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
sonsofsamoa says...
Great opportunities for the Manu boys in blue to show their consistent form.. Assuming the players are allowed to be released from their clubs to be able to play in this competition because it may not be an IRB sanctioned tournament.
Posted 10:58 16th December 2012
Lucasrg says...
As an Italian, I'm honored that we are considered in this new competition, which is a great idea. Bokkas will use this very well to check their youngsters mixed with some good ol' experienced players. It is also very good that SARU get total control on the cashflow.
As for the teams...Samoa might be the finalist for they can win both Ita and Sco.
I'm sure there will be planty of opportunities off the pitch for the players to enjoy their time there (Sponsors activities, safari trips, shark cages, schools, biltong cusine....).
Posted 15:22 12th December 2012
Spartacus says...
Great idea - more variety is required in international rugby, and unless the smaller nations get these opportunities then it wont happen.
Would be nice to see NZ/Aus do something similar involving say Fiji, Japan and Tonga!
Posted 09:36 10th December 2012
kybone says...
Surely just another opportunity for Scotland to finish last!
Seriously this is a good idea in my view. Id' like to see similar things done on a regular basis. I know people want to see the best sides play each other but i think we're seeing sides play each other too many times now i.e. Oz and Wales played each other 6 times in the past 13 months or so! Too much. I think this idea is better, even if it means we have games that aren't as close as we would like.
Posted 10:45 09th December 2012
porridge_time says...
This is a great idea and excellent for Sco, Ita and Sam rugby. It allows them to tour one of the hardest nations.
bokavenger... you are a moron!
Posted 19:11 07th December 2012
APV1 says...
What a magnificent idea!
To match it, perhaps England, Wales and Australia could travel to Fiji for a similar tournament in 2014... A boost for Fiji rugby and some practice for the rest of us. If not in Fiji, somewhere else, because the concept's great. And when I say "practice", I certainly don't mean a walk-over. I mean that all the teams get a good look at each other in advance of 2015.
Look at the improvements made by Argentina over the last few years. Although not soley due to it, the 4N has played a significant part in their development.
@ RugbyLeRoux - I'm not sure I'd even get that far!
And for those worried about the pitch, NZ and England played a double-header at Twickenham recently with no major issues.
And, just in case anyone had forgotten, NZ got beaten twice. By England. At Twickenham. Last week. At Twickenham. England beat NZ. Twice in a row. On the same pitch. NZ were beaten. Twice...
(Too much?)
Posted 17:34 07th December 2012
golden_statenba says...
Its all good Jaystar
He tried to go undercover as a kiwi and make us look bad as well. In fact he is most probably not South African!? in fact he could be a she!?
Its just fun to make him/her mad
Posted 17:05 07th December 2012
151LD says...
Great idea, although I'm not sure how much of a test these teams will provide for the Boks. I cant see any of those teams coming within 15 points.
Scotland, Samoa, Italy - send your BEST players please.
Posted 15:31 07th December 2012
HighsideUK says...
Too lop-sided.
If SA played Italy and Scotland together, or perhaps Italy and then Scotland straight afterwards it might be a fair contest.
Look at the rankings of the teams involved. This is likely to turn into an ego trip for the Boks and their supporters.
Posted 13:38 07th December 2012
JayStarr says...
I think this is a great idea! Maybe because it is very similar to mine posted on here a while ago..! When I suggested that tier 2 nations also tour South Africa during the June tests so that a South Africa A team can play against them on the same day as a pre-match in a double-header... Oregan Hoskins must be reading my posts! :P
This is a bit different than my suggestion (in that it doesn't provide an opportunity during the Super Rugby break for the emerging Springboks to experience test rugby, or for tier 2 nations), but it still provides an opportunity for Samoa, which is great. Hats off to SARU for thinking of a way to include them.
@ melkdave: I think people will stay... make a day out of it, like when they go to the cricket. I'm sure SARU will sell it as such... (i.e. lots of cheap beer!) :P Also, this is the first time tests will be played in Nelspruit, so I am sure those fans will be very eager.
@ BokAvenger: You are distasteful, disgraceful and delusional. Please stop embarrassing South Africans on here... You are only speaking for yourself.
@ sukkadoits: Well if Samoa is as good as you say they are, then surely they will face South Africa in the final?
@ kennyisgay: Who's Kenny..? And also, don't stoop to BokAvenger's level please... Better to ignore him.
@ masar: Who else are they supposed to play? France will be touring NZ at that time and Ireland, England, Wales and, well, obviously not many Scottish players, will be touring Australia as the British & Irish Lions. So this is actually a very clever way of accommodating the rest of the teams by SARU.
Posted 13:38 07th December 2012
Golden_statenba says...
@bokavenger
Can't help it if there is nothing marketable about the your team lol
But they did go unbeaten in November!!!
For all other South Africans Please tell me your gene pool ends with you.
Posted 11:59 07th December 2012
Waz4before says...
It's a good idea -- plus Scotland should be at full strength ;-)
Posted 11:35 07th December 2012
BokAvenger says...
@Goldenshower & Hellovanity: The answer is the All Pacific. You know, the team that just got SMASHED by England. The ref must've had his phone switched off the night before so probably missed the call from the IRB instructing him to make sure their precious marketing gimmick won.
Posted 10:48 07th December 2012
doyley says...
Great idea! With this, the Lions and Frances tour to NZ, there's going to be some fantastic games next year!
Posted 10:16 07th December 2012
gazzabok says...
2 games in 1 day? I tried this once at the Coral double header in Twickenham. I can't see me successfully completing it this time. Taxi!
Posted 08:25 07th December 2012
hellovanite says...
BokAvenger... Pity that the only team to go unbeaten in the NH got beaten by NZ 3 times and spanked on their own turf.
Now with the pettiness out of the way "yeah right", I actually think this will be a really good tournament. All of these teams coming to SA showed glimpses of great potential in November. I was especially impressed with Samoa. None of them should be underestimated and I look forward to it!
Posted 08:21 07th December 2012
Golden_statenba says...
Samoa could win this
@bokavenger remind us who was the only team to beat the springboks home and away?
Clutching at straws if your celebrating an unbeaten run in...November!!!
Posted 08:16 07th December 2012
BokAvenger says...
Not sure why we've invited those Samoan thugs. After their disgraceful cheap shot thuggery in the last world cup we should just refuse to play them at all
Posted 07:34 07th December 2012
latin says...
i like this idea! great stuff SA............at least it helps grow rugby in these areas.
Posted 06:59 07th December 2012
runnrugby says...
Great idea. I thought it was a great when they brought in the June test series this year. It made the matches more meaningful instead of the boring one off matches against different sides. So next june we will now have the Lions Tour, ABs vs France series and now this Four team tournament in SA.
Posted 04:31 07th December 2012