The Springboks will re-assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday, where they will turn their full attention to the first of two matches of the Rugby Championship against Australia at Ellis Park next Saturday.
The second Test against the Wallabies will be hosted at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 23 August.
These matches will be followed by back-to-back Tests against New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington (on 6 and 13 September), and Argentina in Durban and London (on 27 September and 4 October).
Springboks’ Rugby Championship fixtures:
16 August: SA v Australia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg (17:10 kick off SA time)
23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (17:10)
6 September: New Zealand v SA – Eden Park, Auckland (09:05)
13 September: New Zealand v SA – Sky Stadium, Wellington (09:05)
27 September: SA v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban (17:10)
4 October: Argentina v SA – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London (15:00)
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he was confident that his team were ready to transition into Test mode after a productive two-week conditioning camp in Johannesburg in preparation for the Rugby Championship.
“We are pleased with the hard work the players put in over the last two weeks, and we are looking forward to making the switch into the Castle Lager Rugby Championship next week,” said Erasmus.
“The intensity and competitiveness of this competition will be completely different, and our conditioning camp was important to allow us to make that step-up physically and mentally.
“We will be going up against quality teams in the Wallabies, All Blacks, and Pumas, so it was important to lay a strong foundation on and off the field before we go into full Test-match week from Sunday.”
Erasmus added: “The camp included a series of gym and field training sessions, as well as boardroom sessions, which were vital for us to realign regarding our standards and what we want to achieve on the field.
“It was very productive, and we hope that it will benefit us as we prepare to face a psyched-up and physical Australian team following the British & Irish Lions Series.
“We then have a tour to New Zealand, and face Argentina, and both those teams pose their own threats, so hopefully we can build on these standards.”
What is your prediction for the tournament?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
