The Rugby Championship will still feature the hard-hitting playstyle of South Africa for at least four more seasons with the Springboks committed to the SANZAAR competition until 2025.
SANZAAR confirmed Wednesday the competition will remain unchanged for the upcoming season after Covid-19 forced the Springboks to miss the 2020 competition and all four sides to camp in Australia in a tournament bubble for last year's championship.
“The pandemic has created a very unusual sporting environment over the last two years with match and commercial delivery severely affected," Rodriguez said.
“This has seen the member unions work very hard to keep rugby alive and present during Covid and at times this has not been easy."
As part of the announcement, it was confirmed South Africa, along with New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, committed to the current set-up through to the end of the current broadcasting cycle in 2025.
Rumours had been circulating that the world champions were looking to make a move north to join the Six Nations after their Super Rugby sides were forced to do something similar in the wake of the newly-recreated Super Rugby Pacific.
However Rodriguez said the Rugby Championship will go ahead with unions hopeful of playing Tests in all four countries in 2022.
”Indeed, there has been much speculation about the future but it is now great that all members have committed through until the end of 2025 as a minimum," he said.
“This means we can concentrate on ensuring The Rugby Championship remains as one of the best rugby tournaments on the world calendar.“
A full match schedule for the 2022 season will be announced in due course.
SHARE ME