World champs South Africa withdraw from Rugby Championship
SHOWS:
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE - NOVEMBER 5, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SPRINGBOKS RUGBY TEAM AFTER THEY WON 2019 RUGBY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
2. 2019 SOUTH AFRICA RUGBY TEAM CAPTAIN SIYA KOLISI AT NEWS CONFERENCE
3. WEBB ELLIS CUP
4. SPRINGBOKS COACH RASSIE ERASMUS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
5. KOLISI AND THE WEBB ELLIS CUP
INTERNET (OCTOBER 16, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)
6. STILL IMAGE FROM SUPER RUGBY/TRC'S TWITTER PAGE ON SOUTH AFRICA WITHDRAWAL AND PLANS TRI-NATIONS CUP, SAYING:
"LATEST NEWS. SANZAAR (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina Rugby) launches Tri-Nations tournament following South Africa withdrawal from TRC due to ongoing effects of pandemic... @AllBlacks versus @unionargentina versus @wallabies"
STORY: World champions South Africa will not take part in the Rugby Championship, governing body SANZAAR said on Friday (October 16), leaving the southern hemisphere championship greatly diminished 16 days before its scheduled start.
The annual test tournament also featuring New Zealand, Australia and Argentina was already delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and is being staged in one country for the first time.
"Naturally, it is extremely disappointing that the Springboks, due to the continued complexities of operating in and around this COVID environment, cannot fully compete in the previously planned six-round Rugby Championship," SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said in a statement.
The championship will now consist of six tests in Australia, starting with the third Bledisloe Cup clash between the hosts and New Zealand in Sydney on Oct. 31.
(Production: David Grip)
