The Rugby Championship returns to a double round format in 2024 with the Springboks set to play three Tests and home and three on the road through the campign.
Siya Kolisi will lead the Springboks in the Rugby Championship as we learned with the recent squad announcement.
The Springboks face the All Blacks in two Tests on home soil. However, they start with a double-header downunder against Australia. We will see the campaign conclude with matches against Argentina, first away and then at home.
In Rugby Championship history the Springboks have never won a campaign of six matches or longer.
Rugby Championship road to glory
Here we look at the Springboks schedule and how that will play into their quest for a Rugby Championship title.
Saturday, 10 August 06:30 Australia v Springboks (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
The Springboks start their campaign at a ground they have had a nightmare record at in the past. South Africa have won just one Test match at Lang park,also known as Suncorp Stadium.
Australian rugby is at a low ebb at the moment but the Queensland fans have traditionally managed to get at least 40,000 in the ground when the Springboks have come to town. Only the 2003 Tri-Nations match between the world-champion Wallabies and the Springboks attracted a crowd in excess of 50,000 to the Brisbane ground.
The Springboks have only won once at Suncorp, with that victory coming in 2013. South Africa have won just 13 of their 43 Tests against Australia in Australia. However, the Springboks have won their last two Test matches against Australia and their only 2023 meeting sawe the Springboks beat the Wallabies 43-12 at Loftus.
Saturday, 17 August 11:45 Australia v Springboks (Optus Stadium, Perth)
The Springboks need to set themselves up for the Rugby Championship with a tough double-header down under with a first Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of what would have been the first Springbok Test at Optus Stadium. It is unlikely that the stadium’s 65,000 capacity will be tested with this match but a positive result for the hosts in Brisbane might see a bigger than expected crowd turn up to back the Wallabies.
Perth is also known for coming out in force to support South African teams and the Springboks got some good results at the now demolished Subiaco Oval.
Saturday, 31 August 17:00 Springboks v New Zealand (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
Ellis Park has its own special place in the rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks, from that epic 1995 World Cup final, to Pat Lambey’s amazing Test match winning penalty but it was New Zealand who won the first match between the sides at the famous venue. The All Blacks scraped a 7-6 win over South Africa there in 1928.
In recent matches, the All Blacks have broken any great hold playing at the ground might have held. However it remains to be seen if the altitude test can be handled as well by a team that have been deprived of Super Rugby trips to the highveld.
This match could decide the fate of the Rugby Championship. We could see a sellout crowd in Joburg.
Saturday, 7 September 17:00 Springboks v New Zealand (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
The All Blacks will get the small boost in support they are accustomed to seeing in the Western Cape but in the much larger Cape Town Stadium they will be firmly the away team.
Cape Town Stadium hosts the All Blacks for the first time but the men from New Zealand will recall that they have won their last two Test matches in the Mother City.
The stadium has played host to the British and Irish Lions series which the Springboks won 2-1 and also a Test match against Wales. The Springboks have won three of the four Tests they have played at the venue.
Saturday, 21 September 23:00 Argentina v Springboks (Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero)
Argentina have invited the Springboks to help them take rugby into new territory in the country with just the second rugby union Test at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero.
The venue has no established character as yet but the Pumas will be tough to beat anywhere in Argentina.
Argentina won the inaugural Test at the ground against Scotland in 2022 in front of 30,000 fans. This match might be important for the Springboks if they are in the hunt for the Rugby Championship title at this point
Saturday, 28 September 17:00 Springboks v Argentina (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
A victory lap or a dead rubber after a losing effort could be the fate of this match in Mbombela. It will be Argentina’s second Test match in Mbombela after they visited Mpumalanga in 2016 to lose to the Springboks in a hard-fought contest that ended 30-23.
Test rugby returns to Mbombela for the first time since they saw their 2020 Rugby Championship fixture cancelled.
The Springboks have never lost a Test match at the ground constructed for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Can the Springboks win the Rugby championship?
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