Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has opted to retain the core group of players who featured in the team’s opening two Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches against Australia for the upcoming tour to New Zealand, where they will face the All Blacks in consecutive Tests next month.
Springboks Retain Core Squad for Crucial New Zealand Tour
36 of 38 Springboks return for New Zealand tour to face the All Blacks in two crucial Rugby Championship Tests.
The Springboks are set to play at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, 6 September, followed by a second clash at Sky Stadium in Wellington on 13 September. The Boks aim to defend their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title in two crucial matches, after winning it last season for the first time since 2019.
Injuries to wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe forced the coaches to call up Makazole Mapimpi to join the tour. Among the forwards, Cobus Wiese is the only player to miss out on selection, though he remains on standby. The squad has 20 forwards and 16 backs; Jasper Wiese is suspended but eligible for the second Wellington Test.
Erasmus Confident in Team’s Preparation and Depth
Erasmus noted the challenge, saying the Rugby Championship is wide open with all four teams having one win each.. The newer players also proved themselves in the Castle Lager Incoming Series and the recent matches against Australia.”
Kolisi, Du Toit, Le Roux, and Wessels have recovered, and the team cleared the entire squad to face the All Blacks.
Erasmus noted the challenge, saying the Rugby Championship is wide open with all four teams having one win each.
Facing the All Blacks in New Zealand is never easy, but we’ll draw confidence from last week’s win over Australia.”
Focused and Motivated Ahead of All Blacks Showdown
He said every match challenges the teams, who compete evenly, while the Boks focus on improving rather than past records.
The Springboks have won their last four Tests against the All Blacks, a feat achieved only once before in history. Erasmus emphasized the rivalry, saying both teams stay motivated and the Boks must build on this year’s progress.
The team will travel to New Zealand tomorrow to allow time to acclimatize ahead of the back-to-back fixtures. Both Tests will kick off at 09h05 South African time.
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