effect for eight weeks due to the recent Covid outbreak in Australia.

With the Bledisloe Cup kick-starting from 7th August and the Rugby Championship from 21st August, SANZAAR chief executive Brendan Morris said they will work with the governments on the alternatives.

“The Rugby Championship is scheduled to be played primarily in New Zealand and Australia over the next two months, with the first two matches to be played in South Africa between the Springboks and Pumas," read a statement.

"Following these opening two matches, both teams then travel to Australia and New Zealand for the remainder of the tournament.

“SANZAAR and its member unions – Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby, South Africa Rugby and Argentina Rugby Union – will now work with the respective governments and health authorities in Australia and New Zealand, as we have successfully done recently with Super Rugby, to find the best solutions for the tournament given this latest development.”

The 2020 Rugby Championship tournament was played entirely in Australia without South Africa as they pulled out of the tournament due to travel restrictions created by Covid.