The Rugby Championship draw: Every Wallabies, All Blacks match revealed

TODAY AT 9:00 AM THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
by Christy Doran


Argentina and South Africa will open the 2020 Rugby Championship on November 7 in Brisbane before the Wallabies host the All Blacks, SANZAAR confirmed on Thursday with the release of the complete draw.

Australia will host the entire tournament, which runs from November 7 to December 12.

It's a mouthwatering draw, described as a "mini-World Cup" by Rugby Australia interim CEO Rob Clarke, and will see the four semi-finalists from the 2015 World Cup play double headers on six consecutive weekends.

"What a fantastic tournament ahead for fans in Australia," Clarke said.

"Six unmissable back-to-back doubleheaders featuring four of the very best Test nations in World Rugby - all in our backyard."

It's the first time that tier-one nations will have played double headers.

The 2020 Rugby Championship will also be the first time the Springboks have played since their memorable Rugby World Cup in Japan last year.

The opening round on November 7 will take place in Brisbane, before five straight weeks in Sydney and Newcastle.

SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said: It is fantastic to be able to take matches to three cities - Brisbane, Newcastle and Sydney.

"The six doubleheader 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."

The Springboks and All Blacks will play twice on Australian soil. Photo: Getty Images

Kick-off times for the double-header matches will be announced in due course. General public tickets will go on sale on Thursday 8 October at 11am local time. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To get presale, join Team.Rugby.

THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 FIXTURES

Round One - Saturday 7 November 2020

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Argentina v South Africa

Australia v New Zealand

Round two - Saturday 14 November

Bankwest Stadium, Sydney

New Zealand v Argentina

South Africa v Australia

Round Three - Saturday 21 November

ANZ Stadium, Sydney

New Zealand v South Africa

Australia v Argentina

Round Four - Saturday 28 November

McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Argentina v Australia

South Africa v New Zealand

Round Five - Saturday 5 December

Bankwest Stadium, Sydney

Argentina v New Zealand

Australia v South Africa

Round Six - Saturday 12 December

ANZ Stadium, Sydney

South Africa v Argentina

Australia v New Zealand

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2020/0...abies-schedule

Test Rugby Double Headers.

Where too much Rugby is never enough

The ABs are revolting!

Fuming All Blacks reject Rugby Championship schedule

At 9am on Thursday, SANZAAR announced the locations and dates of 12 Rugby Championship matches...................Nine minutes later, NZR released a statement claiming it had been blindsided by the dates.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...24-p55ynu.html

Christmas in quarantine: Fuming All Blacks reject Rugby Championship schedule

New Zealand Rugby is fuming about the prospect of All Blacks players being in hotel quarantine on Christmas Day following Thursday’s fixture announcement for the Rugby Championship.

The furore has forced boss Andy Marinos to hose down talk of a Rugby Championship boycott but made it clear New Zealand’s only hope of a resolution is the relaxation of quarantine restrictions in their country given that in his opinion, trying to cram six Tests into a five-week block could be detrimental to players and lead to “serious career-ending injuries”.

At 9am on Thursday, SANZAAR announced the locations and dates of 12 Rugby Championship matches - in the form of six double-headers - for the six-week tournament running from November 7 until December 12.

Nine minutes later, NZR released a statement claiming it had been blindsided by the dates. It was under the impression the last of their six matches, to be played against the Wallabies, would take place on December 5, meaning that under current government restrictions the footballers would be out of mandatory two-week isolation on their return well before December 25.

If the game does go ahead on December 12, as scheduled at ANZ Stadium, the Kiwis would be forced into hotel isolation by themselves on Christmas Day.

“We haven't agreed to this schedule and are disappointed at the announcement,” said NZR boss Mark Robinson.

“All our planning and scheduling was on the basis that the All Blacks last match would be on December 5 to give our players and management time to get home, undertake the 14 days' quarantine back in New Zealand, and then be with their families for Christmas, as will be the case for the other three teams in the tournament.


"We understand the commercial considerations in the scheduling. However, the wellbeing of our people is an incredibly important factor in this also.”

It has emerged that when New Zealand were favourites to host the tournament, before SANZAAR awarded hosting rights to Australia, they denied RA’s request to play the last game by December 5 for the same reason.

When the tournament was brought this side of the ditch, NZR wanted the game moved forward.

Sources have told the Herald RA agreed to a five-week block in Australia, with a final game on December 5.

However, South Africa and Argentina were not on board, due to player welfare concerns and the fact their squad members have barely participated in rugby this year. It is understood Springboks and Pumas won't be forced into hotel isolation on Christmas Day when they return after a December 12 match.

SANZAAR went to NZR to try and see whether their government could relax quarantine provisions, by way of potentially doing some strict hotel isolation in Australia before their return, or doing the lockdown in New Zealand at their own homes. It didn't come to fruition and SANZAAR, without New Zealand's tick of approval, went ahead and announced the fixture list anyway.

“The 12th of December is an issue for New Zealand but we’ve exhausted every other option and only one at its very furthest - working through how best we can manage the quarantine,” Marinos said on Thursday at the schedule announcement in Sydney.

“There’s been massive sacrifices from all stakeholders and South Africa and Argentina have been pretty clear they need the maximum run of weeks in order to ensure their guys can perform at an optimal level. It’s something we’ve got to continue to work through.”

Asked if New Zealand were going to have to suck it up, Marinos replied: “We’re going to have to do what we can to make sure we get the desired result for both parties.”

Pressed on whether there was a chance New Zealand’s protestations could curtail the Rugby Championship, Marinos said: “I don’t think so. There’s too much at stake. It’s just about how we can best manage individual needs of all the unions and this is the challenge we’ve got with the whole pandemic. There’s complexities at every single corner.”

Marinos stressed that player welfare would not be compromised. A normal Rugby Championship is played over eight weeks, with a rest weekend following Tests on consecutive Saturdays.

“The reality is we’re asking players to play six Test matches in six weeks is pretty arduous as it is with no breaks. You want to condense that window any closer?” Marinos said. “We’ve got to be cognisant of player welfare but there’s also player safety. You’ve got to manage players from a long-term perspective and make sure we’re not increasing their risk profile disproportionately that they could get serious career-ending injuries.”

The Wallabies will kick off their Rugby Championship campaign in Brisbane against the All Blacks.

There will be double-headers every Saturday, five of which will be in NSW at ANZ Stadium, Bankwest Stadium and McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

It will be the first time tier-one rugby nations have taken part in double-headers. Kick-off times are yet to be confirmed.

After returning from playing two Sunday Bledisloe Cup matches in New Zealand on October 11 (Wellington) and October 18 (Auckland), the Wallabies will square off for their third game in a row against the Kiwis in Brisbane.

From there, the Wallabies will return to Sydney for a clash against World Cup winners South Africa at Bankwest Stadium.

Their next Test on November 21 will be against Argentina but the match of the day will be the blockbuster between the All Blacks and the Springboks, with ANZ Stadium set to host the fixture in order to get the largest possible crowd.

Round four of the Rugby Championship sees sides go north for a game in Newcastle before another game at Bankwest Stadium.

The Wallabies' last match of the year will be on December 12 at ANZ Stadium against the All Blacks, which will double as the fourth fixture of the Bledisloe Cup.

“It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point,” Marinos said. “While the rescheduling and re-configuration of the Super Rugby season has not been ideal, all the member unions have been committed in getting rugby back on the field. Our broadcasters and commercial partners have been fantastic in working with us and continually adapting in what has been a very dynamic environment.”

Round one - Saturday 7th November - Suncorp Stadium
Argentina v South Africa, Australia v New Zealand

Round two - Saturday 14th November - Bankwest Stadium
New Zealand v Argentina, South Africa v Australia

Round three - Saturday 21st November - ANZ Stadium
New Zealand v South Africa, Australia v Argentina

Round four – Saturday 28th November, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Argentina v Australia, South Africa v New Zealand

Round five – Saturday 5th December - Bankwest Stadium
Argentina v New Zealand, Australia v South Africa

Round six – Saturday 12th December - ANZ Stadium
South Africa v Argentina, Australia v New Zealand

From Sydney Morning Herald

The only way around this would be to play a couple of weekday matches like the world cup

I thought the whole point of changing the quarantine restrictions ahead of the two NZ Bledisloes was to allow the earlier date, so that the whole RC could be brought forward. The two extra countries is certainly a complicating factor, but couldn't they look at playing the Bledisloe on the 12th at the start?

If it was in Perth, wouldn’t that have solved the problem of quarantine?

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Originally Posted by valzc

If it was in Perth, wouldn’t that have solved the problem of quarantine?

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No.

The complaint is that the Kiwis will have to quarantine when they arrive back in NZ, and possibly be isolated on Christmas Day.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by valzc

If it was in Perth, wouldn’t that have solved the problem of quarantine?

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If it was in Perth then I couldn't go to 10 Test Rugby Matches

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jargan83

No.

The complaint is that the Kiwis will have to quarantine when they arrive back in NZ, and possibly be isolated on Christmas Day.

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Applies to the other teams if they make it.

Interesting news on SA. Kings are in liquidation so can’t participate in any comps.

They have an obligation to provide two teams in the Pro14. Discussions are still in an early stage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

Applies to the other teams if they make it.

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Did you miss this part:

It is understood Springboks and Pumas won't be forced into hotel isolation on Christmas Day when they return after a December 12 match.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jargan83

Did you miss this part:

It is understood Springboks and Pumas won't be forced into hotel isolation on Christmas Day when they return after a December 12 match.

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I mean making it to Australia at all.

SA haven’t played any Rugby and the head coach has reservations about playing test matches without game time. They have already lost players in Europe through injury.

Argentina have had recent positive cases in their squad.

Do the Wallabies and All Blacks have to quarantine when coming to NSW. If not cant they just kick of the Rugby Championship a week early? Swap the 12 of December game to 31st October.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

I mean making it to Australia at all.

SA haven’t played any Rugby and the head coach has reservations about playing test matches without game time. They have already lost players in Europe through injury.

Argentina have had recent positive cases in their squad.

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This is what I am thinking, I am still very sceptical that there will be games featuring SA and Arg, I was expecting just a 4 game Bledisloe. It they pull this off it will be a good effort.

Just got this in an email from RA

FIXTURE CHANGE & PRESALE INFORMATION
The Wallabies v New Zealand game, originally due to be played on Saturday 12th December, has been brought forward to Saturday 31st October.

The fixture will remain at the original venue of ANZ Stadium in Sydney. This Bledisloe Cup match will also be the opening round of The Rugby Championship and will be played as a standalone fixture.

As a Team Rugby member, you will have access to pre-sale tickets for this specific fixture from 12:00 noon AEDT tomorrow (Friday 9th October).