The Springboks have officially withdrawn from this year's Rugby Championship in Australia.
On Friday, SANZAAR announced that the world champions will remain in South Africa due to several factors including "South African government travel restrictions, player welfare and safety concerns, and the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on South African players both in South Africa and across their various clubs in the UK and Europe."
The decision means the annual southern hemisphere tournament will revert to its former guise as the Tri-Nations, involving New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina.
The now six-match competition - reduced from eight - will see each team play each other twice, with games to be played in Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle.
The All Blacks will now be able to return from Australia after their final fixture against the Pumas, which is scheduled for November 28.
"Naturally, it is extremely disappointing that the Springboks, due to the continued complexities of operating in and around this COVID-19 environment, cannot fully compete in the previously planned six-round Rugby Championship," says SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos.
"I would like to make special mention of Rugby Australia as hosts and the NSW Government who have shown great support and flexibility through this testing planning period.
"We have once again continued to be supported by all our broadcasters who have shown great patience and support of the sport as we endeavoured to deliver an international rugby tournament, that will now take the form of a Tri-Nations series."
The decision has no bearing on the Springboks' future involvement in the competition, with South African Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux admitting it's a "hugely disappointing outcome".
"SANZAAR and Rugby Australia have bent over backwards to make the Rugby Championship happen and it would have been unfair on them and their partners and state government to delay a decision any longer," Roux says.
"This is a hugely disappointing outcome for supporters and commercial partners but the on-going impacts of the pandemic in multiple dispensations mean we are unable to deliver a Springbok team without seriously compromising player welfare, apart from other logistical challenges.”
Much of the Argentina squad have had no match preparation but are already training in a bio-secure bubble in Sydney.
Several Pumas players and coach Mario Ledesma tested positive for COVID-19 during a preparatory camp at home.
Tri-nations schedule:
October 31: Australia v New Zealand (ANZ Stadium, Sydney)
November 7: Australia v New Zealand (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
November 14: New Zealand v Argentina (Bankwest Stadium, Sydney)
November 21: Argentina v Australia (McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle)
November 28: Argentina v New Zealand (McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle)
December 5: Australia v Argentina (Bankwest Stadium, Sydney)
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