It has been a truly special ‘season’ of Springbok rugby in 2024. Kicking off with the titanic drawn series vs Ireland. Then it was the back to back wins on the road against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship. The back to back home wins against the All Blacks to win the Freedom Cup, and then the empathic wrapping up of the Rugby Championship trophy against Argentina with Eben Etzebeth becoming the most capped Springbok of all time.
This all leads us to the obvious question, how many days until the Green and Gold play again?
Springbok end of year tour
Autumn internationals
SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER
🏴 Scotland vs South Africa 🇿🇦
SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER
🏴 Wales vs South Africa 🇿🇦
SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER
🏴 England vs South Africa 🇿🇦
🏴 England vs South Africa 🇿🇦
38 days to showtime
The excitement that grips the rugby nation of South Africa on a Bok matchday has reached simply astonishing heights. Everyone loves a winning team, but what makes this team all the more special are the characters and the ever endearing way they go about their business.
Even with disappointment, as seen recently with the away loss against Argentina and the Manie Libbok end of game kick, the redemption story from that was something to savour.
The show now goes up north, and what a show it will be as the Boks have probably never approached these end of year test with so much hype and expectation around them!
Making the most of a poor fixture list
A rematch vs Ireland now they have taken the no.1 ranking would have been epic. Or an opportunity to play the Grand Slam (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England), or the World Cup quarter-final rematch vs France in Paris.
Instead it’s just 3 tests where Scotland, Wales and England await. Which then begs the question, what will the rotation policy be around selection here?
What will the Boks look like on this tour?
Does he now treat these 3 tests like a World Cup playoffs series and stick to continuity like we saw in the Rugby World Cup of 2023?
Probably not. He has made it clear that he wants as many as 50 players tested and trusted ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, so it would be fair to think that the rotations will continue. In the context of these next 3 tests that will probably mean the ‘A-team’ for the opener against Scotland, and closer vs England. With the Welsh test in the middle seeing a little more latitude on selections.
Naturally fitness of players will play a massive role here. It looks like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is out of the mix post knee operation, so the flyhalf axis of Libbok and Pollard will operate here in varying degrees.
Jaden Hendrikse is set to further establish himself as the no.1 at no.9. Andre Esterhuizen may finally get a chance to prove himself in the centres, but the biggest talking point in the backs is at fullback. Aphelele Fassi has really impressed here, but Willie le Roux is still waiting in the wings on the verge of 100 tests and Damian Willemse is now back from injury too.
Forwards wise we could see some more rotation around the tight 5 with experienced campaigners returning. Then the loose trio could see a little more experimentation with the likes of young Cameron Hanekom potentially getting some game time.
The northern hemisphere conditions will play a big role on how the above plays out, but the consistent bottomline here is that the Boks have so many incredible choices to shine with on this tour.
Even with disappointment, as seen recently with the away loss against Argentina and the Manie Libbok end of game kick, the redemption story from that was something to savour.
The show now goes up north, and what a show it will be as the Boks have probably never approached these end of year test with so much hype and expectation around them!
Making the most of a poor fixture list
With respect to Scotland and Wales, the fixture list for this tour isn’t great. Without getting ahead of ourselves too much here, but you want to see a greater test.
A rematch vs Ireland now they have taken the no.1 ranking would have been epic. Or an opportunity to play the Grand Slam (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England), or the World Cup quarter-final rematch vs France in Paris.
Instead it’s just 3 tests where Scotland, Wales and England await. Which then begs the question, what will the rotation policy be around selection here?
What will the Boks look like on this tour?
Rassie picked 35 different players in the Rugby Championship, with 49 in total in the 10 tests of 2024 so far. Fair to think then that he has a great idea who his top squad of 24 is right now.
Does he now treat these 3 tests like a World Cup playoffs series and stick to continuity like we saw in the Rugby World Cup of 2023?
Probably not. He has made it clear that he wants as many as 50 players tested and trusted ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, so it would be fair to think that the rotations will continue. In the context of these next 3 tests that will probably mean the ‘A-team’ for the opener against Scotland, and closer vs England. With the Welsh test in the middle seeing a little more latitude on selections.
Naturally fitness of players will play a massive role here. It looks like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is out of the mix post knee operation, so the flyhalf axis of Libbok and Pollard will operate here in varying degrees.
Jaden Hendrikse is set to further establish himself as the no.1 at no.9. Andre Esterhuizen may finally get a chance to prove himself in the centres, but the biggest talking point in the backs is at fullback. Aphelele Fassi has really impressed here, but Willie le Roux is still waiting in the wings on the verge of 100 tests and Damian Willemse is now back from injury too.
Forwards wise we could see some more rotation around the tight 5 with experienced campaigners returning. Then the loose trio could see a little more experimentation with the likes of young Cameron Hanekom potentially getting some game time.
The northern hemisphere conditions will play a big role on how the above plays out, but the consistent bottomline here is that the Boks have so many incredible choices to shine with on this tour.