S. Africa gets new tournament, Test overhaul

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) –

South Africa’s fly-half Pat Lambie prepares the ball before kicking a penalty during a match against England at Twickenham Stadium, London, in November 2012. South Africa tackle their Pool B opponents of the 2015 Rugby World Cup in a new local tournament next year, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) said Thursday.

South Africa tackle their Pool B opponents of the 2015 Rugby World Cup in a new local tournament next year, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) said Thursday.

Teams will compete on a log basis over two rounds to qualify for the finals in the competition that will start with new venue Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium on June 8, the union announced in a statement.

Scotland, Samoa and Italy will take part.

Saru will manage local events centrally from now on, in an overhaul of the system where the hosting province shared the responsibility and spoils.

“Saru was the only major union in world rugby that didn’t properly own its own Test matches,” said Saru chief executive Jurie Roux.

Revenues will be divided equally between all the provinces under the new system.

“This is a major change in how rugby is run and will present challenges,” added Roux.

“But the major effect is that it has placed Springbok Tests in the ownership of the mother body, for the benefit of all rugby’s stakeholders.”