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The Springboks will begin their defence of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship with an away match against Argentina – in Brisbane – before a ‘home’ game against the Wallabies in Sydney, it was announced overnight as SANZAAR unveiled the competition fixtures.

South Africa’s participation in the event still has to be confirmed but SANZAAR has revealed the intended playing schedule for the 12-match, six-week tournament, which will take place in Australia (in Brisbane, Newcastle and Sydney) between November 7 and December 12.

The Boks are scheduled to play back-to-back matches against New Zealand – with an away game in Sydney before ‘hosting’ the same opponents in Newcastle – before the tournament returns to Sydney for the final two rounds.

South Africa’s participation remains conditional on the relaxation of the government’s current ban on international sporting participation and the outcome of assessments of high performance and player welfare issues.

SANZAAR explained the incoming teams (Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa) would be required to observe all health regulations around their squads as imposed by the New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland governments.

The teams will be kept separate by operating within a ‘bubble’ during this period with all teams operating in clean environments controlled by NSW police. The wellness of the squads will be continually monitored in line with NSW Heath requirements.

SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said: “It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point, but we are delighted that we can now confirm the match dates and venues for The Rugby Championship 2020. The Rugby Championship is one of the game’s showpiece events and includes some of the best rugby talent in the world.

“The six double-header 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,” added Marinos.

Kick-off times for the double-header matches will be announced in due course.

The Castle Lager 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

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby Union.

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