The Six Nations has always been a Northern Hemisphere competition, with South Africa part of the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship. While speculation about South Africa joining the Six Nations has been rife since 2022, the Six Nations committee itself has long stated that nothing is going ahead. And so it seems to be true. However, part of this push came from the inclusion of South African clubs into both the Champions Cup and the United Rugby Championship. With no moves for South Africa to join the Six Nations, what else lies in store for the Springboks team as they continue moving forward in their goal of world domination?
The Nations Championship
One of the biggest things on the horizon for international rugby and the South African team is the exciting World Rugby Nations Championship. To start in 2026, this tournament is to be a new biennial international rugby competition. The top division of 12 teams will participate, split across two conferences — European (which includes the Six Nations teams) and the Rest of the World Conference (includes SANZAAR nations, Fiji and Japan). All teams will play each other in opposing conferences throughout July and November. There will be a grand final to determine the overall winners. And, from 2030, there will be promotions and relegation into and out of the competition with the simultaneously played lower division teams. However, for South Africa, adding this to their already strained calendar is going to be a bit difficult. The country has a packed rugby season, which is only going to get more complicated with this exciting tournament. The new schedule and increased player load with more test schedules are likely to prove complicated.
A 12-month season
South Africa’s biggest problem, however, remains the fact that they are out of sync with everyone else. Attempting to be part of both Northern and Southern hemisphere seasons and games comes at a cost. And that cost is a gruelling 12-month season with no real respite for the players. Yes, it means there are tons of live sports events for South African supporters, but it does mean that the players play throughout the year with no break. It also means that there is the potential for some readjustment regarding the rugby sporting calendar.
Right now, since South African teams left the Super Rugby tournament, they have aligned their club season with that of the Northern Hemisphere, hence the push to join the Six Nations. But this means that there are no breaks elsewhere. So, the new proposal is to move the Rugby Championship to align with the Six Nations. In doing so, this would free up a lot of South African players and give them a bit of a break during the year. While this is a radical suggestion, it’s one not without merit, especially given the arrival of other tournaments and the expansion of rugby as a whole to include smaller teams in a bid to make the sport more inclusive.
For South Africa, a lot is going on with all the changes in the rugby world. Of course, they’re all positive for the most part, as it means that there will be more games available. However, the new schedule will be challenging for players as new competitors will change from those that the Springboks are used to. Logistical travel challenges will also become increasingly apparent. As with all things, though, if thought through carefully, this new tournament could be a major boost for international rugby.
