South Africa 's chances of joining a remodelled Six Nations Championship have taken a hit after one of the tournament's organisers warned caution over changing the competition.
The Springboks have competed against New Zealand and Australia since 1996 in what was formerly the Tri Nations, renamed the Rugby Championship in 2012 after Argentina joined to form a four-team contest.
However, their proximity to Europe and the introduction of South African teams to the United Rugby Championship (formerly the Pro14) has led to speculation of swapping allegiances.
But Six Nations chief executive officer Ben Morel appeared reluctant to change the current set-up, instead nodding to the possibility of a new global competition that could kick off after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Rumours of a new Nations Championship have been revived, with organisers eager to provide Tier 2 and 3 countries with a more recognisable pathway to develop and compete alongside their rugby superiors.
“Our current focus is the July and November windows and how we can improve them,” said former NBA managing director Morel.
“We believe it could be a great platform for all countries to create global growth for the game.
“It’s not a question of what I’d like. South Africa is committed to the Rugby Championship. The Six Nations have added and reduced its teams very few times in its 140 years, so it’s something we’d be very cautious about doing.”
Morel added Six Nations organisers are "pretty happy with what we have" but suggested changes could be made for a new Nations Championship, including a definitive final between northern and southern-hemisphere teams.
The likes of Georgia, Russia and Portugal have also been touted as potential Six Nations newcomers in the event the tournament were to adopt a promotion-and-relegation format.
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South Africa are the reigning world champions who defeated the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a series earlier this year, going on to finish third in the Rugby Championship.
They did, however, manage to beat world No 1 New Zealand 31-29 in their last outing of the tournament, serving as a reminder of their strength against the sport's top teams.
Rugby's ruling powers find themselves under mounting pressure to broker deals that benefit both big and small teams as private equity firm CVC has bought up shares in the Six Nations, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship.
“We want to make sure that whatever the solution is it’s going to be the right one that aligns the calendar globally,” Morel added.
“The Six Nations are spending a lot of time with the Sanzaar unions [South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina], World Rugby and the players’ association to discuss all these things. Conversations are live but things are still fluid. We are working hand in hand to find a solution, not only for the top nations in the world but also for the emerging nations which is pretty important.
“Everybody has a role to play in developing that concept. We need to make sure all the unions can benefit in terms of hosting matches, and that also needs to be compatible with player welfare. They are complex discussions but where there’s a will there’s a way.”
Wales are the defending Six Nations champions after just missing out on a Grand Slam earlier this year, losing to France in their final game.
The European tournament has done a good job in maintaining a high level of competition, with no team having won the title more than twice in a row since it was increased to six teams in 2000.
South Africa won the Tri Nations on three occasions but have only clinched the Rugby Championship once, when it was reduced to a shorter format in the run-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
