Rugby Championship shedule confirmed.

Rugby Championship fixtures:

Saturday 18 August:

Australia v New Zealand - ANZ Stadium Sydney - 20:05 (10:05 GMT)

South Africa v Argentina - Newlands Stadium, Cape Town - 17:00 (15.00 GMT)

Saturday 25 August:

New Zealand v Australia - Eden Park - Auckland - 19:35 (7:35 GMT)

Argentina v South Africa Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza - 16:10 (19:10 GMT)

Saturday 1 September: Bye

Saturday 8 September:

Australia v South Africa - Patersons Stadium, Perth - 18:35 (10:35 GMT)

New Zealand v Argentina - Westpac Stadium, Wellington - 19:35 (7:35 GMT)

Saturday 15 September:

Australia v Argentina - Skilled Park Gold Coast - 20:05 (10:05 GMT)

New Zealand v South Africa - Forsyth Barr Stadium Dunedin - 19:35 (7:35 GMT)

Saturday 22 September: Bye

Saturday 29 September:

South Africa v Australia - Loftus Versfeld Pretoria - 17:00 (15:00 GMT)

Argentina v New Zealand - Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata - 20:10 (23:10 GMT)

Saturday 6 October:

South Africa v New Zealand - FNB Stadium Soweto - 17:00 (15:00 GMT)

Argentina v Australia - Estadio Gigante de arroyito, Rosario - 20:10 (23:10 GMT)

Another good example of the powers that be making the tournament longer instead of shorter.

Is it really necesery to play every team twice, Home and away. Could they not shirten the tournament by making it a one year here next year there type thing. Giving all teams a most fair travel schedule? an 8 week tournament between 4 teams could have been a four week tournament. Just an idea. Alas to late now deals have been signed.

This format is the best. The idea of the expanded TNs of three tests against each opponent was too much and too unfair. One home and one away. The real problem is the Super XV which is just too big. The perfect umber of participants in Super rugby is 10, and the biased conference system is just idiotic in the extreme. Have a Super 10 top tier and a second tier of 10 accomodating the Argentinians and the Pacific Islanders. Bottom two are relegated and thus proceed the election of sides, and no playoff nonsense just a straight up league format. This will leave the test sides more time to work with their players and the players more time to recover. It's not shoving so much rugby down your throat that you feel bored of the sport.

 yes you are right, It's infinitely better than playing every nation 3 times and more fair. About my notion of playing everyone only once, well it's not as fair as playing everyone twice but a hel of a lot shorter.:) 

And yes you are quite correct that the blame for the lentgh of the season should not be on the Championship but rather lieat the feet of Superrugby. 

Your Idea of a Tiered Super Rugby competition is one that i have not thought of this could be a very interesting prospect with full Elimination playoffs at the end of the season. With the inclusion of Argentinia and the Islands. It could actually work.

20 Teams

2 Tiers

10 teams each.

Straight log system. Everybody play each other once. 

End of season you have Play offs and eliminations at the same time.

Therefore same weekend as the Semi final (no Quarters) you have your 2 elimination games bottom 2 v top 2. always at the higher ranked side's venue.

And then finals.

That is 12 weeks. much better.