Staff Reporter.
South African teams will play foreign rugby opposition this year, and it could be in front of fans as well.
This comes after a massive announcement by the United Rugby Championship that rounds 6 and 7 of the competition – which were to be moved to Italy – have now been returned to their original venues in South Africa after the UK removed SA from the travel red list.
The biggest concern was the Welsh teams having to play European Champions Cup games the next week and a 10-day quarantine, as the red list required, would have been impossible.
But now, after the South African government allowed vaccinated fans back in stadiums, and following this announcement, local rugby fans can look forward to some action back in the stadiums before the end of the season.
“The United Rugby Championship is thrilled to confirm that all home games scheduled for the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls in Rounds 6 & 7 will take place in South Africa,” a press release said.
“Contingency plans to play these games in European locations were at advanced stages due to South Africa’s presence on the UK travel red list which would have required teams to quarantine for 10 days after their two-game tours.
“However, since South Africa’s removal from the red list last week, lightning-fast actions have taken place to ensure that all four teams are ready to host their opponents from the northern hemisphere on home soil. This ensures that each team will have the integrity of playing all of their nine home games in South Africa.”
Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship, said: “This is a brilliant result, not only for the South African teams but for the league which now gets to make a tangible impression in this rugby heartland early in the season. Huge credit must go to the South African government, SA Rugby and the leadership figures within our clubs for managing to push through and provide reassurances for these fixtures to be played at their home venues in such a short space of time.
“Up until late last week, it look like a very tall order for this to occur, but now everyone in the league has been bolstered by this news and we will harness that enthusiasm to get ready for some real blockbuster fixtures in Rounds 6 & 7.”
Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “Along with our four franchises, we are thrilled with the news. Planning to play our teams’ ‘home games’ in Europe was a necessary step in light of the chaos caused by the pandemic, but we are really grateful that we’ve progressed to a stage where we can now welcome our friends from the northern hemisphere back to South Africa.
Combined with the news earlier in the week that limited spectators will be allowed into stadiums, we can now start planning for matches in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town with fans in attendance. It’s a big step in the right direction.”
Confirmed fixtures for South African teams in R6 & R7 (All times CAT, SA, GMT+2).
R6 – Saturday, 27 November
DHL Stormers v Zebre | 3pm | At DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Cell C Sharks v Scarlets | 5:30pm | At Jonsson Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Vodacom Bulls v Munster | 7:45pm | At Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Sunday, 28 November
Emirates Lions v Cardiff | 4pm SA | At Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
R7 – Friday, 3 December
Vodacom Bulls v Scarlets | 7:35pm SA | At Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday, 4 December
Cell C Sharks v Zebre | 3pm SA |At Jonsson Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Emirates Lions v Munster | 5:30pm | At Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
DHL Stormers v Cardiff | 7:45pm | At DHL Stadium, Cape Town.