SARU announce four team tournament

Hagz

South Africa will host Scotland, Italy and Samoa in a four-team tournament in June 2013.

The Springboks will face their Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool B opponents, Scotland and Samoa, as well as Italy, in an innovative new tournament featuring double-header Test matches in 2013, the South African Rugby Union announced on Thursday.

Fans will be able to watch two Test matches for the price of one after a ground-breaking decision of the Executive Council (Exco) overhauled the way that Test matches are run in South Africa.

The tournament - which will be played on a log basis over two rounds to determine finalists - will open at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on June 8.

Fixtures:

2013 Incoming Tour:

Saturday, June 8 (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit): Scotland v Samoa; Springboks v Italy
Saturday, June 15 (Mr Price Kings Park, Durban): Samoa v Italy; Springboks v Scotland
Saturday, June 22 (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria): Team 3 v Team 4 ; Team 1 v Team 2

Pretty cool idea.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Intersting idea and it will help draw the crowds since there isn't a full tour coming to SA by one of the big teams this year

Also note that the Boks are dodging Samoa in this tournament unless they reach the finals

its_phil

Hagz wrote: »

Pretty cool idea.

Delighted for Samoa, gives them more shots at the big boys

Swiwi

It's great for Samoa. Puts NZ to shame a bit, I must say.

CatFromHue

I wonder what's going to happen with the Pacific Nations Cup as that tends to run during June.

CIARAN_BOYLE

CatFromHue wrote: »

I wonder what's going to happen with the Pacific Nations Cup as that tends to run during June.

It was in July in 2011.

I think it can be pushed around a bit depending on what suits the countries other comittments

thomond2006

Great to see Samoa rewarded for recent success.

Zuffer

Good for all concerned. On the face of it, it looks like South Africa are the ones taking a step down, but with the Lions going to Australia and France on a 3 test tour of BNZ, South Africa didn't have many other options.

Of the Lions nations, Scotland are likely to be the least affected, and should have a close to full strength squad. Samoa get some well deserved recognition, and a chance to build on their autumn success. Italy get a shot at South Africa. For all teams, they'll be most likely be playing for the right to a test match v South Africa - can't say much fairer than that.

Stevecw

Love this idea, good for all involved.

tolosenc

It'd be good to have a few of them. Great for incorporating the islanders, and the likes of Canada and Japan.

Ireland, France, Tonga and Argentina would be great to see.

England, Wales, Canada and Oz could be good too (maybe a rule that only under-25s can play v Canada?)

NZ, Georgia, Japan, Fiji <- lopsided...

Mal-Adjusted

Swiwi wrote: »

Puts NZ to shame a bit, I must say.

did something happen that i'm not aware of?

Swiwi

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

did something happen that i'm not aware of?

Can u remember the last time NZ played Samoa?

[Jackass]

Great news. Would love to see more and more inclusive tournaments being arranged in the off season.

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for) but the Pacific Island teams in particular are a completely ignored resource to the world rugby community.

It's shameful to see a country with such rich traditions as Fiji to be in the state that they are. Argentina came from way behind these nations to be able to finally be included in the Tri-Nations ("rugby championship"), wouldn't it be great if they could make it a 7 nations tournament and include the pacific island countries and develop a Heineken Cup style tournament for provincial level to help improve the standards for those sides?

We can only dream.

Perhaps with Georgias dominance of second tier European rugby, they might be considered for a 6 nations inclusion also...

irishbucsfan

[Jackass] wrote: »

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for)

Where does rubbish like this actually come from these days? I though the journalists had cut it out when they copped on and realised how wrong it is?

thomond2006

Fiji are being treated the way they are because of the regime in power, any money given to Fiji rugby might be in danger of 'disappearing'.

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for) but the Pacific Island teams in particular are a completely ignored resource to the world rugby community.

The pacific islanders have far more players born in NZ playing for their sides than the other way round.

errlloyd

Let's not descend into a player poaching thread.

Great for Samoa, I like the kinda historic levels in that. South Africa are strong, Scotland are historically quite strong, Italy and Samoa are developing. Every team has games that will be considered a huge coup for them (except South Africa who are just being genuinely sound).

Would it be cool if this was created as an alternative to summer tours? Like maybe at the same time new zealand host Ireland, Wales, Tonga. Australia host England, Fiji, Romania and Argentina host France, USA and Canada.

Or something?

Klunk_NZ

Swiwi wrote: »

It's great for Samoa. Puts NZ to shame a bit, I must say.

We'll be playing France. We don't have the financial luxury of thumping the minnows in our home test window.

Klunk_NZ

[Jackass] wrote: »

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for) but the Pacific Island teams in particular are a completely ignored resource to the world rugby community.

.

Fixed

GerM

[Jackass] wrote: »

Great news. Would love to see more and more inclusive tournaments being arranged in the off season.

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for) but the Pacific Island teams in particular are a completely ignored resource to the world rugby community.

It's shameful to see a country with such rich traditions as Fiji to be in the state that they are. Argentina came from way behind these nations to be able to finally be included in the Tri-Nations ("rugby championship"), wouldn't it be great if they could make it a 7 nations tournament and include the pacific island countries and develop a Heineken Cup style tournament for provincial level to help improve the standards for those sides?

We can only dream.

Perhaps with Georgias dominance of second tier European rugby, they might be considered for a 6 nations inclusion also...

One post, so much wrong.

Complete fallacy about NZ poaching players from the Pacific Islands.

The reason Fiji are treated badly is because they're currently being controlled by a military dictatorship which has been condemned internationally. Sporting ties have been severed with Fiji by order of the NZ government.

Lastly, Georgia are nowhere near worthy of a 6N spot. Ever since 2007, people assume they're a strong outfit who dominate the second tier when it's not the case at all. Yes, they generally dominate the Nations Cup but that's filled with 3rd tier sides where rugby is very much a minority sport. Look at their results against other second tier sides and it's clear they're not actually that strong. They've lost to Japan and Fiji at home this autumn and were comfortably beaten by Canada and USA in the summer. Even Spain beat them in the Nations Cup this season. If they were permitted entry to the 6N any time soon, it would be a blood bath.

JustinDee

[Jackass] wrote: »

NZ in particular seem to try and keep rugby as much of a closed shop as possible (probably because they would lose 66% of their squad if they had a home nation competing at a high enough level to play for) but the Pacific Island teams in particular are a completely ignored resource to the world rugby community

Weekend before last, 9 out of 15 starters for Tonga were Kiwis. 13 out of 23 in the Samoan starters are Kiwis. Samoan Sevens side which beat New Zealand at the weekend is mainly made up of New Zealanders.

As someone else briefly mentioned, Fiji's main problem is not "poaching" but the state of the country itself since the mid-1970s. Currently under yet another interim government linked with the military echelons, once again, they have booted out UN observers not long ago.

This set of games in Sth Africa is also great stuff for Italy as it happens. Good experience for all involved. One tough feckin' place to tour.

justsomebloke

This isn't a player poaching thread. If you want to discuss that create a different thread

desertcircus

This is nothing but good news. And Samoa could really put the hurt on Scotland and Italy...