SANZAAR member unions have agreed that The Rugby Championship will continue to be played after the end of the current contract, said Argentine Rugby President Gabriel Travaglini.
Speaking ahead of meetings in Australia with representatives from the four member unions – South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina – the former international forward told RugbyPass that whilst there will be no Rugby Championship in 2026 it will be normal business the following three years.
After Los Pumas’ first home win against the All Blacks last weekend, there was uncertainty about when both teams will meet again.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus explains how he hopes to get an edge over the All Blacks
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus explains how he hopes to get an edge over the All Blacks
Travaglini, who won 23 caps for his country between 1978 and 1987, playing his last game in Wellington against the All Blacks in the inaugural Rugby World Cup, is confident that the old rivalry will be renewed as soon as 2027.
“As things stand,” he told RugbyPass, “we won’t playing against them next year as they’ve agreed the tour to South Africa, but we will have full Rugby Championships in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
“SANZAAR goes in five-year cycles and it is expected that 2030, will be similar to 2026.”
In saying this, he confirmed that Los Pumas will host the Wallabies twice and South Africa will also travel to South America to play a single test next year; it is yet undecided if it will be before or after the series against the All Blacks.
This year, Argentina will close The Rugby Champonship with a ‘home’ game against the Springboks at Twickenham.
Also, in 2026 World Rugby will launch the inaugural Nations Cup, to be competed in its top tier by teams in the Six Nations, The Rugby Championship plus Japan and Fiji. A second tier will include every other team qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
With doubts around what shape the immediate next Rugby Championship would take shape in 2027, when Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup, Travaglini confirmed: “Given that Rugby World Cup will be moved to October and November, we will have the time to play a complete six-round tournament.”
With huge financial challenges facing the global game, and reported tensions between South Africa and New Zealand as the pursuit financial opportunities outside of the alliance, Travaglini believes SANZAAR is healthy and the future is very positive.
“These meetings are going to set-up the next cycle,” he confirmed.
With four competitive teams, each winning one game in the two opening rounds, the timing seems right to close television deals.
Travaglini is not a SANZAAR Board member, the UAR represented by the iconic Agustín Pichot and CEO Soledad Iglesias, which will attend the meetings in Sydney, where, if all goes well, the new contracts for The Rugby Championship will be formalized.