Light at the end of the Rainbow
THE first step in ensuring the Rainbow Cup does take place in full was taken yesterday with the confirmation that the opening three rounds will go ahead as scheduled.
The Stormers and Sharks will kick off the tournament at Cape Town Stadium next Friday, while the Bulls take on the Lions at Loftus Versfeld a day later.
The rest of the opening weekend is filled with local derbies in Wales and Ireland, while there are two cross-country matches – Edinburgh against Zebre and Benetton against Glasgow Warriors.
Allowing the South African teams to play the overseas games from rounds four to six is the major bone of contention at the moment.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander told Independent Media this week that while “no one has cancelled the Rainbow Cup”, the decision to allow the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions to operate out of a bio-bubble in Bristol is in the hands of the British government.
Alexander insisted that the final call was ultimately out of rugby’s control, with the respective governments and health authorities having the final say on whether to grant the SA teams special permission to enter the UK – as there is currently a travel ban in place due to Covid-19.
While different locations are being considered for the bio-bubble, the matter is still up in the air, with SA Rugby saying yesterday: “Confirmation of the planned matches for rounds four to six will follow once PRO14 Rugby has received all necessary approvals and permissions from the relevant governments and health authorities for the South African teams to travel.”
But the fact that the first three rounds will take place is hugely encouraging.
There were reports last weekend that the whole tournament would be cancelled due to the UK visa issue, and if that was the case, another Super Rugby Unlockedtype tournament may have had to be organised in SA to prepare the players for the British and Irish Lions tour.
Now, though, with the Rainbow Cup officially confirmed, it means that the broadcast and sponsorship deals can be fulfilled – at least initially – which is crucial for the future of rugby in SA.
Alexander said that cancelling the tournament could have a “crippling effect” on rugby in the near future. There has been talk of cost-cutting measures returning to the local industry if the Rainbow Cup isn’t played, with SA Rugby having already enforced a R1.2billion cut in expenditure last year.
FIXTURES
ROUND 1 (all times SA)
Friday, April 23 – 7pm: Stormers v Sharks (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town), 9.15pm: Edinburgh v Zebre (Murrayfield, Edinburgh), 9.15pm: Ulster v Connacht (Kingspan Stadium, Belfast)
Saturday, April 24 – 2pm: Benetton v Glasgow Warriors (Stadio de Monigo, Treviso), 4pm: Bulls v Lions (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria), 6.15pm: Ospreys v Cardiff Blues (Liberty Stadium, Swansea), 8.35pm: Leinster v Munster (RDS Arena, Dublin)
Sunday, April 25 – 2pm: Dragons v Scarlets (Rodney Parade, Newport)
ROUND 2
Friday, April 30 – 7pm: Sharks v Lions (Jonsson Kings Park, Durban)
Saturday, May 1 – 5pm: Stormers v Bulls (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
Friday, May 7 – 7pm: Zebre v Benetton (Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma),
9.15pm: Munster v Ulster (Thomond Park, Limerick), 9.15pm: Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow)
Saturday, May 8 – 8.35pm: Connacht v Leinster (The Sportsground, Galway), 8.35pm: Scarlets v Ospreys (Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli)
Sunday, May 9 – 2pm: Cardiff Blues v Dragons (Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff)
ROUND 3
Saturday, May 8 – 4pm: Lions v Stormers (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg), 6.15pm: Bulls v Sharks (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Friday, May 14 – 7pm: Munster v Connacht (Thomond Park, Limerick), 9.15pm: Leinster v Ulster (RDS Arena, Dublin)
Saturday, May 15 – 4pm: Scarlets v Cardiff Blues (Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli), 6.15pm: Benetton v Zebre (Stadio de Monigo, Treviso), 8.35pm: Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors (Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Sunday, May 16 – 4pm: Dragons v Ospreys (Rodney Parade, Newport)