JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Mar 9 – SANZAAR has confirmed the schedule for the upcoming 2023 Rugby Championship, adding an additional round of fixtures.
As is customary in a Rugby World Cup year, the usual 12-match tournament is reduced to a one-round, home or away, six-match tournament in July. Two additional matches including a second Bledisloe Cup match and a second South Africa versus Argentina have also been scheduled in early August following The Rugby Championship and prior to the Rugby World Cup in France that kicks off in early September.
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup also taking place in Australia and New Zealand in July-August the availability of venues has been a challenging one. Reflecting this, the New Zealand versus South Africa match will be played at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland. Australia will play its two home matches at CommBank Stadium in Sydney and the MCG in Melbourne.
South Africa’s home TRC matches will take place in Johannesburg and Pretoria while Argentina will host its home match in Mendoza.
“Despite the tournament being shortened due to the World Cup, it will undoubtedly be contested fiercely by the All Blacks, Los Pumas, Springboks and Wallabies,” said SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris.
“The prestigious title of TRC Champions means a lot to all of the teams and will allow rugby fans across Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa an exciting look at the teams prior to them heading off to the Rugby World Cup.
“The SANZAAR teams have a proud record at the World Cup and the Rugby Championship plays a big part in that year-in-year-out, being one of the pre-eminent rugby tournaments on the international rugby calendar that includes many of the best players in the world.”
The Rugby Championship 2023
ROUND 1 – Saturday 8 July
South Africa v Australia, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, 17:05
Argentina v New Zealand, Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, 16:10
ROUND 2 – Saturday 15 July
New Zealand v South Africa, Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, 19:05
Australia v Argentina, Comm Bank Stadium, Sydney, 19:45
ROUND 3 – Saturday 29 July
Australia v New Zealand, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, 19:45 (Bledisloe Cup 1)
South Africa v Argentina, Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg, 17:05
Additional Fixtures – Saturday 5 August
New Zealand v Australia, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, 14:35 (Bledisloe Cup 2)
Argentina v South Africa, Estadion Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires, 19:10
*All times and dates are local
