Rassie Erasmus wants Rugby Championship played in February

Last week's calendar announcement from SANZAAR (representing South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina) allowed for space of two new tournaments. First, it includes a space for the highly anticipated Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour, where the All Blacks tour South Africa for an eight-match traditional tour.

The calendar also allocates the proposed Nations Championship for 2026, 2028 and 2030. The tournament sees the world's top 12 teams clash in two rounds of fixtures in July and November.

The Rugby Championship keeps its place, but not in the years of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour (2026, 2030). But with the crowding of the back end of the year, Erasmus wants the premier southern hemisphere event to be held at the same time as the Six Nations.

"We can play the Rugby Championship in February [and March] when the Six Nations are underway," the World Cup-winning coach told the press.

“It will be so much easier to know other teams. We could all be aligned.

"It won't be like some countries are flat [exhausted] in June and July, then peaking in November when we [SANZAAR countries] are flat in November.

"Law variations will be easier to implement across the board, because all the competitions will start at the same time."

"In my honest opinion, I can't see a reason why New Zealand, Argentina, Australia and South Africa play our competition at the same time as the Six Nations."