Rugby Championship still on Sanzaar radar

Where has Marinos been based for the last few years? It can't be the Aussie eastern seaboard if he floats December as a possible play date for the RC. Hands up anyone who remembered the cool conditions in eastern Australian last December? No-one? That's because you couldn't see the hands for all the bushfire smoke in the air! A prospect experts say could repeat this season (oh joy!) I'm thinking about migrating to Bluff!! :-) Even apart from bushfires, Octo-Nov is when Aust starts to seriously heat up and even NZ is copping some of that Aussie heat when it does. Then, of course, Victoria has just gone into coronavirus lockdown with NSW now eyeing additional measures. A four-test Bledisloe sounds too much; I reckon maybe an old-fashioned rugby tour; have the Wallabies tour NZ for six or seven games (including midweeker). The Mitre 10 wraps up early Oct (??) so teams will be match hardened.

Recent WR elections South Africa stood together with its SH partners in an attempt to oust Bill Beaumont against the NH countries.. Hardly the actions of a country wanting to or intending to join NH rugby.. Just today Walesonline reported the possible future exclusion of the 2 SA teams in Pro 14 to be replaced by 4 Welsh sides.. So no there is no intention of SA going North. Fake news only.

It’s not as simple as that JN. SAF has been posturing for some time now of sending more teams (ultimately the cream of their crop) to Europe for a bigger pay day. Europe won’t want any teams from Africa while the pandemic is raging so this will be put on the back burner by SAFRU. If you want SAF teams to play the best provincial sides in the world (and the Ozzies) then you need to pick a hemisphere and put your best foot forward. I want to see the Boks be the worthy rival to the All Blacks we know they can be. Skating through easy draws at two World Cups, waiting for all the knockout blows to have already been landed is not enough for my liking.

Well yesterday middle of winter Jacko Johannesburg was 23 degrees... Scotland middle of the summer was 15 degrees... Worth a thought????

There may be a range of considerations that we are not privy to. There may even be a spreadsheet....

It truly is a bit worrying seeing all these Argentinian players signing up to European clubs. I fear there going to lose there competitiveness in the next year or two if the euro clubs don't release them. I would sign Japan and Fiji up immediately to a Southern Nations. I fear for NZ and Oz with all this talk of SA leaving, it makes us stronger to have them round. If they go, i want full SA squad test series every 4 years to come to NZ and we go there every 4 years. In terms of a End of year comp, i would invite RC teams and Fiji, Japan (if they don't go north) to NZ, run them against the Heartland teams in September. 5 round tourney October/November, split the tv money, gate takings, sponsorship.

Ive got an idea JN...the UK could change seasons and play rugby in sumner.....A globally aligned season...Why hasnt someone else thought of it?

What are they rating in SA....Why should decisions all get made by Aus when they dont even support rugby in their own country...Just 69000 watched the first game in months in prime time....It appears more rugby fans in Aus would rather whinge about rugby than actually watch rugby. Im a Chiefs fan who lives in Brisbane and if I can go to a game I have no skin in then where the hell are the actual Qld and NSW fans and what are they doing?

By the way, if SA have a full strength team it WILL be pretty, in fact it will be a match for the ages, the AB’s wanting to prove they are the best, and the Boks equally so. Just some stats since Rassie took over. Aggregate score between them SA 95 NZ 105 SA 10 tries NZ 13 tries Average score between them SA 24.25 NZ 26.25 SA 2.5 tries NZ 3.25 tries Pretty close and pretty competitive, eh?

Im sure there are "off the record" discussions happening all over the place but untill something gets announced then its not official is it! Ive said many times that if SA goes then it goes completely...None of this BS about staying in the RC but not being in SR...Go or stay....But as Corne says nothing official is coming out of SA either so it all becomes rumours and stories and that does nothing for the fans.

Yes same as in Durban that time of the year if SA were to be incorporated into NH rugby matches as some seem to wish for they would have to be played in SAs summer.. It's just not possible.. The temp and especially humidity debilitating just taking a stroll down the street.. Doesn't get any easier in the evening either.

Yep, still singing the same song, anything original from you maybe?

Corne', don't have but Morne Du Plessis emphasized the move back to Currie Cup strengths recently on Rugby Kuiers programme on Supersport.. Rassie and Jurie Roux was on SA Rugby mag.. Was a while ago and the ownership of the Bulls now as you know public record.. I should have added The recent takeover of The Kings management by SA Rugby.. It's also Important in the broader context..

Back in Black , but you’re OK to take our money???? :shocked:

It is even central from a time zone perspective to play in Perth. NZ, Australia and New Zealand can watch games live in normal hours. Europe as well it is only the Americas that present a problem

Central between NZ, Australia, South Africa and Argentina and a neutral venue as no Force players are expected to make the Wallabies

The isolation in NZ and Perth work in out favour and makes it easier to contain outbreaks. Many more cross the NSW and VIC borders than care to cross the Nullabor. Perth just provide more certainty than Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane when it comes to managing COVID-19. Of course an outbreak can occur anytime as we have seen in Melbourne...

Perth December average temperatures are between 17-28 C while Sydney is 18-25 C. It only heads up by the latter part of December and as we get the cool SW breeze by midday the afternoon’s are very pleasant for rugby. November and December can even be chilly at times. December weather in Perth is comparable to April when we regularly play rugby in the past. No Superugby game has been interrupted by the heat in Perth as far as I can remember, while games in Brisbane early in the session often need drink breaks. Feb and March however you have a point as we regularly see temperatures above 35 but so does Sydney.

You're not sure that games rating about 25% of prime time games is a reason for not wanting SA in the comp?

Ex-force I have spent many weeks in Dec in Perth where days over 30deg are endless. I cant really see the players doing very well in those types of temps, even at night its still extremely hot