The end of year test window has closed, but we are once again gearing up for another Springbok test match.
It’s a bit of a weird one really. Should games really be allowed to be played outside of these designated windows, or is it just another sign of how the Springboks are prioritising their success?
Let’s get into this a little more here.
This weekend’s test match lineup
Upcoming fixtures
(Match time GMT+2)
Saturday 29 November
Wales vs South Africa 17:10
The test window talking point
Many will debate the merits of test matches out of test ‘windows’. There is a feeling that they shouldn’t happen as players have club obligations elsewhere. Clubs/franchises rightly want their players so therefore Test teams get weakened which dilutes the contests somewhat.
Wales for example this weekend, will be without the services of 10 of the players that just played against the All Blacks. Thirteen squad members in total are heading back to clubs in England (12) and France (1). That means a squad of 41 down to 28 to try and stand against the Bok juggernaut.
Hardly seem fair really, but financially, Welsh rugby also can’t really say no to the fixture as Eddie Jones would probably point out.
On the Bok side, they also won’t be at full strength with 13 of their squad members leaving for duties elsewhere. Unlike Wales though, they still have a wealth of players left, and with this Test comes yet another opportunity to toughen the stocks so to speak.
But then SA teams go into this weekend’s URC fixtures missing key players. Fair to say that the Stormers for example would prefer to have Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu, Zachery Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon and Cobus Reinach available to them. The Boks come first though, it’s just a reality.
A cornerstone of the Bok success is the amount of players that are battle hardened at the highest level of the game. That comes from being able to play more games. So in that regard you can’t really complain when the Boks have matches outside the windows.
You can of course argue even further just how much of a test they are getting against a weakened version of an already weak Welsh team?
In Rassie everyone trusts
Previous arguments aside, every opportunity to play seems to be a positive in this current Bok setup. The year started with an extra game against a Barbarians team, it might as well finish with this one outside the window. It’s just all building momentum going forward.
The Boks absolutely end 2025 knowing their best matchday 23, but as Rassie has shown throughout, competition for places makes for a healthy winning formula. Not only that, opportunities to see players show their versatility in other positions/situations has been another intended strategy.
So with every day being a Bok school day, let’s see who is lining up this weekend in Cardiff.
The Bok matchday 23 vs Wales
Here we go with who will be closing 2025 out for the green and gold
1: Gerhard Steenekamp
2: Johan Grobbelaar
3: Wilco Louw
4: Jean Kleyn
5: Ruan Nortje
6: Siya Kolisi ©
7: Franco Mostert
8: Jasper Wiese
9: Morne van den Berg
10: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
11: Canan Moodie
12: Andre Esterhuizen
13: Damian De Allende
14: Ethan Hooker
15: Damian Willemse
Replacements:
16: Bongi Mbonambi
17: Zachery Porthen
18: Asenathi Ntlabakanye
19: Eben Etzebeth
20: Marco van Staden
21: Ben-Jason Dixon
22: Kwagga Smith
23: Cobus Reinach
Even with some key players leaving the squad, this is an incredibly strong Bok side. Cobus Reinach gets to earn his 50th cap, and the 7-1 split is back on the bench.
Guess it’s another tough weekend for the Welsh at home.
This isn’t the end of the year
Though this will be a wrap for the 2025 Test matches, rugby keeps thundering on. The URC is already back this weekend, then we also have the usual start of the Investec Champions Cup, and EPCR Challenge Cup in December.
Those cup competitions start next weekend, so look out for the fixtures and get ready to plan the weekends accordingly.
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