South Africa's Rugby chief Jurie Roux says there are "a few options on the table" amid speculation that the Springboks and their clubs could switch to northern-hemisphere competitions.
New Zealand Rugby has unveiled plans for the Super Rugby 2021 season not to include Argentina's Jaguares and the South African sides, due to concerns over COVID-19.
Such a move could fracture the current arrangement between SANZAAR sides with reports that four South African teams could be part of an expanded PRO16 as well as the Champions and Challenge Cups.
While Roux insists any changes to Super Rugby's structures would require SANZAAR approval at executive level, he says they're a "long way down the road" at looking at alternative options:
"If anyone thinks rugby, and particularly international and domestic rugby, will return to any format that’s close to the format that existed at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, you’d be making a big mistake and so would we," he told a video media conference.
"The market has corrected itself, and that was due anyway. In terms of pay TV and structures around broadcasting, and the way we consume rugby, a change was due, and we will undergo that change now due to Covid."
"Ultimately, we can’t project what rugby will look like in years to come, and to do that would be very bold and brave, because the only thing you can be sure of is that there will be change…we’re in flux.
"I wouldn’t be doing my job not to look at plan B or plan C," he said. "I’ve been doing that for a long time and there are a few options on the table," Roux added.
"We can’t touch on that just yet, but it is a long way down the road in terms of having different options that will probably suit us better, and which will help us build towards the direction we think we probably need to head towards over the next few years.
"So, we are making plans, but there’s nothing to announce right now, and we have to weigh up options in the Sanzaar environment.
Everyone’s in the Team Of Us.
Vodafone. The Official Sponsor of the Irish Rugby Team.
