URC introduces new Thursday team announcements for upcoming season

Under the season-long trial, teams will announce their selections at 15:00 South African time on Thursdays of a match week.

"Rather than Friday and Saturday teams being announced on separate days, all 16 teams will now work to a coordinated Thursday announcement time," the URC said in a statement.

"For Friday fixtures, the timing remains largely unchanged, while teams playing on Saturdays and Sundays will generally be announced around 48 hours before kick-off rather than 24 hours."

The change follows feedback from media and broadcast partners who wanted earlier access to team news, while also providing a longer and more consistent build-up to matches.

The URC says the earlier announcements will give media and broadcasters additional time for analysis, interviews and player-focused content, while also allowing clubs to make greater use of the news to promote fixtures and drive ticket sales.

The new announcement schedule will apply throughout the 2026/27 URC season as part of the trial.

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