The Springboks currently hold a comfortable lead in the world rugby rankings, sitting 2.42 points ahead of second-placed New Zealand. However, head coach Rassie Erasmus believes the reigning world champions still have room to improve.
With new coaching staff onboard and a clear strategy to enhance their attacking game, Erasmus emphasized the need for continued growth.
“Our coaches have been putting in a huge effort to refine our systems so we can build on last season’s performances,” Erasmus said after the latest team camp. “It’s encouraging to see how well the players are adapting to the changes we’ve introduced.”
He reiterated the importance of evolving to stay competitive at the highest level. “We know the season ahead won’t be easy, but we’re happy with the progress we’ve made behind the scenes and excited for what’s to come.”
Holding on to their top ranking will be crucial, especially with the expanded 24-team draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup scheduled for December.
SPRINGBOKS’ 2025 TEST MATCH SCHEDULE (LEADING TO THEIR WORLD CUP TITLE DEFENSE):
- 28 June: vs Barbarians – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (17:05)
- 5 July: vs Italy – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (17:10)
- 12 July: vs Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha (17:10)
- 19 July: vs Georgia – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (17:10)
- 16 August: vs Australia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg (17:10)
- 23 August: vs Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (17:10)
- 6 September: vs New Zealand – Auckland (09:05)
- 13 September: vs New Zealand – Wellington (09:05)
- 27 September: vs Argentina – Kings Park, Durban (17:10)
- 4 October: vs Argentina – London (15:00)
- 8 November: vs France – Paris (Time TBD)
- 15 November: vs Italy – Turin (Time TBD)
- 22 November: vs Ireland – Dublin (19:40)
- 29 November: vs Wales – Cardiff (17:10)
SA Rugby is also looking to schedule two additional matches, potentially against Japan and Portugal.
Which Springbok fixtures are you most excited about this year?
