SA tackle 3N touring drawbacks
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:44
The All blacks could spend an additional week in South Africa (SA) during the Tri-Nations competition next year, if South African administrators manage to gain from a new proposal.
South Africans have been complaining for over a decade that the Springboks are at a disadvantage in the Tri-Nations series when they travel to Australasia - calling for plans to even out the disadvantages.
"We have proposed to SANZAR [South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Unions] that a bye be included when New Zealand tour South Africa next year," said Andy Marinos, manager of national teams in the Beeld.
As it stands, the Springboks are on tour for three weeks when they play in Australasia. The All Black and Wallaby teams by contrast spend only two weeks in South Africa for their two matches, during an extended Tri-Nations series.
If the SA proposal is accepted, the New Zealanders will also experience a three-week tour.
"We [the Springboks] will then play the All Blacks twice and the Wallabies once just after the tour by the British and Irish Lions," Marinos explained.
SA teams have complained since the start of the SANZAR tournament that the travel commitments favour the Australasian teams, and Springbok coach Peter de Villiers feels it is time to level the playing fields.
"It [travelling] will always favour them," De Villiers said on.
"When they come here, the time difference favours them. They gain a day but we lose a day when we fly there.
"Then you also have to play, for financial reasons, on consecutive Saturdays," he added.
This year SA played on three successive Saturdays when they went to Australasia. There had however been talks about a bye during the tour, although the idea was not approved.
"SANZAR consists of three countries and the profits and losses should be shared," Marinos said.
"From a business point of view it was too expensive to include a bye.
"During the first extended Tri-Nations series in 2006 the Springboks spent an additional week in Sydney. But it means the tour is then extended to five weeks.
"Some players who are involved in the Super 14 competition already have a tour of five or six weeks behind them [when the Tri-Nations starts].
"It makes it more difficult; it's six of the one and half a dozen of the other," Marinos added.
