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Inspiring Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will miss the Rugby Championship defense.
All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree says he sympathizes with the Springboks, whose bosses have a Friday deadline to decide whether to participate in the Rugby Championship in Australia.
Following a teleconference with Sanzaar CEOs on Tuesday, member unions – Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa – agreed to provide South Africa Rugby with more time to finalize their internal discussions with stakeholders.
Covid-19 has forced Sanzaar to renew the Rugby Championship, and all games will be played in Australia. There is concern that the Springboks may not be fit for the game, due to a lack of national games and preparation in the Republic.
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All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree is sympathetic to South Africa’s plight.
The Springboks’ scheduled departure from South Africa to Australia is now being delayed pending the decision. Over the weekend, the South African union had said it would make the decision earlier this week.
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The four-nation tournament is scheduled to run between October 31 and December 12.
Sanzaar said in a statement that he will provide an update on the resolution of these discussions and a timeline for the Springboks’ participation in the Rugby Championship when it becomes available in the coming days.
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John Plumtree said the players were “pretty honest” about their individual performances against the Wallabies.
The Bledisloe Cup matches between Australia and New Zealand on October 31 and November 7 in Sydney and Brisbane, respectively, are not affected and will go ahead as scheduled.
Plumtree, who has played and trained in the republic, admitted that he was sympathetic to the plight of South Africa.
“The disappointing thing was that they couldn’t make their Currie Cup fast enough, and the longer it took, the harder it would always be for them to toughen up and prepare for the match,” he said in Auckland on Wednesday.
“That was one of the factors that contributed to that decision. They just don’t have time.
“They are also world champions, so come here … if they don’t feel ready, they are not going to risk that.”
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A bottle of wine is offered for the winning prime minister in Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup rugby battle.
But Plumtree hoped the Boks would see themselves in this part of the world at some point, even if they couldn’t fully participate in the championship.
“Hopefully we can see them even if they don’t start … They’ll want to play, that’s just when.”
Experienced All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown said he would be disappointed not to have a chance to meet the South Africans if they withdraw from the four-nation competition.
“As Plums said, they are the best in the world, and that got me going. That is what you want to play. That is the tag that this team has had for a long time and that is what we are always fighting for. If we have the chance to play against them this year, we will definitely be ready. “
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Former Springboks coach Jake White feels the current team will be at a disadvantage if they contest the Rugby Championship in Australia.
Several leading identities with ties to the game in South Africa, including former Springboks coach Jake White, have expressed concern that Springboks players may not be able to do justice for themselves or the team during the tournament.
While the New Zealand and Australian unions were able to launch national competitions several months ago, and the All Blacks and Wallabies played the first round of the Bledisloe Cup in Wellington last Sunday, their South African counterparts have only recently been able to win back their professional players. to work.
If South Africa Rugby refuses to send the Springboks to Australia, it will force Sanzaar to create a new game schedule for the All Blacks, Wallabies and Pumas of Argentina.
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Springboks captain Siya Kolisi admits his team is a long way from their World Cup heroics as they watch the Rugby Championship on the back of a nightmare year.
The non-participation of the Springboks will likely hit every game in the pocket, with South Africa Rugby likely to be the hardest hit. There have been reports in Australia that a lack of streaming income could cost South Africans more than $ 10 million.
Sanzaar would have to go back to the negotiating table with broadcasters, who identified a six-week block of double headlines as their preferred format for the tournament.
That wouldn’t be possible without the Springboks. The South African government has already approved the Springbok trip.
The Springboks are scheduled to face Argentina in their first championship game on November 7 in Brisbane.
