Siya Kolisi will become the ninth Springbok centurion when he leads South Africa out against France at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, with Bok coach Rassie Erasmus – who will guide the side in his 50th Test as head coach – making six personnel changes to the side that defeated Japan last week.
Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman expressed his satisfaction with the progress of his squad’s HSBC SVNS pre-season preparations on Thursday, as they finished their final condition block before the 2026 season kicks off.
SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Nadine Roos, is amongst the group of 18 players invited to a Springbok Women’s Sevens training camp in Pretoria, where the squad will step-up preparations for the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens championship in Nairobi, Kenya on 15 and 16 November.
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.
Rassie Erasmus lauded his team for their physicality, intensity, and the respect they showed Japan as they registered an emphatic 61-7 victory at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, and although the Springbok coach was pleasantly surprised with the result, he said the next few weeks would pose completely different challenges.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Siya Kolisi said it would be a massive mistake to underestimate Japan going into their opening clash in the November Internationals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, and stressed the importance of delivering on their own standards to start their five-match tour on a positive note.
Japan holds a special place in the heart of Damian de Allende, who has spent a number of seasons playing club rugby in that part of the world, and the experienced Springbok centre said he was very excited to line up against some of his Wild Knights teammates in London on Saturday.
Springbok centre Jesse Kriel is bracing himself for a tough Test against Japan on Saturday, when South Africa open their five-week November tour at Wembley Stadium in London. (more…)
As a Blitzbok, he has won the HSBC SVNS world series, gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Olympic Games, but for Christie Grobbelaar, an appearance at his home tournament in Cape Town has remained rather elusive.
Former Junior Springbok captain Zachary Porthen will make his Springbok debut against Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday as Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named a largely settled match-23 for the opening match of the November Internationals.