It was very much the regulation victory that was expected but the Springbok triumph over Japan in the opening match of their five-game November tour did not go off without the introduction of considerable angst.

Siya Kolisi’s team face a formidable opponent in the captain’s 100th game at the weekend and it is also an opponent that is waiting for them. By all accounts, France are behaving out of their normal in the buildup to their clash with the world champions, who beat them by a solitary point in a massive World Cup quarterfinal on their own territory at the end of 2023.

It was the South African scrumming depth as much as the clutch kicking of Handre Pollard that got them home in that game. It will be recalled that the dominance they started to build in the second half prompted them to opt for a scrum inside their own half after fullback Damian Willemse called for a mark.

Up until about 10 days ago the Boks might have expected they could rely on a repeat recipe. However, in the 61-7 win over Japan at Wembley they lost Ox Nche to a tour ending injury and that has considerably undermined their chances of using the scrum as a big weapon at Stade de France on Saturday night.

Nche, along with Wilco Louw, has become the foremost go-too man for the Boks when the mission is to destroy an opposition scrum. Louw will be there. Nche won’t. And what really adds to the Bok angst is that neither will Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who was the victim of what many consider a rather bizarre Vodacom URC disciplinary committee decision to ban him for eight weeks, without any concrete evidence of his wrong-doing, following an incident in the recent match between the Vodacom Bulls and Connacht.

It isn’t an exaggeration to describe Wessels as the new Nche and Malcolm Marx all rolled into one as the truth is he is either already world class or will become world class in both positions. Given Nche’s misfortune, it would have been as a loosehead that he would have been relied on this week and it would have been an important part of his learning curve as the Boks build towards the 2027 RWC in Australia.

Fortunately for the Boks Gerhard Steenekamp, who missed the entire southern international season due to injury, is back in the mix, but it would have been Wessels’ presence that would have made up for the loss of Nche’s scrumming X-factor. If the Boks feel that their weaponry has been at the very least undermined if not removed completely it would be understandable.

SACHA BRINGS A DIFFERENT THREAT - EDDIE

However, one thing the Boks do have that they didn’t have in 2023 is Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Eddie Jones, the Japan coach, said it perfectly after the game - “He’s got seriously quick feet and a fantastic fend. Give him half an opportunity and he’s gone. That gives South Africa a different threat.”

The Boks already had a developing different threat when they last played France 23 and a half months ago. While Pollard landed the kick that won them the game, the South Africans would not have still been in it were it not for the X-factor and distribution skills that Manie Libbok brought to the Bok response to the three first half tries scored by France.

But the 23-year-old Feinberg-Mngomezulu is both those players rolled into one and more and has a wizardry about him that marks him as a generational talent. Jones is right - changes the extent of the threat posed to opposing teams completely, with the intense focus of the initial line of defenders wary of his stepping skills and explosiveness filtered by awareness that in a fraction of a second he can transfer the threat to the back three with his ability to kick into space from a flat lining position.

Often it is he himself who does the chasing and arrives at the opposing player or in the position of space, like he did at Kings Park against Argentina last month and again in the first half at Wembley, to score the try. He is a rare gift to the Boks, and he does bring an entirely different dynamic that will add to the Boks’ firepower in the same way as the absence of Nche and Wessels will subtract from it.

Apart from his two tries, with try scoring something he is making a habit of, his control of the game against Japan in the wet was an assuring indicator that he has been a good learner. He was the top performer in carries, metres made and defenders beaten, and also has field kicking skills as good if not better than the other two flyhalves.

CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AS FIRST CHOICE


While paying lip service to the need to have three pivots capable of doing the job, and he isn’t wrong about that, coach Rassie Erasmus has clearly identified Feinberg-Mngomezulu as his No 1 flyhalf by playing him in the No 10 jersey in four games in a row.

You can never be entirely sure of what Erasmus will do when it comes to selection but it would be a surprise were Feinberg-Mngomezulu not to continue in that role against France and it will mean the hosts face a completely different dynamic to what they are used to from South Africa. In short, they are up against a team that will in time rival their injured skipper Antoine Dupont’s status as the world’s best player. If he is not already doing that.

Weekend international results in games involving the top teams

South Africa 61 Japan 7

New Zealand 26 Ireland 13

England 25 Australia 7

Scotland 85 USA 0

Asenathi Ntlabakanye joined the Springbok squad on Sunday as a replacement for Ox Nche, who suffered an injury during the team’s 61-7 victory against Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Ntlabakanye, who made his test debut in July against Italy In the Castle Lager Incoming Series after playing for the Boks for the first time against the Barbarians in June, joined the team in London on Sunday morning after representing the self-same Barbarians in their clash against the All Blacks XV at Twickenham on Saturday, and departed with the squad for France a few hours later.

The powerful prop scored a try for the Barbarians in the second minute, where they entered the break 19-7 up, before eventually going down 33-19 in the clash.

Nche was forced to leave the field in the 18th minute against Japan on Saturday, and returned to South Africa on Sunday, where he will undergo scans to determine the extent of his injury.

“We feel for Ox, and we wish him all the best with his injury and recovery,” said Erasmus.

“It’s always tough to lose a player of his calibre, but Asenathi is a capped Springbok and he has been with us for a large part of the season, so he is familiar with our structures and systems.

“Adding to that, he was on our standby list for the tour, so there was always a chance he would be called up if we suffered an injury. Fortunately, he was in London already, so he arrived at the team hotel this morning and will be able to slot back into action immediately, which is fantastic for us.”

The Springboks arrived in France on Sunday afternoon and will begin their on-field preparations for Saturday’s match at Stade de France on Monday.

The sign in the crowd said it all: 2015: Never again!

Simple, short and to the point. The Springboks were never going to revisit the memory of the Miracle of Brighton - as the rest of the world put it. This was Wembley, and a far more focused Springbok team simply did the business and put Japan to the sword in a 61-7 one-sided contest.

There were no shocks, and no last minute smiles by Eddie Jones. Brighton was a decade back and the Boks are a far different beast now to what they were then. In that first week of the World Cup it was a game made for complacency, for a shock and for the unknown.

As the Boks ran in nine tries for their victory, there wasn’t a thought on the result in the same country a decade back. The Boks had deflected it the entire week, even as the British press had tried hard to make it a narrative.

Before Brighton 2015 we would have hardly given a 61-7 scoreline between the Boks and Japan a second thought. Most Bok fans would have gone “mmm” and moved on. And that is what this game did.

TICKED THE BOXES

For all the playing up of narratives through the week, this game came down to a few things. It was the way to get the Japanese-based players - who know their opposition better than all their teammates - a run after a month on the sidelines.

Thank you @JRFURugby for a tough outing and good luck with the rest of your tour 🤝#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #RSAvJAP pic.twitter.com/5GAKxHSNXi

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 1, 2025

It was a confidence boosting matter and a ticking of the boxes, so to speak. A number of players got game time and ahead of the potentially massive Stade de France fixture against the aggrieved French next weekend that is all that counts.

But there were costs as well. The Boks found - at least by the crowd numbers - that playing at the same time as England in Great Britain doesn’t quite draw the crowds, especially when your opposition may not be first tier.

Japan may have pushed Australia to within four points last weekend, but it is hard to say this Bok team is anywhere near the same level as that. They have moved upwards, onwards and are on a different level.

OX INJURY COSTLY

The biggest cost was the injury to Ox Nche - the player who should walk the World Player of the Year award hands down, but probably won’t because of the precluding bias against front row players.

A big win in London as the Boks start the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a bang 👊#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #RSAvJAP pic.twitter.com/JNS4cLPw32

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 1, 2025

Nche limped off the field early on, felled by two Japanese players who conspired to take him out off the ball and with an awkward thump his game was over. The Bok staff will hope it is more stiff and sore than a lasting injury.

Not that the Boks lack depth in his place. Gerhard Steenekamp has done enough deputy duty to show he is ready for the task, but Paris is a whole different kettle of fish altogether and after their 2023 quarterfinal loss, the French will be seething with revenge. This coming week will be a very interesting week indeed.

The Rampaging Bull 🐂💥

Wilco Louw crashes over for his first try in Green and Gold 💪

📺 Stream #RSAvJAP on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw#SSRugby | @picknpayasap pic.twitter.com/0X9RER7nXa

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 1, 2025

There were also heavy sighs of relief when referee Eoghan Cross decided Wilco Louw’s audacious run and fend off of replacement scrumhalf Kenta Fukuda was just a penalty, when the TMO seemed to suggest leading with the elbow. A conspiracy theorist’s day would have been made had the decision been different.

GLIMPSES OF THE SFM SHOW

There were good moments too. We saw a glimpse of the SFM show as upstart Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu stole the early limelight with two tries and put the Boks on the road to a predicted victory.

There was also the return of Kurt-Lee Arendse, who moved past Pieter Rossouw to go into ninth spot overall and be just one behind JP Pietersen on the all time scoring list with his brace.

A successful day out for Zachary Porthen on his debut 👏🇿🇦

📺 Stream #RSAvJAP on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/lTyAjArB78

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 1, 2025

But for the most part it was what was expected. The Bok pack would have too much power, their maul would be too strong and ultimately Japan would struggle to contain the power and pace of the Bok team.

There was never going to be a Brighton miracle. There was never going to be another upset. This was a regulation day at the park for the Bok team and they made sure they got enough in before Stade de France next weekend.

The carnage started as early as the fourth minute when in the second powerful maul, Japan’s defence disintegrated and captain Siya Kolisi went over.

Then the SFM show got rolling. First it was an audacious up and under that placed Seunsin Lee under pressure and when the flyhalf couldn’t collect and knocked it back, Feinberg-Mngomezulu snatched up the ball and scored with ease.

He then took the Boks further ahead with a show and go, putting on the pace after the dummy to surge through and score untouched.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s read when Japan finally got on the front foot also saved a try - intercepting a short pass that would have put Japanese veteran Michael Leitch over the line and stopping an almost certain try.

BOK PHYSICALITY ON TOP

Japan’s lack of physicality was shown up late in the first half when first their tighthead Shuhei Takeuchi was penalised at the scrum, then for sacking the lineout support at the ensuing corner kick lineout from the penalty. When he sacked the maul less than a minute later he received his marching orders from the referee.

Japan made it into the halftime whistle 26-0 down and lost another player when Ben Gunter clashed heads with Kolisi shortly after the break. While it was a yellow, it was a soft one at that and had them briefly down to 13 for a few seconds.

It didn’t matter much. Feinberg-Mngomezulu found a half gap, offloaded to Kwagga Smith who sent an inside pass to a rampaging Wilco Louw for the prop to claim his first Bok try.

Japan finally scored through fullback Yoshitaka Yosaki but it was to be their only happy moment for the evening.

HYBRID FLANKER ESTERHUIZEN GETS FIRST “FORWARD” TRY

Andre Esterhuizen officially appeared on the field as a flanker, then almost claimed his first try by rumbling over from a rolling maul, before the TMO disallowed it for RG Snyman double banking.

The power of the South African scrum cap strikes at Wembley 🇿🇦⚡#SSRugby | #RSAvJAP pic.twitter.com/fY1Y6yg9vC

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 1, 2025

But while Arendse added his name to the scoresheet shortly afterwards, a try coming again from a dropped ball in an aerial contest to land at the winger’s feet, it was Esterhuizen who smiled the most after finally getting his try in the 62nd minute with the Boks on attack, coming around the corner to barge through two defenders.

Arendse added his second, chasing down a counter attack started by Cheslin Kolbe to pick up a chip and slide in from 7 metres out.

The Rampaging Bull 🐂💥

Wilco Louw crashes over for his first try in Green and Gold 💪

📺 Stream #RSAvJAP on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw#SSRugby | @picknpayasap pic.twitter.com/0X9RER7nXa

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 1, 2025

And then Jesse Kriel - the same player who missed the fateful tackle in Brighton 10 years ago - scored the final try to finish off the massacre in a fitting way. A decade ago Kriel was heartbroken after the game, and there couldn’t be a more fitting finish for the Wembley outing than his name on the scoresheet.

A load of confidence and tries now follow the Boks from Wembley. France will make sure its not a hospitable welcome next Saturday when they get to the stadium. But the Boks will know that and after this, they will relish the opportunity to head to Paris.

Scorers

South Africa - tries: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Kurt-Lee Arendse (2), Siya Kolisi, Penalty try, Wilco Louw, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel. Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Manie Libbok (4).

Japan - try: Yoshitaka Yosaki. Conversion: Seungsin Lee

Several South Africa players lining up against Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday carry vivid memories of the 'Miracle of Brighton', an upset that shook the Rugby World Cup a decade ago and which still sends shivers down Springbok spines today.

Among them is captain Siya Kolisi, who came off the bench as Japan snatched victory with a last-gasp try to beat the Springboks 34-32 in their 2015 tournament opener in Brighton.

South Africa would go on to finish third in the tournament, but it remains a day that left an indelible mark on the game in the country.

The Springboks have won their two clashes with Japan since, including knocking their hosts out of the 2019 World Cup in the quarterfinals on their way to lifting the trophy.

They will be favourites again and while the wounds of 10 years ago have been healed by two World Cup triumphs since, the Springboks are taking nothing for granted.

"We definitely do give them the respect that they deserve. They are a great team," Kolisi told reporters on Friday.

"You saw what they did last week against Australia (a 19-15 loss in Tokyo). That game was very close.

"We have a lot of players in Japan, and they have been able to tell us about the players who are playing tomorrow and the kind of players that they are. We are very prepared for this game."

Lock Lood de Jager and centre Jesse Kriel started against Japan in Brighton, with flanker Kolisi coming off the bench.

Others who featured that day but will not be involved at Wembley this weekend are lock Eben Etzebeth, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and flyhalf Handre Pollard.

"In 2015 it was a completely different group with a different mindset," Kolisi said. "We have to dominate the game physically, and we also have to control the breakdown because they play fast rugby.

"They don't go away, they are a very fit and well-structured team. They know their system and who they are, so it’s all about who can impose themselves on the other.

"We can't try to play like them. We are good at what we do. So what’s really important is who is going to stick to their game plan and enforce it on the other team."

Your #Springboks team to face Japan in London tomorrow 🙌
Catch all the action live on @SSRugby 📺#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/P4Id58bewr

— Springboks (@Springboks) October 31, 2025

Perhaps before Brighton in 2015, there was talk too about a game against Japan being a warmup opportunity for bigger tests to come, but it is unlikely there is the same peril in doing so again ahead of Saturday’s first Springbok outing of the November Autumn Series.

The excellent scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who later became the Bok captain in that tournament, warned his teammates about Eddie Jones’ Japan before that fateful opening game of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He knew Jones well after playing for him at Santori, he knew he’d have a plan, and in those days Jones was probably cleverer and more wily than the men in the South African dugout.

He was definitely more experienced, and would have sat with a cheeky smile on his face as the Boks came out playing at a million miles an hour trying to beat his team at their own game. It’s very different though at Wembley on Saturday - the Bok dugout has people who have been there for two World Cup wins, and last time they played Japan the approach was pitch perfect.

That was in Tokyo in the 2019 World Cup, when Japan astounded everyone by turning in a performance across their home tournament that saw them knock over both Ireland and Scotland en route to the playoffs.

Funny that, Ireland have also lost to Japan, but for some reason it is always the South African game that is remembered, with Jones understandably channeling that memorable September afternoon in England as the legacy Japan should focus on in the buildup.

There can be no doubt that Japan will come out determined, but the Boks in their two subsequent games against Japan have found the recipe. Both in the World Cup warmup game, which they won comfortably to cast aside any talk of Japan as a hoodoo team, and in the quarterfinal the Boks relied on their forwards to win it.

And that is what they should be looking for in the initial stages at Wembley - keep it tight, establish forward and physical dominance, and then watch the score mount up later in the game once the Japanese energy has been sapped.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has chosen an experienced team, and more particularly he’s got a team of players that will know the Japan side well - Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, and Malcolm Marx are all members of the starting team who play their club rugby in Japan, and Kurt-Lee Arendse has played there too.

Reserve flyhalf Manie Libbok is Japan based these days, although his exposure to the club game over there wouldn’t have happened as yet, and of course there’s the indefatigable Kwagga Smith.

So this team doesn’t need a Du Preez to tell them of the pitfalls of being complacent. Back then Du Preez was pretty much alone, but this team has been selected around Japan based players.

It also features several players who will be in line to play the big game against France the following week, and that is why this is really a warmup game - the Boks will be looking to get their combinations working and gelling their attacking plays and defensive organisation ahead of the visit to Paris to face the kings of Europe the following week.

Much will depend on how Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu controls the game at flyhalf. If the Boks are too loose initially it could be down to the classy pivot, who has such an array of skills that sometimes it must be really hard for him not to overplay. But he didn’t do that in his two games for the Stormers subsequent to a Rugby Championship ending where he showed good control.

There will be a lot of talk of Brighton, and of course this is the first time Japan are playing the Boks with Jones in charge since that game, but if there is anyone expecting Japan to push the Boks beyond maybe the first half they are being fanciful.

The Boks should win comfortably and, if we know Erasmus, there will be just enough elements of rust and areas to work on for the game seven days later to fit perfectly with his plan.

Perhaps the biggest focus will be on debutant tighthead Zachary Porthen, who is a rare find if he is wearing the Bok No 3 while still qualified to play under-21 rugby. He plays a position where players normally mature in their late twenties.

But he has Marx and Ox Nche with him, and RG Snyman and Lood de Jager behind him, so he should feel some degree of comfort as he makes the transition from being a player who has started just once for the Stormers into being a Springbok.

TEAMS

South Africa: Cheslin Kolbe, Ethan Hooker, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Zachary Porthen, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Andre Esterhuizen, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok.

Japan: Yoshitaka Yazaki, Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Charlie Lawrence, Tomoki Asada, Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara, Michael Leitch, Kanji Shimokawa, Ben Gunter, Warner Dearns, Jack Cornelsen, Shuheil Takeuchi, Kenji Santo, Kenta Kobayashi. Replacements: Shoai Hirao, Ryosuke Iwaihara, Keijiro Tamefusa, Tyler Paul, Faulua Makisi, Kenta Fukuda, Same Greene, Tiennan Costley.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Kick-off: 6:10pm

Eddie Jones has called on his Japan team to try to emulate the 2015 side that pulled off one of rugby union's biggest shocks when they beat South Africa in a game that became known as the "Miracle of Brighton".

Japan, then coached by Jones in his first stint at the helm of the Brave Blossoms, upset the Springboks 34-32 in the southern English city in pool play of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

It was a first World Cup victory since 1991 and was a result that has seen them claim a seat at the sport's high table, albeit with some varying results along the way.

The last time the two sides met, the Boks came out 26-3 winners in the quarterfinal of the 2019 RWC, a tournament they went on to win on Japanese soil.

They contest just their fourth outing at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus hailing the fixture as a perfect opportunity to give his 12 Japan-based players some invaluable game time ahead of Autumn Series fixtures against France, Italy, Ireland, and Wales.

The Japanese, having been pipped 19-15 by Australia last week, will take on Ireland, Wales, and Georgia after Wembley.

"In terms of the history of Japanese rugby, obviously, 10 years ago was a pretty symbolic game for Japan," Jones said of the 2015 victory over the Boks.

"Now Japan, because of that game, get the chance to play such quality test matches: Australia last week, South Africa this week, Ireland, Wales, Georgia.

"It's up to this team now to make sure that the legacy of what happened in 2015 is enhanced.

"The players understand the responsibility they have. They enjoy the responsibility. So there's a chance to show how much we can handle that responsibility."

Jones added, "The opportunity is for this group of players to make their own headlines and we want this group of players to enjoy the spotlight that's going to be on them on Saturday and play with the cohesion and a physicality that's never been seen."

Bok coach Erasmus, who was not involved in the national set-up in 2015, said he had the utmost respect for Jones.

"I always have a lot of respect for him," said the South African who has overseen back-to-back World Cup triumphs for the Springboks.

"People always try to build up a thing between coaches, but he's one of the coaches I really respect.

"We have a bottle of wine, but we only give that when we're winning, so if he wants it, he must let us win!"

Jones said his players will back themselves more than in recent times.

"We know there'll be a time where South Africa gets some momentum, they'll get some possession, and that'll be the test of our defence and ultimately, in that period of time when they do get momentum, the stature of the game, the state of the game, the result of the game, will depend on the quality of the defence," the Australian said.

"The players have started taking a hell of a lot more pride in that we've got the ability to defend and defend for long periods against quality attack, and we know that's going to be tested on Saturday."

Erasmus countered that his backroom staff were "analysing Japan and how well they played last weekend and how they're building under Eddie and what they're trying to do".

Japan coach Eddie Jones has made only two changes to his starting line-up for the test against South Africa at Wembley on Saturday, looking for continuity after a narrow loss to Australia last week.

Charlie Lawrence replaces Shogo Nakano at centre while Kenji Sato will play at hooker in place of Hayate Era in the two alterations to the side that suffered a narrow 19-15 defeat in Tokyo last weekend.

Michael Leitch captains the side as he did against South Africa in their Rugby World Cup shock in Brighton in 2015 when Japan upset the Springboks 34-32 in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.

Team: 15–Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14–Kippei Ishida, 13–Dylan Riley, 12–Charlie Lawrence, 11–Tomoki Osada, 10–Lee Seung-sin, 9–Shinobu Fujiwara, 8–Michael Leitch (captain), 7–Kanji Shimokawa, 6–Ben Gunter, 5–Warner Dearns, 4–Jack Cornelsen, 3–Shuhei Takeuchi, 2–Kenji Sato, 1–Kenta Kobayashi

Replacements: 16–Shodai Hirao, 17–Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18–Keijiro Tamefusa, 19–Tyler Paul, 20–Faulua Makisi, 21–Kenta Fukuda, 22–Sam Greene, 23-Tiennan Costley.

The Boks are on tour, and you know what that means...

SuperSport's senior rugby commentator Matt Pearce grabs a sports celeb in the city the Springboks are playing - this time London for the match against Japan at Wembley on Saturday - and talks all things Boks, life and the guest's innermost secrets!

This week Matt catches up with Protea's spin wizard Simon Harmer, fresh off a match-winning 6-50 in the second innings of the second test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The off-spinner is based in England having played for Essex since 2017.

Simon talks about his six-for, his relative who is playing against the Boks this weekend(!), his love for the Boks and captain Kolisi, a beer-backed chat with Temba B after the World Test Championship final, and looking ahead to the test series in India in November.

So hit play and take in the musings of a player who now has over 1 000 first-class wickets, becoming just the fourth South African - after Charlie Llewellyn (1013), Mike Procter (1417) and Allan Donald (1216)  - to achieve the feat.

The dust may be settled, and the verdict may be final, but there are still several questions swirling around the disciplinary process of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship that convicted Springbok utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels of foul play.

The eight week ban will stand and Wessels has no other option within the URC to appeal after his appeal was dismissed on Wednesday night. The only recourse still available to him is to take the matter to the Council for Arbitration in Sport if he feels aggrieved.

But the can of worms that the disciplinary process has opened could come back to haunt the league for a long time to come and while the Bulls tried everything in their power to put the best case forward for Wessels, there were some discrepancies that still need to be explained, and which may well make up a case if Wessels decides to take it further.

NEW MEDICAL EVIDENCE ENTERED AND IGNORED

The Bulls legal team particularly felt aggrieved at the fact that the most weight in the case was given to the testimony and report of Citing Commissioner Peter Ferguson, which had discrepancies that were simply accepted by the first disciplinary panel and again by the appeal panel.

Even in the appeal on Wednesday night, the committee dismissed the “De Novo” request - or do over - for a new trial given the discrepancies and found there “were not exceptional circumstances to allow the request.”

The Bulls also entered new medical evidence - including a Urologist report which disputed Murphy’s version of a 3-5 second grab and twist of the genitals, a human movement specialist report and a ruck specialist that backed up Wessels version that his leg was trapped and he was trying to move out, but all this was rejected by the panel.

The panel did not see any reason that the original panel “erred” in their decision and in effect agreed with Ferguson’s version of events, placing undue weight on the Citing Commissioner’s report.

CONVICTED PLAYER FOR THE UNSEEN, EXONERATED PLAYER FOR SEEN FOUL PLAY

The result is that, in effect, the same disciplinary panel has convicted a player for something unseen and for which there is no video evidence, bar an accusation from an opposing player, but exonerated the second player for a clear red-card offence that was seen and captured on video.

This alone reverses the hierarchy of proof — a textbook case of irrationality under administrative-law standards. Not only that, World Rugby’s Regulation 18 and its Judicial Officer Handbook impose three non-negotiable duties on disciplinary panels:

- Consistency of sanctioning. Comparable acts must yield comparable outcomes.

- Fair and impartial application of evidence. The same evidentiary thresholds apply to both sides.

- Protection against bias. Decisions must be (and be seen to be) independent of nationality, club, or emotional context.

Fans can make up their own minds if this applies to this case.

Both panels relied on the “eyewitness” testimony of Ferguson, who works for the Irish Rugby Union as a citing commissioner. Ferguson claimed he had direct line of contact of the incident, from about 20 metres away.

The Bulls pointed out that the nearest stand is currently closed for the public, and therefore couldn’t have been 20 metres away as claimed, but is more likely to have been 50 metres away on the other side of the field.

ONLY ONE SIDE WAS IN REPORT

Ferguson then also wrote his report after speaking to the accuser Josh Murphy, who had just been sent off for punching Wessels in the back of the head, getting himself a 20-minute red card.

The fact that Ferguson did not seek out Wessels’ version of events is questionable in itself, and seems to have based his entire report on just Murphy’s version of events.

Ferguson’s report gave the impression he saw something the referee, two assistant referees, a television match official and countless replays couldn’t see.

“I was present at the match, positioned approximately 20 metres from the incident. My direct line of sight corroborated the sequence of events as described by Murphy and partially captured on video,” he said in his report.

The way the disciplinary process works, meant that the report was taken on “the balance of probabilities” and therefore Wessels had to prove the citing commissioner was wrong to be exonerated.

NOT ALLOWED TO CROSS-EXAMINE

The Bulls weren’t allowed to cross-examine Murphy or Ferguson, and the committee chose to give weight to Murphy’s testimony because Wessels’ oral evidence was “brief” in comparison to Murphy’s, which was deemed “clear and detailed by the Committee.”

The fact that Murphy had two previous red cards and a poor disciplinary record, and had reason not to receive a third ban, which would have been lengthy, was “considered but notwithstanding this the Committee found his evidence to be credible.”

Wessels, for now, will have to sit out the eight games as per the sanction, unless he takes it further. Even that will take time, but is perhaps worth it if he feels aggrieved.

And now that he has been branded a dirty player, if he is ever in a disciplinary hearing again he will be treated as a player with a poor disciplinary record, who will receive larger sanctions if found guilty.

The whole exercise leaves a bad taste in the mouth and leaves so many questions unanswered. The URC has said both hearings’ reports will be released “for review” but has said the matter is closed, so nothing further will happen either way.

The precedent that has been set, and the long-term damage that awaits rugby as a result will reverberate for years to come.

While the return to England to face Japan has brought up some memories of the 2015 Rugby World Cup shock, the current Springbok side aren’t really thinking back to that day in Brighton ahead of their clash with Eddie Jones’ side at Wembley on Saturday.

There is a big sense of deja vu for some British press members this week. After all Eddie Jones was Japan’s coach then and after stints at England and Australia, is Japan’s coach again. The setting is similar, but the stakes are not quite the same.

So it was inevitable that coach Rassie Erasmus would be asked about that day in Brighton, when the biggest World Cup shock ever took place, and lowly Japan rocked the Springboks in their opening World Cup game.

PLAYED JAPAN TWICE SINCE 2015

Still, the Boks have played Japan twice since then, including a highly-charged quarterfinal in Japan in 2019, and come through unscathed, and the once-burnt, twice shy approach will ensure that they don’t underestimate the Japanese side again in any way.

Erasmus was asked about his memories of the day, and didn’t really want to take the bait. It was clear the Bok coach was more focused on the here and now than nostalgia.

“Yes, I think I can remember where I was. Yes, 100 per cent,” Erasmus smiled, then pivoted.

“But we've played them twice since then, you know. One warm-up match and one quarterfinal. I think it was a quarterfinal, it was a play-off game in Japan. (The 2015 game) will always be one of the iconic wins for them, and that's well done. Like our first loss against Italy, I remember that match.

“I remember when we first lost to Wales, I was a player. We were playing at the Millennium Stadium. I can remember clearly where I was there, because Mark Taylor was in the centre and he ran over me and he scored the winning try. So those kinds of things happen.

“We all have been part of history-making things. Australia beat us for the first time in a long time at Ellis Park. That wasn't a nice feeling. I guess for Japan that will always be one of their greatest moments, and obviously that will motivate them.

PLANNING FOR PRESENT, NOT PAST

“But I don't think we, at this stage, think about that. When we're planning a game, we are analysing Japan and how well they played last weekend and how they're building under Eddie and what they're trying to do. We always try to make plans and see how we can win the next match. But none of us can run away from how well they did in that game.

“I was in my bar, if you want to know exactly, at home, watching the game.”

Rassie was also playing down any sort of rivalry with Jones, who is known as one of the most outspoken coaches in the world. Both coaches have ample respect for each other and Erasmus was keen to point that out, and added if there was a bottle of red on the line, Eddie’s side needed to win the test match to claim it.

RESPECT FOR EDDIE

“My first interaction with Eddie was when I was with the 2007 World Cup team before they were going to leave, and I was working with them, and then I got the stormers job, and then Eddie took over from me.

“ I was there for about three or four matches with him in a training camp in Cape Town, and we were there. That was the first time we really started exchanging rugby talk and so on, and I know a lot has been said about Eddie as a guy that speaks his mind.

“ I enjoy people who do those kinds of things, and he was one of the guys when I got banned, he picked up the phone and phoned me and supported me, sort of. He told me in so many words that those were stupid things, but he understands why and how. I always had a lot of respect for him, and I think people always try to build up a thing between coaches, but he's one of the coaches I really respect.

“We do have a bottle or five afterwards but we only do that when we're winning, so if he wants it, he must do it.”

The big headline may well be Zachary Porthen’s inclusion at the age of 20 to make his debut before he has made double figures at franchise level, but there is always method in the team selection by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.

Porthen’s inclusion was because he has been so highly-rated by Daan Human, Erasmus’s scrum guru, and the Boks see this as the perfect opportunity to give him a start.

It may be a bit left field, but the youngster will be protected by a very experienced rest of the tight five, and there is a full front row on the bench that can come on at any moment should they be needed.

Erasmus also knows that to start is often better than to play a youngster off the bench.

As he said on Tuesday the nerves may get to him, so it is easier to throw him straight in.

Porthen is seen as a future prospect and joins the likes of Ollie le Roux, who was just younger than him when he made his Bok debut and Frans Malherbe, a year older when he got into the Bok team.

The more interesting selections come as the Boks are without some overseas based players - but Erasmus did admit that this test was specifically put there to ensure their Japanese-based players get some game time.

The genius of playing the Japanese based players against their teammates is one thing, but it also gives the Boks the luxury of having a squad that is match ready when they get to Stade de France next weekend.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Rassie Erasmus names his Springbok team to face Japan 🇿🇦🇯🇵

Zach Porthen will make his debut in the three jersey 👏

Kick-off at Wembley Stadium is at 18:10 on Saturday evening 📺#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/8W6vhUQgKO

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 28, 2025

KOLBE AT FULLBACK

So Cheslin Kolbe is at fullback because Damian Willemse’s hamstring is still not 100 per cent and the Boks don’t want to risk him.

It will be Kolbe’s second start at fullback, the first being in 2022 against Ireland in a game that the Boks narrowly lost.

There’s a return for Kurt-Lee Arendse, who makes his way back into the team after missing most of the Rugby Championship with injury.

Ethan Hooker predictably keeps his spot on the other wing.

The centre pairing of Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende continue to be the rocks in the midfield while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach continue their partnership behind the scrum.

The only Japanese based player that isn’t playing is Pieter-Steph du Toit, who is rested, while Eben Etzebeth is also taking a breather.

That means the Japanese contingent is basically Kolbe, KLA, Kriel and De Allende, Franco Mostert (at 7), Lood de Jager and Malcolm Marx.

RG Snyman has been released by Leinster to play for the Boks this week, making it a very mobile pack that will be used to the pace of the game.

If you include Manie Libbok and Kwagga Smith on the bench, the Japanese based contingent grows even further.

GAME SPECIFICALLY TO GIVE JAPANESE-BASED PLAYERS GAME TIME

“It wasn't really a big challenge. We actually organised this game, this extra game against Japan, especially for the guys who play in the Japanese league, because they would have not played a lot of rugby if they didn't play a lot of test matches for us, and this fixture was organised for them,” Erasmus said.

“I think there's about 11 or 12 guys, we count Manie as well now, who actually play in the Japanese league. The plan was always to get these guys some game time, because we found in the past that when we go on the end of year tour, previously when we played Ireland and France and teams like that, we had a bit of a slow start.

“Some of our players who were based in Japan hadn’t really played a lot of rugby, and that's why this fixture was here. So you'll see the bulk of the guys are Japanese-based. I think the only guy that's not been picked, that probably could have been picked, is Pieter-Steph.

“We pick players from all over the world, we totally understand the logistics around the different protocols and different competitions, and when we start planning our season, we know that already. Like the Welsh test match at the end of the year will also be a bit of a challenge, because there's UFC fixtures on for some of our franchises that specific weekend.

POSITIVES

“But on the other hand, it's also the positive that we still can put a pretty strong team out there, and guys like Eben are not playing, guys like Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse aren’t playing.

“There's Faf de Klerk, he's not even in this group, because we wanted to get some game time in the Japanese league, because he would not have been in the mix for this specific game. So I can probably name quite a lot of more players, but I don't want to let it sound like I'm moaning. So no, we're fairly happy that this is what we wanted to try and achieve.

“Now the job is to try and go and win the match.”

Of Porthen being named in the starting team in his first week with the squad, Erasmus said: “He proved at Vodacom United Rugby Championship level and with the Junior Springboks what he can do, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can offer in his first test match.

“Obviously, he has a lot to learn this week, but we have experienced players in the squad who have been helping and guiding him, and we believe this is the right match to give him an opportunity to prove what he can do.

“At this level, you have to sink or swim, so although it will be a challenging week for him to learn our structures, it will also be a very exciting week for him.”

Zach Porthen is set for his Springbok debut this weekend and Rassie is keen to see how he performs.

🗣️ "He'll be nervous but I think physically he'll be up for it and we'll help him to be mentally ready."#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/NqtzIUai83

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 28, 2025

RESPECT FOR EDDIE

Commenting on the challenge Japan posed, Erasmus said it would be a tough encounter, especially if one looks at the strides they have made in the last few years.

“They are a quality team, and they have a top coach in Eddie Jones, so we have no doubt they’ll throw everything at us,” said Erasmus.

“They beat us in 2015, and they showed what a quality outfit they are in the first half of our 2019 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against them, so we are expecting them to come out guns blazing.

“They also lost by only four points against Australia last weekend, which is a testament to the improvement they have been making, so we need to be sharp on attack and defence if we want to get the result.

“Very little separates the top teams in the world, and if you are not on your game both mentally and physically on the day, anything can happen. So, we will treat them with the utmost respect, and we also know how important this match will be to set the tone for the rest of our tour.”

The match kicks off at 6:10pm (SA time) and will be broadcast live and exclusively on SuperSport.

Springbok team to face Japan in London:

15 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 46 caps, 126 points (21t, 3c, 5p)

14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 5 caps, 0 points

13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 84 caps, 95 points (19t)

12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 93 caps, 55 points (11t)

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps, 105 points (21t)

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) - 15 caps, 104 points (3t, 28c, 11p)

9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 46 caps, 85 pts (17t)

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 39 caps, 10 points (2t)

7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 81 caps, 20 points (4t)

6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 98 caps, 65 points (13t)

5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 71 caps, 25 points (5t)

4 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 46 caps, 15 points (3t)

3 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – uncapped

2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 84 caps, 135 pts (27t)

1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 46 caps, 0 pts

Replacements:

16 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 0 points

17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 5 points (1t)

18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 0 pts

19 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps, 0 pts

20 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps, 10 pts (2t)

21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 59 caps, 55 points (11t)

22 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps, 25 pts (5t)

23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 24 caps, 133 pts (2t, 42c, 13p)

Rassie explains the thinking behind naming Andre Esterhuizen in the 20 jersey this weekend.

🗣️ "Everyone thinks we eye him as six flanker in this game and rightly so, that's the way we see him in this game."#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/hwbMIYziN4

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 28, 2025

STATS & FACTS

Springbok record against Japan

Played 3; Won 2; Lost 1; Drawn 0; Points for: 99, Points against: 44; Tries scored 12, Tries conceded 4; Highest score 41-7; Biggest winning margin 34 points. Win per cent 66.7 per cent.

Miscellaneous:

- The Springboks’ only defeat against Japan was in 2015, when they went down 34-32 in Brighton in their Rugby World Cup pool opener.

- The last time the teams crossed paths was in the 2019 RWC quarterfinal in Tokyo, where the Boks registered a 26-3 victory, and went on to be crowned the world champions for the third time in history.

- Siya Kolisi will play his 99th test match, leaving him only one game short of becoming the ninth Springbok centurion in the history of the game.

- Zachary Porthen captained the Junior Springboks last year and will become Springbok #953 on Saturday.

- Jesse Kriel has scored 95 test points in his 84 tests and requires only five to make it to 100 in the green and gold.

- The total test caps in the Springbok starting line-up are 781. There are 316 caps in the backline, with 465 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 182 caps.

- The average caps per player in the backline is 45, the forwards 58, while the players on the bench average 23.

While much of the focus of the Springboks end of year tour has been on the massive clashes with France and Ireland, there is a more subtle, more focused method in the madness of playing four consecutive weeks that could pay off well in 2027.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is not someone who fails to plan, and as we have already seen this year, the way the Boks have navigated this season has been not without its own pitfalls, but in the process a new generation of Springboks is emerging and the hope is that they will continue to develop in the lead up to the World Cup title defence in 2027.

To do this, the Boks have set themselves up in almost World Cup mode. At the recent Castle Lager Rugby Championship, Erasmus had spoken several times about taking on a tournament mode after the shock loss to Australia at Ellis Park.

The analogy was simple. The Boks have five more games in the Rugby Championship, win one in New Zealand and then it becomes like a semifinal against Argentina, with a final at Twickenham the week after.

PLOTTED THEIR RETURN

For those not knowing the way the Bok management plans their seasons, this talk may have been strange from the outside, but it showed how the team handled adversity and a shock loss and how they plotted their return.

There was the solemn belief in the younger players to show their best side, there was the ultimate support role for some of the double World Cup winners and there was a firm plan and focus on winning three back-to-back games to win the Rugby Championship.

The result was the first back to back Rugby Championship title for the Boks in history and another milestone for Erasmus as coach of the side.

Now, with two games outside the test window, the Boks haven’t said it out loud, but the scheduling indicates they are very much in a World Cup mode with the way they have planned their games for this tour in November.

They take on Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales in consecutive weeks and this isn’t too far off the scenario that they will face when they face the best in the world in a World Cup.

Think about it - a plucky upcoming nation as a first game in the World Cup, then facing your main pool contender, then another tricky test that you can’t get wrong. Then another pool contender and then a nation that will test you.

INTENSE FIVE WEEKS

While Japan, Wales and Italy aren’t likely to test the Boks too much, the intensity of five weeks of action like this could be crucial to handling the pressure of being in a World Cup shootout.

It is likely the Boks will need to overcome similar odds at the World Cup, even though the tournament has been extended to more teams.

At least from the latter part of the pool stages, the Boks will face the same sort of pressure and while there are double World Cup winners who have done it, there are also young players who haven’t experienced that sort of pressure for five consecutive weeks.

As always it is also a chance to hone your game plan under pressure and try out new combinations. There is no doubt that Erasmus will chop and change during the tour as he has done for the past few seasons.

The key is to pick the right combinations to perform under pressure, and the Boks have done that well.

WORLD CUP DRAW

Against all of this is the backdrop of the World Cup draw being made after these November internationals where South Africa is hoping for an easier draw than last time out where they had Scotland and Ireland in their pool and France in a quarterfinal.

But as that showed, the road may be more difficult, but it is not something the team could not overcome.

And if they get their planning right over the next five weeks, there will be a new batch of players ready for the pressures of a World Cup when it comes around.

The views expressed in this article are those of senior rugby writer Brenden Nel, and do not necessarily reflect those of SuperSport

The travesty surrounding the nine-week ban for Springbok utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels has played itself out this past week and there is only one thing to take from it - we’re all losers in the process.

Wessels, of course, is the biggest loser here, and if the appeal is upheld, will lose more than R1-million in revenue over the next nine weeks, after being accused of an act that he denies, and of which there is no substantive evidence that it actually happened.

Connacht player Josh Murphy accused Wessels of grabbing him between the legs and “twisting” in an incident he said lasted 3-5 seconds. Now while this version of events is unlikely, and the time mentioned doesn’t correspond with the video footage available, it was accepted by a three-person panel that found Wessels guilty.

They rejected Wessels version that he was trapped at the bottom of the ruck, couldn’t see Murphy and pushed his arm out to try and free his leg. His defence was, at the very least, understandable given the dynamic environment that is a ruck on a rugby field.

Was there contact? Perhaps. Was it intentional? Who knows? The point is that disciplinary hearings need to focus on facts, and their finding “on the balance of probabilities” is bizarre and gobsmacking to say the least.

PRECEDENT SET

There are several other incidents where players have been exonerated for the lack of video evidence that is out there. Kyle Sinckler was accused of biting Franco Mostert during the British and Irish Lions tour of 2021, Bongi Mbonambi was accused by Tom Curry of a racial slur during the World Cup semifinal in 2023. Both incidents were dismissed for lack of evidence after the fact.

But here a URC disciplinary panel has found that they feel something must have happened. This despite the fact that a referee, two assistant referees and a television match official (who recently officiated the Women’s World Cup final) could not find conclusive evidence of the accusation.

The precedent that has been set is scary in itself. Players can be convicted on an accusation, without evidence. The can of worms that has been opened is something rugby may well regret.

What they did find was clear evidence of a double punch to the back of the head of Wessels, in reaction by Murphy and red carded him as a result.

But the disciplinary committee has not only found that Wessels has committed an act that there is no evidence for, but they have also gone against World Rugby’s own recommendations for the punch - which is a straight red card - and rescinded it so that Murphy could play again.

RAISES A LOT OF QUESTIONS

Why the same disciplinary committee sat for both incidents raises a lot of questions, especially in terms of bias and fairness? Why they allowed the citing commissioner to give a report that was clearly biased and devoid of facts is also strange?

The Irish citing commissioner spoke to the Irish player afterwards and believed him, claimed he was 20 metres from the incident and saw it clearly. Strangely the closest stand to the incident was closed for the public, so the commissioner had to be on the other side of the field, some 50 metres away.

And his version was accepted above the match officials. Did he speak to Wessels afterwards as well? We don’t know but it is unlikely. So he formed his opinion on a single version of someone he knew well.

The fact the disciplinary committee states in its findings that it was therefore down to Wessels and his representatives to prove that the citing commissioner wrong, and the burden of proof was on him makes it sound as if he was guilty until proven innocent.

The same burden will apply in the appeal as well. In the hearing the committee said they saw both players as “credible witnesses” but Wessels’ oral evidence was “brief” in comparison to Murphy’s, which was deemed “clear and detailed by the Committee.”

The fact that Murphy had his own reasons to want to be believed, as he has been red-carded before and faced a significant ban was taken into account by the committee, but not deemed a significant factor.

SO MANY LOSERS ACROSS THE BOARD

Wessels is the biggest loser here, but so is the disciplinary process, which has been shown up to be a farce with the way they have handled the entire matter. The fact there is no transcript of the hearing, that the written judgement took so long to get to the Bulls and that it gave the impression that something untoward was going on behind the scenes is a very bad look.

The URC are also losers here, as they have been lambasted by rugby fans wanting justice - but they have nothing to do with the process. It is an independent process handled outside their jurisdiction - for the precise reason that they can’t be involved. But they have taken a lot of flack as a result.

SA Rugby and the Bulls are victims as they lose a key player ahead of key games as well. Fans are victims as well as they lose confidence in what should be an open process, and feel there is a vendetta against South African players.

If there is one lesson to be learnt out of all this it is that franchises and the Boks need to be on a war footing. This will not be the last disciplinary travesty to take place and they need to be prepared.

While I don’t know this to be the case, perhaps the Bulls were a bit complacent at what they were going to face, but if it wasn’t clear then, it is clear now.

WAR FOOTING NEEDED

And all SA teams will have to be ready to defend every charge as if it was the worst. There may not be an anti-SA bias, but that doesn’t excuse the legal teams for not being on a footing as if there was.

In every sport when one team dominates, the rest of the league/competitors can’t wait for them to lose.

It wasn’t surprising to see Stephen Jones in the Sunday Times in London on Sunday acknowledge the Boks are in good form, but in the same breath acknowledge he wants the Boks to lose.

“Will they maintain the old philosophy, with which they won the past two World Cups — a massive pack and a massive replacement pack (the “bomb squad”) but with genuine world-class talent behind the scrum. It is decades since they were only a forward machine. Now they are just a machine. I do know how much we’d love to turn them off,” he wrote this past weekend.

Jones is not alone, there are many wanting the Boks to fail. I do not believe there is a conspiracy against the national side, but the success creates envy and jealousy and it is a short road to something more.

The best thing SA Rugby can do between now and 2027 is to be prepared for anything. And make sure there aren’t more victims in the process.

The last time the Springboks played Japan it was when they won their quarterfinal against the host nation at Tokyo Stadium during the 2019 Rugby World Cup. It was a close game for a while before the South African power took its toll.

Of course, it is not really that game that most neutral observers will think of when the names Springbok and Japan are lumped together. That would be Brighton, 2015. The first game the Boks coached by Heyneke Meyer and captained by Jean de Villiers played at the tournament hosted by England.

The Bok loss that day reverberated around the world and completely overshadowed what happened later at that World Cup for the South Africans - Fourie du Preez took over the captaincy when De Villiers was injured in the next game against Samoa in Birmingham and they won their group before progressing to the semifinal. Where they lost a close game to eventual winners New Zealand by just two points.

A lot happened off the back of that result. Eddie Jones was the Japan coach, and it was because of that win that he was seconded to the England coaching role after that World Cup. That was a role he stayed in until the Boks thumped England at Twickenham in November 2022, just under a year out from the next World Cup in France.

Jones then coached his native Australia during a disastrous World Cup campaign that saw them fail to get out of the group stage for the first time. And now he is back with Japan.

With Saturday’s game at Wembley being the first time Jones has coached Japan against the Boks since that fateful, or memorable depending on who you support, day in Brighton in September 2015.

Du Preez, who knew Jones well after playing for him at Santori, warned his fellow Boks ahead of that game a decade ago not to underestimate Japan. With so many of the Boks now playing in Japan, it will be interesting to learn if there are similar warnings being issued behind closed doors as Saturday’s opening to a tough tour approaches.

However, while Japan will be respected, this week is very much the calm before the storm for Rassie Erasmus and his Springboks. South African rugby has grown since Brighton, and they should be able to deal with Japan with a second or third string team should it be necessary.

But with a seismic clash with the northern hemisphere leaders at the moment, France, up the next week, it is going to be interesting to see what selection the coach comes up with for the Wembley game.

Ideally it should be a chance to blood less experienced players, like the young Stormers prop Zachary Porthen, but with the last Castle Lager Rugby Championship game now four weeks ago, there is surely also a need for the Bok first choice combinations to realign before what could be a massive test match.

BOKS HAVE PLAYED MORE RECENTLY THAN FRANCE

Yet whatever combination Erasmus does come up with on Saturday will have played international rugby more recently than the French team did.

Officially the last test match France played was in New Zealand in July, but the French didn’t take a full strength squad to the All Black series. So the game in Paris on 8 November will be the first time the France full strength side will have been together since March, when they clinched the Six Nations.

That might be to the Bok advantage, and there have been some injuries in the French camp, plus of course Antoine Dupont, their talisman, is still out with a long term injury. But the Bok buildup hasn’t been untroubled either, with the management no doubt waiting on any appeal that there may be on the verdict in the Jan-Hendrik Wessels disciplinary.

 

🇿🇦 v 🇯🇵
What would you choose? 😆
Don't miss the #Springboks' only test in London this year - tickets here: https://t.co/UNjzSaefPI 🔗#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/OsalWqqYi9

— Springboks (@Springboks) October 23, 2025

 

HOLDING THUMBS ON WILLEMSE

As a player who is effectively the new Ox Nche and the new Malcolm Marx all rolled up into one, Wessels will be missed if he is not there. But Gerhard Steenekamp is back after missing the entire southern hemisphere international season so there is cover, which makes the fullback situation even more pressing if rumours about Damian Willemse’s hamstring injury are proved correct.

Stormers director of rugby John Dobson didn’t seem too concerned after his team’s win over Benetton and reminded us that he let Willemse play on after he felt his “hamstring strain”. So maybe there’s nothing to worry about.

However, with Aphelele Fassi injured and Willie le Roux left at home, it does beg the question about what Erasmus will do should the current first choice No 15 - in the absence of Fassi - be ruled out of any games.

There is plenty of utility value in the group, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu could be as at home at fullback as he is at flyhalf. You suspect though that it is at No 10 that the Boks will most benefit from him getting game time.

After the France game the Boks will move on to Italy, which should present Erasmus with another opportunity to experiment, before the second big game of the tour in Dublin against Ireland.

The Boks haven’t won in Ireland since 2012 and they weren’t happy when they had to share the series with the talkative Irish in South Africa last year so it will be a game the South Africans will be desperate to win before they close out the tour with another experiment opportunity against Wales in Cardiff on 29 November.

Springbok End of Year Tour

Japan (Wembley Stadium, London, 1 November)

France (Stade de France, Paris, 8 November)

Italy (Allianz Stadium, Turin, 15 November)

Ireland (AVIVA Stadium, Dublin, 22 November)

Wales (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 29 November)

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus had high hopes for the team’s five-week tour to the UK and Europe as he departed for London with a small group of players and management on Sunday ahead of next weekend’s opening test against Japan.

The squad departed for London in different groups in the last few days, with the full group set to assemble in the UK on Monday morning.

The Springboks will face Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1 November, which will be followed by tests against France at Stade de France in Paris (8 November), Italy at the Allianz Stadium in Turin (15 November), Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (22 November), and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (29 November). All five matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Erasmus looked forward to the tour on Sunday but admitted that it would be challenging with five test matches lined up and the quality of the opposition they are facing abroad.

The #Springboks are on their way to Europe for five gruelling Tests, but they are excited about the tour and to measure themselves against some of the best teams in the world - more here: https://t.co/n76la6hKBE 🛫
Catch all the action live on @SSRugby 🔥#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/XOdpuoxMTS

— Springboks (@Springboks) October 26, 2025

“We are excited about the tour and to measure ourselves against some of the best teams in the world,” said Erasmus.

“A lot of hard work has been put in behind the scenes since the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for this tour, and hopefully this will set us in good standing to build on our season so far.

“Obviously, the conditions are vastly different in the UK and Europe to South Africa this time of the year, but fortunately, most of the players in the squad have been exposed to those conditions either during their Vodacom United Rugby Championship tours or by playing for overseas clubs.

“The time zone is also very similar to South Africa, which means we can slot back into full test mode immediately from our first training session on Monday.”

Commenting on the opposition, Erasmus said: “Japan have been improving steadily over the last few years, and they defeated us a few years ago, so we have no doubt they will come out guns blazing next Saturday and throw everything at us.

Yes, we know this result didn't go to plan...

But, we look forward to some more big carries against Japan in London next weekend. Get your tickets for Wembley today 🔗 https://t.co/UNjzSadI0a#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/qrdZ2EADVO

— Springboks (@Springboks) October 23, 2025

“The last time we faced France in Paris was in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, and that result will psyche them up going into the match against them. They are also ranked fourth in the world currently, and Ireland third, and we all know how tough matches at the Aviva Stadium are against them.

“Italy, meanwhile, put up a brave fight against us in Pretoria in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, and that will give them confidence going into our match in Turin, and Wales will also be up for the challenge after recovering from a tough few years earlier this season, when we line up against them at the Principality Stadium, so we need to be ready mentally and physically each week to get the desired results.

“It won’t be easy, but we have a quality group of players, and we know what they are capable of doing when we stick to our structures and play to our potential on the day.”

The left wing - often one of the most celebrated positions in rugby - and a try-scorer’s paradise. 

This position requires strong defensive skills, including a high work rate and aerial ability, and often a left-footed kick to keep play closer to the center of the field. To hear team-mates tell it, often they’re referred to as the “loneliest position in the team” as they can go full games without seeing the ball. It gets worse, others call them the “lottery winner” because by the time they get the ball, every other member of the team needs to have done everything right, and they get to score, thereby winning the lottery.

They’re known for their bright boots and try celebrations - often also called the team cheerlader or professional sunbather - who spends most of the time in one corner of the field, waiting for the ball to come their way, like a tourist on the beach.

Those are all flippant examples from the net and team-mates though, and the left wing is a key position, often known for speed. They need to possess exceptional aerial skills, a good boot and the ability to turn defence into attack.

So here are our five candidates, all exceptional finishers in their own right.

> > > GO TO THE BOK DREAM TEAM SITE AND VOTE NOW < < <

[https://www.supersport.com/bokdreamteam]

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Kurt Lee Arendse (Springboks 2022-present)

Scrumcapped wingers and Springbok jerseys are such a combination. KLA as he is affectionately known is a hotstepper of note, and a finisher beyond comprehension. The fleet-footed winger made his name at Sevens and then moved to the Bulls where he was exceptional, forcing the selectors to bring him into the Springbok setup and he has never looked back.

An exceptional try scoring record sees him with 20 tries from 27 test matches, which is phenomenal given the opposition he has scored against and Arendse, often seen as diminutive, punches far above his weight on the international stage.

And the best is he can only get better.

---

Bryan Habana (Springboks 2004-2016)

When Bryan Habana made his debut against England at Twickenham in 2004, it was the famous “men against boys” test and the Boks lost comprehensively. But even then it was clear that there was a special player on the field. He scored a try and started a road to 124 test matches where he is now considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

A superb finisher, an interception expert, whose trademark dive will be remembered by many across the world, Habana was part of the golden era that won the 2007 World Cup and beat the British and Irish Lions in 2009.

In 2007 following the Boks World Cup win he was named World Player of the year after equalling Jonah Lomu’s tournament record of 8 tries during the World Cup.

By the 2015 World Cup Habana had equalled Lomu’s overall record of 15 tries in World Cup matches and scored 67 tries in his illustrious career.

---

Makazole Mapimpi (Springboks 2017-current)

The scorer of the first try ever for a Springbok side in the World Cup final, Makazole Mapimpi, or Drex as his team-mates know him, is a player that will forever be in the hearts of Springbok fans.

A supreme competitor, Mapimpi literally had to fight his way to get to the top and is the perfect example of someone you just can’t keep down. From fighting his way up from being born in a rural area outside East London, through the Border Bulldogs, Southern Kings and then to the Sharks, Mapimpi has never had it easy, but he never gives up.

Mapimpi’s try scoring record for the Springboks sits at around 70 percent and is exceptionally high for an international player.

Mapimpi made his test debut for the Springboks on 2 June 2018 against Wales in Washington, D.C. at the age of 27.

A double World Cup winner, Mapimpi’s name will always be etched among the legends in a Springbok jersey.

---

Pieter Rossouw (Springboks 1997-2003)

“Slaptjips” as he was known, apparently because the sight of his running legs was like potato chips slapping together, Pieter Rossouw was an exceptionally gifted finisher who made his mark for Western Province, the Stormers and the Springboks. 

A terrific finisher, and great at escaping tackles as well, he became one of South Africa’s most prolific try-scorers of the era. One of his best remembered tries was the one in Wellington in 1998, which gave the Springboks their first victory in New Zealand since readmission.

An SA player of the year nominee in 1997, Rossouw won Tri Nations in 1998, and three Currie Cup titles with Western Province in 1997, 2000 and 2001. 

In coaching, he won a Currie Cup and two Super Rugby titles with the Bulls.

---

Chester Williams (Springboks 1993-2000)

The original Springbok poster guy - Chester Williams - was known as the “black pearl”, coined by international journalists ahead of the 1995 World Cup. Williams was the face of the 1995 event, and was the first non-white Springbok since his uncle Avril and Errol Tobias appeared for the Springboks in the 1980s.

A groundbreaking star, Williams was soft spoken but did some big talking on the field. 

He made his debut for the Springboks at the age of 23 against Argentina on 13 November 1993 in Buenos Aires, a game that the Springboks went on to win 52–23 and in which he also scored a try. Williams was on the Springboks team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, notably scoring four tries against Western Samoa in the quarter-finals. His Boks career, hampered by knee injuries in 1996 and 1997, ended with a 23–13 win against Wales on 26 November 2000 in Cardiff. In total he played 27 games for the Springboks, scoring 14 tries and a total of 70 points.

He later became a very successful Springbok Sevens coach. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 49. 

 

 

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has singled out tests against France and Ireland as the most "challenging" during a five-international tour of Europe in November.

The record four-time Rugby World Cup winners arrive in London this weekend to prepare for the first match, against Japan at Wembley Stadium next Saturday.

Then, on consecutive Saturdays, the Siya Kolisi-captained Springboks face France in Paris, Italy in Turin, Ireland in Dublin and Wales in Cardiff.

France want to avenge a one-point World Cup quarterfinal loss to eventual champions South Africa two years ago after an epic encounter.

Ireland have won the last three tests against South Africa in Dublin, including inflicting a humiliating 35-point defeat on the tourists in 2017.

"The matches against the French and Irish will be like World Cup knockout games," Erasmus told reporters before the squad left Johannesburg.

"We will see how our players adapt to playing high-pressure tests in the intimidating cauldrons of Paris and Dublin."

Erasmus says the tour is one of the most demanding undertaken by the Springboks for many seasons – last year they played only three tests during November.

They beat Scotland, England and Wales in 2024, and expectations are high among millions of Springbok supporters that the team can complete another clean sweep.

A vote in a South African rugby magazine showed 46 per cent of respondents believed South Africa would win all five internationals, and 42 per cent felt the tourists would win four.

"I am calling this a challenging tour because of the quality of the opposition we are going to face," said Erasmus, a key figure in the coaching teams that won the 2019 and 2023 World Cup tournaments.

"Ireland and France are currently ranked third and fourth in the world behind us and New Zealand, and while the other tests might seem easier on paper, you dare not write off any opponent.

SEEKING CONSISTENCY

"The Irish and French are always tough rivals and both won four of five Six Nations Championship matches this year. Beating them in Dublin and Paris will be huge challenges.

"Japan have beaten us before," he said, referring to a stunning group triumph by the Brave Blossoms in Brighton at the 2015 World Cup.

"Italy put up a good fight against us in Pretoria last July despite lacking many first choices and Wales won in Japan, proving they are again on an upward trajectory."

South Africa travel to Europe having won seven of nine tests this year. The highlight was a 43-10 victory over New Zealand in Wellington and the lowlight a 38-22 defeat by Australia in Johannesburg.

The Springboks pipped greatest rivals the All Blacks on points difference to win back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time.

"We delivered a few good performances, but also a few disappointing ones. Now I want to build consistency on the tour."

With an eye on the 2027 World Cup in Australia, where South Africa hope to become the first country to win the competition three times in a row, Erasmus has experimented.

His aim is to have at least three players competing for each position when he comes to choose the World Cup squad.

South Africa took only one fly-half, Manie Libbok, to the 2023 World Cup, before being bolstered by a second, Handre Pollard, after hooker Malcolm Marx was injured.

Pollard did not miss a goal kick as South Africa pulled off one-point knockout victories over France, England and New Zealand to retain the title.

Libbok and Pollard are in the squad for Europe, but it is the younger third playmaker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who is overshadowing them with his all-round game.

He scored a Springbok record 37 points, including three tries, in a 67-30 Rugby Championship demolition of Argentina in Durban last month.

"Sacha did incredible things, but it does not just happen. He has grown a bit over time. There have been many mishaps in the lead up to this game," noted Erasmus.

The Springbok squad announcement for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to Europe may have raised a few eyebrows with who was left out, and who was put in, but the one aspect that has gone a bit unnoticed is the confidence the Boks have in their options at fullback without the likes of Aphelele Fassi and Willie le Roux on tour.

While Fassi is still injured, and Le Roux is slowly heading into the Bok sunset, allowing a new generation of players to stake their claim, the Boks seem to only have named Damian Willemse - at first glance - as the only option at 15.

Willemse is, of course, not just a 15 and is a versatile utility back that can play at 10 and 12 as well, and possibly anywhere in the backline.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Rassie Erasmus names his Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour 🇿🇦

Stormers prop Zachary Porthen is the only uncapped player to be included in the squad, while a number of players have been named on a standby list 🚨#SSRugby | #QuilterNS pic.twitter.com/qWTxAElkQr

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 20, 2025

But in the context of the current squad, he is quite possibly the best option for 15, and nobody needs reminding that the Boks won a World Cup with him at 15.

Outside Willemse, however, the Boks are blessed with a number of utility backs, versatile in their approach and able to be swiss army knived into a position that isn’t normally what you would associate them with.

This, coupled with the success the Boks had in defending their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title, shows that selecting one fullback isn’t really a crisis for the current Bok management, nor would the odd experiment be out of place.

So let’s have a look at the possibilities for the fullback role should Willemse not fill it, be moved to 12 or 10 for a game or in any other possibility.

SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU

South Africa’s shooting star, the hero of Durban and the name on everyone’s lips at the moment is the obvious candidate to take over the 15 role if the Boks need him to.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu has slotted into the fifteen role before and is likely to do it again - expect it to happen when coach Rassie Erasmus looks to give either Manie Libbok or Handre Pollard a run at 10.

The thing with Feinberg-Mngomezulu is that he is a superb talent, a potential generational player and most coaches with that sort of player in their side will tell you one thing. They want him on the field at all times.

So it wouldn’t be a far-fetched idea to have him there for the Boks, and it is more than likely the first choice back-up plan for Willemse.

CHESLIN KOLBE

Again we ask ourselves, is there anything that Cheslin can’t do? The fleet-footed magician has scored tries that have taken our breath away, has flummoxed defences and often punches above his own size and weight against the best in the world.

It isn’t a surprise that Bok captain Siya Kolisi calls Kolbe “the GOAT” and says he is his favourite player. Kolbe stepped up to the kicking duties when it was required in the World Cup and can easily slot in at 15.

That would even give the Boks the option of a scrumcap back three with Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe. All fast, all powerful and it could be devastating.

KURT-LEE ARENDSE

Arendse played 15 early on in his career and even at the Bulls and while he is more accustomed to scoring tries on the wing, he could slot into the 15 role if needed by the Boks.

A supreme attacker, and a superb defender, KLA has not played international rugby since the Wallaby test at Ellis Park because of injury but has been selected and is expected to play a role on the tour. Who knows? It could even be at 15.

EDWILL VAN DER MERWE

Could there have been method in the Sharks’ madness? Edwill van der Merwe has been playing 15 for the Sharks in recent weeks and it wouldn’t be surprising that this could be to help the national squad out?

While there has been no suggestion that a request came from the Bok management, Van der Merwe’s penchant for scoring tries suggests he is another player you would want on the field. He has an impressive points scoring record and it wouldn’t be a massive surprise should he be deployed there.

CANAN MOODIE

One of the more intriguing possibilities is Moodie at 15. A tall winger, who has publicly said he loves playing 13, Moody seems more destined to come into the midfield than at the back, but what about the possibility? He has a decent foot, has the size and speed to make it and is good under the high ball. Positionally he may have to adapt a lot but the idea has been spoken about for a few years now, and perhaps it may be left field, but who knows?

There are a lot of other ideas that coach Rassie Erasmus may have. Manie Libbok has played 15 as well, and there are other players who could slot in there. But for the Boks the fullback isn’t only the last line of defence, he is the second playmaker as well, and in this regard it will be very interesting to see who the Boks line-up with during the tour.

And what new exciting possibilities there may be.

SA under-20 captain Zachary Porthen received a surprise call-up to the Springbok squad for the five match Castle Lager Outgoing Tour, signalling that coach Rassie Erasmus sees him as a future key figure in the Bok squad.

Porthen, who led the SA under-20 team last season, and is currently playing for the DHL Stormers, isn’t likely to be a major part of the team’s plans, but will gain a lot from learning in the Bok environment on such a long tour.

The Boks will face Japan in the first of five tests on consecutive Saturdays at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 November, before lining up against France at Stade de France in Paris (8 November), Italy at the Allianz Stadium, Turin (15 November), Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (22 November), and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (29 November).

Porthen, who made his DHL Stormers’ Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut in May and is currently on tour with the team in Italy, is the only uncapped player in the 36-man squad, who will depart for London in different groups from their respective franchises and clubs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

There are also returns for Johan Grobbelaar, who missed out on the tests this year when Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe was selected. Grobbelaar is back in contention as one of only two hookers selected, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels covering as a swinger in both prop and hooker.

Gerhard Steenekamp returns from injury and takes his spot among the front row, and with Grobbelaar back Erasmus could reunite the much-vaunted Bulls front row somewhere on this tour.

But it also means there is no place for World Cup winners Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch. Mbonambi missed the New Zealand leg of the Rugby Championship because of personal reasons but returned to the squad for the Argentina games. However, with Malcolm Marx starting, the Boks obviously feel his back up needs to be a player that will have one eye on the future.

Koch hasn’t played for the Boks all season and is seen as slowly being phased out of the system, along with Faf de Klerk and Makazole Mapimpi, both of whom failed to be selected as well.

Willie le Roux hasn’t been selected either, although this wasn’t unexpected, and Le Roux is likely to be on standby if needed, but will concentrate more on his role at the Bulls in the near future.

But that means that Damian Willemse - in the absence of the injured Aphelele Fassi - is the only 15 in the group right now, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu his likely back-up.

There are several other players - including wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, who is back after injury, who could slot in at 15 if needed.

Among the forwards, Ben-Jason Dixon and Jean Kleyn - both injured and who missed the Rugby Championship - return to the side while the backline picks are very much in line with selections all season.

Interestingly enough Juarno Augustus has been put on the standby list in case of injury with Lukhanyo Am’s name also standing out in his absence. Bulls winger Sebastian de Klerk’s consistent performances mean he will be on standby as well and could be called up in case of an injury.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is in line to become only the ninth South African test centurion on the tour after racking up his 98th test cap in the team’s 29-27 victory against Argentina in their final Castle Lager Rugby Championship match at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, earlier this month, which saw the Boks clinch the southern hemisphere title for the second time in a row.

Among the injured players not considered for selection are Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Jean-Luc du Preez, and Aphelele Fassi.

“We are excited about the makeup of this squad,” said Erasmus. “Most of the players in the group have been with us throughout the season, while others are back from injury or have done the job for us before in the last few years.

“It’s also great to see a young player like Zachary, who has emerged through our junior structures, come through the ranks into the senior set-up, and we are excited to see what he can do at this level.”

Erasmus added: “With five tough matches lined up, we always planned to select a manageable squad, and we have a solid bunch of players on standby, some of whom have been with us during stages this season, and uncapped players such as Sebastian and Juarno, who have continued to impress us with their performances.

“With Neethling and Salmaan currently in the process of returning from injury, it’s important for us that they get more game time for their Vodacom URC franchises, which was the main reason for excluding them from the 36-man squad.

“Obviously, players not included on the standby list could also be called up should the need arise.”

Looking ahead at the tour, Erasmus admitted that while it would be challenging given the quality of the opposition they will be facing, the team was eager to get back on the field.

“It’s a longer tour than usual and we are facing top-class opposition, but we are looking forward to it,” said Erasmus.

“Ireland and France are currently ranked third and fourth in the world, while Italy, Wales, and Japan are in 10th, 12th and 13th place, and we’ve seen in the last few years that you cannot write off any team.

“Ireland and France are always tough opposition, and they both won four out of their five Six Nations matches, with France emerging as the eventual champions, and we know how challenging it is to beat them both at home.

“Japan have beaten us before, Italy put up a good fight against us earlier this year in Pretoria, and Wales beat Japan, proving that they are again on an upward trajectory, so it’s going to be a challenging tour.

“We have delivered a few good performances but also a few disappointing ones this season, so this will be a good opportunity to test ourselves and see if we can build consistency from week to week. That said, it is going to take a massive effort, and we are excited about the tour.”

Springbok squad for Castle Lager Outgoing Tour:

Props:

Thomas du Toit

Wilco Louw

Ox Nche

Zachary Porthen

Gerhard Steenekamp

Boan Venter

Hookers:

Johan Grobbelaar

Malcolm Marx

Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Locks:

Lood de Jager

Eben Etzebeth

Jean Kleyn

Franco Mostert

Ruan Nortje

RG Snyman

Loose forwards

Ben-Jason Dixon

Pieter-Steph du Toit

Siya Kolisi

Kwagga Smith

Marco van Staden

Jasper Wiese

Scrumhalves

Cobus Reinach

Morne van den Berg

Grant Williams

Flyhalves:

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Manie Libbok

Handre Pollard

Midfielders:

Damian de Allende

Andre Esterhuizen

Jesse Kriel

Wings

Cheslin Kolbe

Kurt-Lee Arendse

Ethan Hooker

Canan Moodie

Edwill van der Merwe

Players on standby:

Forwards:

Juarno Augustus

Neethling Fouche

Bongi Mbonambi

Salmaan Moerat

Asenathi Ntlabakanye

Evan Roos

Vincent Tshituka

Backs:

Lukhanyo Am

Sebastian De Klerk

Makazole Mapimpi

Players in previous squads but missing

Jean-Luc Du Preez (injured)

Vincent Koch

Bongi Mbonambi (Standby)

Marnus van der Merwe

Aphelele Fassi (injured)

Willie le Roux

Makazole Mapimpi (standby)

Lukhanyo Am (Standby)

Both coaches will be desperate for their teams to win the Greatest Rivalry Series between the Springboks and All Blacks that was confirmed on Thursday evening at the start of what should become an iconic part of the rugby calendar, but it could also be a significant lift for both teams’ challenge for the following year’s Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand’s coach Scott Robertson described South Africa as the ultimate test for any team and said it was perfectly timed to help the All Blacks' challenge grow for the following year’s RWC in Australia.

“This tour has a real place in the global rugby calendar. It’s a chance to test ourselves physically and mentally in the toughest environment there is,” said Robertson.

“The timing, just before a World Cup, gives us a perfect opportunity to build depth and find out more about ourselves. The rivalry with South Africa has so much history – political, cultural, and sporting. That’s why it’s called Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. It’s more than marketing; it’s two proud rugby nations with decades of battles behind them.”

South Africa’s Rassie Erasmus got his first taste of Bok rugby as a player when he was part of the end of year tour to Europe in 1996 (the tour actually started in Argentina but he was called on as a replacement later in the trip) so knows all about what a proper tour can do. Listening to him speak about it, you almost get the impression he envies New Zealand for being the touring team next year.

"ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO GET TIGHT AS A TEAM"

The All Blacks will play four games against the local URC franchises among the seven they play in South Africa, with the eighth tour game being the Fourth test to be played at a neutral venue.

“Tours are one of the best ways to really get tight as a team,” said Erasmus. “You spend so much time together, you get to know each other better, players, coaches and staff, and you even start to understand the culture and fan base of the country you’re touring. You get frustrated with each other, but that’s how you grow.

“In my first tour it was a time when we were away for seven weeks. Even though the game is more professional now, I think most players still enjoy touring. It builds connection and team spirit, and it is great for the brand too.”

However, while the All Blacks should get a great chance to grow their depth by going on a tour such as the one scheduled for next August and September, it will also tighten the Boks to be playing such a tough series together, one which is scheduled to take place every six years and will rival the British and Irish Lions tours in level of importance for players are part of it.

“The name ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ says a lot, but it’s not meant arrogantly. The history between us and New Zealand is incredibly rich – from the New Zealand Cavaliers rebel tour (to South Africa in 1986) to the flower bomb incidents in Auckland in 1981. This is not about saying it’s better than the Six Nations or anything else. It’s just a recognition of how deep and special this rivalry is.”

1996 WIN WILL INSPIRE ALL BLACKS

What Erasmus did not mention was the last proper tour and series between the two nations - 1996, when the All Blacks won a series in South Africa for the first time under the captaincy of Sean Fitzpatrick and with John Hart as the New Zealand coach. It has not been forgotten by key All Black personnel, however, and it is sure to be a galvanising memory for tourists who would have witnessed the Kiwi triumphs from afar when they were all very young.

“I remember those 1996 tests really well. Fitzy (Fitzpatrick), Marshy (Justin Marshall) and a decorated All Blacks side doing what no one had done before and winning a series in South Africa,” said Robertson.

“It was an amazing moment in our rugby history. A seven-week tour with four tests and a couple of franchise games is something unique. Watching how the British & Irish Lions managed their tour of Australia gave me a few insights, because we’ll be doing something similar next year. It’s a huge opportunity for both nations, and for fans on both sides, to see two great rivals go head-to-head again.”

Robertson added that the move of South African teams to the United Rugby Championship had made the tour possible.

“Honestly, if the South African teams had stayed in Super Rugby, this tour probably wouldn’t have happened. Their move north created the opportunity. The URC sides are strong now – full of Springboks and depth – so those midweek matches will be proper contests, not just warm-ups.”

KIWI SKIPPER SEES TOUR AS CAREER HIGHLIGHT

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett stuck to the theme set by the two rival coaches by saying that the tour would be a career highlight for him.

“The rivalry between our nations is huge, and I’m really excited about the chance to play the Springboks in a full three-match series. Any player in New Zealand aiming for this tour will want to be at their best. It’s the ultimate challenge. A seven-week tour and three straight tests in South Africa. Those tests will be incredibly physical. You’ll want to build form through the early games, then be ready for three very intense matches. It’ll be brutal at times, but that’s what it’s all about: testing yourself against the world champions in their own backyard.”

RUGBY’S GREATEST RIVALRY TOUR FIXTURES 2026

Friday 7 August: DHL Stormers v New Zealand at DHL Stadium, Cape Town


Tuesday 11 August: Hollywoodbets Sharks v New Zealand at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban


Saturday 15 August: Vodacom Bulls v New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria


Saturday 22 August: First test – South Africa v New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg 


Tuesday 25 August: Lions v New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg


Saturday 29 August: Second test – South Africa v New Zealand at DHL Stadium, Cape Town 


Saturday 5 September: Third test – South Africa v New Zealand at FNB Stadium,

Johannesburg


Saturday 12 September: Fourth test – South Africa v New Zealand (venue to be announced)