The Springboks will assemble in Italy in different groups this Sunday and Monday, as they prepare for their next Test match on 7 November.
South Africa will line up against Italy (kick off at 13:40 next Saturday), France (13 November), and Ireland (21 November) before the Finals Weekend in London (27-29 November).
Having named a 37-man squad this week, Rassie Erasmus said the team was fully aware of the challenges that lay in wait.
“Italy may be ranked 11th in the world at this stage, but they are a quality team who have tested us to the limit at times, so we will not be fooled by the standings. They will be playing at home in front of a passionate crowd, and they’ll be desperate to work their way into a good position for the remainder of the competition, so we will certainly not underestimate them.
“France will also throw everything at us as usual, and with the side being ranked fourth in the world, it shows what they are capable of. It is never easy against them, and there have been times when we had to dig deep for the desired result, with two of the last five matches between the sides finishing in a one-point win – one of which was the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, while two were decided by three and four points respectively, with each team winning one of those, so we know it’s going to be another epic battle.
“Ireland will present an equally stern challenge. They’ve won four of the last six matches against us, including our 2023 RWC pool match, although we won our last outing in Dublin a year ago, so neither team will hold back.”
SPRINGBOKS End-of-year fixtures (SA kick off times)
- Saturday 7 November: Italy vs Boks
- Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
- Kick off: 13:40
- Friday 13 November: France v Boks
- Venue: Stade de France, Paris
- Kick off: 22:10
- Saturday 21 November: Ireland v Boks
- Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- Kick off: 18:40
- 27–29 November: Finals Weekend
- Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
- Kick off: TBC
all to play for
The Springboks currently lead the Southern Hemisphere standings in the Nations Championship on points’ difference, as they are tied on 15 points with New Zealand.
Erasmus added: “Both France and Ireland have also won two of their three Nations Championship matches to date and will be eyeing a spot as the top-placed Northern Hemisphere team, so we need to be sharp, accurate, and adaptable in all our remaining matches to achieve the desired results if we want to finish the league stages as the top team.
“This is an intense competition and every point counts, and every team we face as well as those in our pool will be wary of that, so we have a big job ahead, and it will be important to hit the ground running.”
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