Plans are at an advanced stage for Gqeberha to host an all-action extravaganza of top-level junior international rugby in 2025, EP Rugby president George Malgas says.
If talks reach fruition, a star-studded U20 Rugby Championship featuring SA, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina will be held in Gqeberha over three weeks.
New Zealand won the inaugural Rugby Championship U20 Tournament on the Gold Coast in 2024, defeating Australia 36-25 in the final.
At this stage, however, it remains unclear whether the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will host a senior Test match in 2025.
“Part of my focus is to ensure we will have a rugby Test in Gqeberha,” Malgas said.
“I’ve looked at the calendar provided by SA Rugby. We are hosting Italy, Australia, Georgia and Argentina in 2025.
“One of the calls we will have to make, and this will need a little bit of broader consultation, is do we hold back and say ‘let Italy go somewhere else’.
“Not that I am disrespecting Italy.
“But we obviously want a first-tier Test that is going to really pique the interest of our people.
“If need be, let’s put our mind to it and say ‘let Italy go and play in Bloemfontein or wherever’ on condition that we can get a New Zealand Test here or possibly Australia can come this way.
“So we can have a Test that is competitive that is taking us to the next level.
“I have had a couple of engagements with SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer and president Mark Alexander and we may have to wait until 2026 to have the All Blacks here, but what we do we do in 2025.
“There have been engagements with Rian to try our utmost best to bring the U20 Championship to Gqeberha.
“This tournament involves SA, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.
“It is about a two-week or three-week tournament which is the equivalent to the Rugby Championship in which the senior teams play, except for in this one they all play at one venue.
“In 2024, it was at the Gold Coast in Australia, so it is international rugby but at the U20 level.
“My immediate goal is to make that a reality in Gqeberha for the U20s to play here and that will be a nice festival of rugby for about three weeks with a final and knockout games.
“I think this will whet our appetite for what is going to come in 2026.”
The Boks will welcome Italy, Georgia, Australia and Argentina to SA at senior level in 2025.
While the dates were locked in for the Tests in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, as well as the home leg of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, SA Rugby will only confirm venues and kickoff times later.
Italy will visit SA for the first time since 2013 when they face the Boks on July 5 and 12.
Dating back to their first visit in 1999, the Azzurri have only played seven Tests in SA before.
A week later, the Boks will take on Georgia on home soil for the second time, in line with World Rugby’s plans to expose emerging nations to top-tier opposition.
The Lelos played one Test against SA in Pretoria in 2021, as a prelude to the Covid-19-affected tour of the British & Irish Lions.
The Boks will start the defence of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship crown against the Wallabies, who host the British & Irish Lions in July, on consecutive weekends on August 16 and 23.
Away Tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand follow on September 6 and 13 before the Boks wrap up the Rugby Championship home (September 27) and away (October 4) against Argentina.
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kickoff times to be confirmed): July 5: SA v Italy, July 12: SA v Italy, July 19: SA v Georgia, August 16: SA v Australia, August 23: SA v Australia, September 27: SA v Argentina.
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