VIDEO: Scary thought for Boks' 2026 opposition
The Springboks won 13 of their 15 internationals this year, 12 of 14 if you discount the non-cap win over the Barbarians.
There were just two miscues – letting a 22-5 half-time lead slip to lose 22-38 to Australia at Ellis Park and the 17-24 reverse to New Zealand at Eden Park.
However, it was their 43-10 demolition of the All Blacks and an unbeaten year-end tour that cemented them as the world’s top-ranked team with a 3.61 ranking points advantage over the second-placed All Blacks.
This dominant position was achieved despite missing some key players at various stages this year.
In 2026, the Springboks will have no ‘soft touches’ like this year, which included Georgia and an understrength Wales, while Italy also put up only token resistance in the three Tests against the Boks.
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Wales and Italy will be back for more next year.
South Africa hosts England, Scotland and Wales on consecutive weekends in July.
This is followed by rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, an alternating quadrennial tour between South Africa and New Zealand. In the tour’s maiden year, South Africa will host New Zealand in August and September 2026.
The All Blacks kick off the tour against the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday, August 7 and take on the Sharks, Bulls and Lions, to complement a four-Test series against the Springboks.
Ellis Park (Johannesburg), Cape Town Stadium (Cape Town), and Soccer City (Soweto) are confirmed as South African Test venues, preceding a landmark fourth Test hosted at a neutral international venue.
Details of the fourth Test will be confirmed in the coming months.
In November, the Boks travel north to face Italy, France and Ireland, all three teams that took a beating from the Boks on the just-completed year-end tour.
However, some incognizant pundits will wonder whether veterans like Cobus Reinach (35), Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert (all 34), Damian de Allende and Handre Pollard (both 33) will make it to the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Already, players like Makazole Mapimpi, Vincent Koch and Willie le Roux (all 35) appear to have been put out to pasture.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has been carefully nurturing a new crop of youngsters onto the Bok production conveyor belt.
Erasmus pointed out that loosehead prop Zachary Porthen is just 21, hooker Johan Grobbelaar is only 27 and has many years left in his legs, lock Ruan Nortjé is 27, injured loose forwards Cameron Hanekom (23) and Elrigh Louw (26) are also on the right side of 30, scrumhalf Morné van den Berg may be 28 but looks set for a long stay, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is 23, utility backs Canan Moodie (23) and Ethan Hooker (turning 23 next month) are also at the start of their very promising careers, with utility Damian Willemse at 27 one of the elder statesmen.
(WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus gives an insight into his plans for 2026, a year that will see his team face mostly Tier One opposition…..)
“We have given a lot of players opportunities [this year],” the Bok coach said.
He added that players like Evan Roos (25) and Phendulani Buthelezi (26) are also waiting in the wings, along with some members of the highly rated World Champion Under-20 team like Haashim Pead, Batho Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste and Esethu Mnebelele.
“Next year, with the Greatest Rivalry [a four-Test series between South Africa and New Zealand] and the Nations Championship, even though it is against powerful teams the entire year, we will get more caps for some players,” Erasmus added.
What is even more impressive is the number of injured and banned players that can come back next year, adding more depth to an already loaded squad.
There is injured prop Ox Nche, injured fullback Aphelele Fassi, banned hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels, banned lock Lood de Jager, the injured loose forwards Hanekom and Louw, outside backs Edwill van der Merwe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, who did not feature against Wales, and out-of-favour brothers Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse.
“If we have all of those players available and being in sync like the team was against Wales, and we can swap players in and out without an issue,” the coach said.
“We can satisfy all the opinions [of pundits], but internally we are working to improve all the time.
“Some players are getting older, but the younger players’ games are getting better and they have a better understanding of Test rugby.
“Getting better, getting more experience and staying ahead of the pack is the challenge.
“We know what awaits us next year.
“We are not great at being the favourites, but we must embrace being favourites without being arrogant.”
@rugby365com
