The current PRO14 campaign will end in March after 16 rounds, when the top teams in Conference A and B will play-off in a final to find the champions. Then the current 12 teams in the tournament will join forces with the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers to create a 16-team ‘Rainbow Cup’ competition ahead of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour.
Qualification for the Heineken Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup in 2021/22 will be decided by rankings after Round 16. The final five rounds will take place on:
R12: February 20
R13: February 27
R14: March 6
R15: March 13
R16: March 20
Final: March 27
Once Round 16 has been completed, the top-ranked teams from each conference will qualify for the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup. Requirement for play-offs is under review.
The new ‘Rainbow Cup’ will kick-off on 17 April, 2021. There will be two pools of eight teams and the competition will conclude with a final on 19 June at a venue to be determined by PRO14.
The two pools will comprise two Irish, two South African, two Welsh, one Italian and one Scottish club. Each team will play one game against each pool opponent.
Martin Anayi, CEO, PRO14 Rugby: “At a time where our sport has faced its greatest challenge, we have promising news about an innovative solution to partner with South African rugby ahead of the British & Irish Lions tour.
“It was vital that we worked with all parties to ensure our 12 teams had a clear road towards European qualification. With a Lions tour in South Africa to come it is hard to think of anything better to whet the appetite than the best players from the Celtic regions competing against World Cup-winning Springboks in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup.”
Jurie Roux, CEO, SA Rugby: “The inclusion of South Africa’s ‘Super’ Teams in the Rainbow Cup is a once-in-a-generation, watershed moment for South African rugby. After so much turmoil and uncertainty in 2020, the prospect of a return to top-flight international domestic competition is one to which we all can all look forward with real excitement.”
The 57 matches in the new tournament will be broadcast on Premier Sports, eir Sport, S4C, TG4, DAZN and Super Sport.
