There are fewer than 60 days until Rassie Erasmus and the Springboks begin their 2026 season. They will face Scott Robertson’s Barbarians team first.
After that, the Boks will host England, Scotland, and Wales in July. These matches form part of the new Nations Championship.
Next, they will meet the All Blacks in a four-Test rivalry series. This new series will take place every four years.
“I can’t wait for the season to start and what better place than Gqeberha, where we’ve always enjoyed enormous support,” said Erasmus.
Strong Record and High Expectations
The Springboks have an impressive record at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They have never lost at this venue.
They won eight matches and drew one there. Moreover, fans continue to show strong support.
Last year, 44,282 fans watched the Boks defeat Italy 45-0. The performance was clinical and dominant.
“We’ve been told that the average attendance at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is over 95% of stadium capacity and we hope to see the stands packed out again this year when we welcome to BaaBaas to the game,” Erasmus added.
“They are coming to South Africa with an experienced and esteemed coaching team, and we know they will provide us with a proper test.
“At the same time, we’re very excited to see the rest of our wider squad in action in a proper match when the SA ‘A’ team take on the Sables from Zimbabwe. They have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and I’m sure it will be a great match.”
Full 2026 Fixture List
International:
Saturday 20 June: Springboks v Barbarians (Gqeberha)
Nations Championship:
Saturday 4 July: Boks v England (Johannesburg)
Saturday 11 July: Boks v Scotland (Pretoria)
Saturday 18 July: Boks v Wales (Durban)
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry:
Saturday 22 August: Boks v All Blacks (Johannesburg)
Saturday 29 August: Boks v All Blacks (Cape Town)
Saturday 5 September: Boks v All Blacks (Johannesburg)
Saturday 12 September: Boks v All Blacks (Baltimore, USA)
Once-off Test:
Sunday 27 September: Wallabies v Boks (Perth)
Nations Championship:
Saturday 7 November: Italy v Boks (Venue TBC)
Friday 13 November: France v Boks (Paris)
Saturday 21 November: Ireland v Boks (Dublin)
Finals Weekend: 27–29 November (London)
The post Rassie Erasmus excited for Springboks’ 2026 season start appeared first on iHarare News.
