Jean de Villiers believes that leaving the Rugby Championship would be a “mistake” as he and Schalk Burger discussed the Springboks’ chances of joining the Six Nations.
That is irrespective of what happens to the Rugby Championship, with SA Rugby pushing for the southern hemisphere tournament to be moved to earlier in the year.
South Africa are currently in the unique position of being aligned with both the north and south. Their four main franchises feature in the URC, while the Springboks are still part of the Rugby Championship.
That effectively means some of their top players are in action for 12 months a year, which obviously calls into question player welfare.
As things stand, South Africa are committed to the Rugby Championship but would like it to be moved to run alongside the Six Nations in February and March.
Proposal being discussed
That is currently being discussed at the World Rugby Shape of the Game conference in London, but New Zealand appear reluctant to change, with a switch likely impacting Super Rugby and their domestic NPC competition.
“I just don’t think in the schedule it can work now. If there’s no global season, I don’t think we can hop anywhere different,” Burger said on the Boks Unpacked podcast.
“We’ve got the Rugby Championship and now the Nations Championship where we play England, Scotland, Wales [in July].
“I don’t know if we can join the Six Nations, I don’t think currently it is viable. It would make for one hell of a competition, but then what happens to the Rugby Championship?”
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While Burger might see it differently, from a purely logistical perspective, it would arguably make more sense for the Boks to switch to the Six Nations, but that could then upset what is an established and successful competition.
Perhaps they could participate both – something which De Villiers noted – but ultimately the former Springboks centre reckons it would be a “mistake” to depart the Rugby Championship.
“I thought you said it can’t work if we played the Rugby Championship during this time of the year. I think that brings us closer to a global season,” De Villiers said.
“We’re already playing in the northern hemisphere from a club point of view. Now if you bring the Rugby Championship during this period as well, it will influence Super Rugby – Australia and New Zealand will have to adapt – but I think it brings you closer and there is a dedicated time for the players to be able to rest.
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“In terms of the Six Nations and whether South Africa can join, we won’t be able to do Six Nations, URC, Investec Champions Cup and then the Rugby Championship.
“If we left the Rugby Championship, I think that would be a mistake. At this stage, we’re still playing in both hemispheres and that’s beneficial for us.”
Outstanding 2026 Six Nations
De Villiers also praised the quality of this year’s Six Nations and doesn’t believe the European teams would even consider asking South Africa to join.
“I just want to state that it’s been a fantastic Six Nations. It’s been competitive, Wales at the weekend even – they will bloody kick themselves for losing that game – and it’s a competition that is working,” he added.
“Not putting a South African cap on but putting a Six Nations cap on, I wouldn’t include any teams with the quality that they have currently.”