Host venue: Mbombela Stadium
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South Africa will host Scotland, Italy and Samoa in a four-team tournament in June 2013.
The Springboks will face their Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool B opponents, Scotland and Samoa, as well as Italy, in an innovative new tournament featuring double-header Test matches in 2013, the South African Rugby Union announced on Thursday.
Fans will be able to watch two Test matches for the price of one after a ground-breaking decision of the Executive Council (Exco) overhauled the way that Test matches are run in South Africa.
The tournament - which will be played on a log basis over two rounds to determine finalists - will open at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on June 8.
For the first time in Springbok history, Test matches will be solely hosted by the mother body rather than the host provinces.
"SARU was the only major union in world rugby that didn't properly own its own Test matches," explained CEO Jurie Roux.
"The decision by the Exco now gives ownership to SARU.
"The key benefits will be in allowing us to plough a share of the profits back into all the provincial unions and, that by controlling the ticket office and all commercial activity in the stadium, we will be able to provide an experience for our stakeholders on a par with what we experience when playing overseas."
Roux explained that the existing model had seen SARU effectively 'sell' Springbok Test matches to the major provinces. The Test-hosting unions paid a rights fee (the amount of which was dependent on the stature of the opponent) and then set ticket prices and kept all receipts as well as commercialising aspects of the match as they saw fit.
"This is a major change in how rugby is run and will present challenges," said Roux. "But the major effect is that it has placed Springbok Tests in the ownership of the mother body, for the benefit of all rugby's stakeholders.
Fixtures:
2013 Incoming Tour:
Saturday, June 8 (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit): Scotland v Samoa; Springboks v Italy
Saturday, June 15 (Mr Price Kings Park, Durban): Samoa v Italy; Springboks v Scotland
Saturday, June 22 (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria): Team 3 v Team 4 ; Team 1 v Team 2
2013 Rugby Championship:
Saturday, August 17 (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein): Springboks v Argentina
Saturday, September 28 (Newlands, Cape Town): Springboks v Australia
Saturday, October 5 (Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg): Springboks v New Zealand
Comments
BokAvenger says...
@Kenny - Remind me. Which was the only southern hemisphere nation to go unbeaten in the November tests? Certainly wasn't Aus or NZ
Posted 02:23 07th December 2012
masar says...
why does SA want such crappy competition?
Posted 01:38 07th December 2012
Scrumpoacher says...
Good to see SARU, if only we could have more of these type of fixtures elsewhere. Including some more of the developing nations playing the top tiers in between world cups...#growthegame
Posted 21:25 06th December 2012
philipjfry says...
So the plan is to play two consecutive matches on the same pitch. Scrums anyone?
Posted 20:54 06th December 2012
kennyisgay says...
Yes bokavenger you might actually win something with Scotland & Italy about your level. It'll be great for the RC to rid of the boring NH style of the boring springboks
Posted 20:44 06th December 2012
sukkadoits says...
Innovative and exciting. I notice South Africa avoid Samoa in the 2 log rounds. Probably wise as going by this years results they will be their biggest threat, though i would believe it has more to do with market pressures than anything else. There are going to be some juiced up SA supporters come the 2nd half of the 2nd game, hopefully it will provide some side entertainment for the TV viewer.
Posted 19:54 06th December 2012
kicknz says...
I think it's an interesting concept but the visiting teams are too weak as a group, with the 2 weakest Six Nations teams plus Samoa. If Italy or Scotland were replaced with one of the other Six Nations, it would be more appealing. If the other SANZAR nations pick up on this format, it would provide more meaningful games for the Pacific Islands.
Posted 19:25 06th December 2012
RugbyLeRoux says...
i would be too smashed come half time in the 2nd game!
Posted 19:01 06th December 2012
carpelone says...
Good idea, if this is replacing June tests and it is not additional.
The schedule is already oversubscribed.
Posted 18:59 06th December 2012
BokAvenger says...
Let's hope this is a stepping stone towards pulling out of the farcical Supermarket rugby and the Rigged Nations
Posted 18:12 06th December 2012
melkdave says...
Looks an interesting idea,like the idea of mini tornaments ,but will crowds stay for the 2nd match,or turn up for the first ,only time wil tell.
Posted 17:53 06th December 2012