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Cape Town - Newlands is reportedly in line to host the Springboks’ Test against the All Blacks in this year’s Rugby Championship, but is in a race against time to provide sufficient safety assurances.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander told the Rapport newspaper that the Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU) has to submit a stadium security certificate by June in order to secure the Test.
“I do not think there will be a problem, but if there is, we'll have to move the Test elsewhere,” Alexander said.
“It's legislation in the country. If you do not have it (the certificate), we cannot stage a Test there. They have a deadline - the Test is in October, and they have to meet that deadline.”
All three of South Africa's home venues for this year's Rugby Championship are yet to be confirmed, while Australia and New Zealand confirmed their host venues months ago.
The Springboks are scheduled to host Argentina on August 19, Australia on September 30 and New Zealand on October 7.
The Boks have not played the All Blacks at Newlands since 2008, when they lost 19-0.
The All Blacks and New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams receive support from some local Capetonians, which is believed to have influenced SA Rugby's decision to take Tests against the All Blacks away from Newlands.
The report in the Afrikaans weekly further stated that an alternative could be to move the Test to the Cape Town Stadium.
