Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks will continue building squad depth in 2026 with the 2027 World Cup firmly in mind.
The back-to-back world champions begin their season with a non-cap match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June before launching their Nations Championship campaign against England at Ellis Park on 4 July.
“The focus is very much on that Barbarians match and building into the England Test at Ellis Park,” Erasmus said on Monday.
While winning remains paramount, the Bok coach stressed the importance of long-term planning.
“We averaged nine changes per game last year, so we’re not under pressure to suddenly experiment,” he said. “But depth is crucial. You might lose four or five players in one position. Succession planning is key.
“If we keep winning, continuity helps. But we’ll always try to build five or six deep in every position. That’s what gives you a chance at a World Cup.”
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SA Rugby CEO Riaan Oberholzer described 2026 as “one of the bigger years we will have outside of a World Cup year”.
“We start with the Nations Championship, which we’ve been looking forward to,” he said. “In the past we had friendlies and incoming tours. Now we’re playing for points. It builds to a final weekend in London and gives real meaning to the international season.
“And then, of course, there’s the Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand. “We’ve been working for a while to regulate contact between South Africa and New Zealand and bring proper tours back. It will happen every four years, similar to the Lions cycle. It’s new and exciting for our players and our fans.”
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Oberholzer said commercial and strategic considerations influenced the decision to take the fourth Test of the series to the USA.
“To create financial stability we must take our brand wider than South Africa. America is a very important market leading up to 2031, when the World Cup will be staged there.
“World Rugby encouraged us to support its vision, and our sponsors see value in it too.”
He confirmed tickets for the Baltimore Test are close to selling out.
MORE: Springboks 2026 schedule
Team manager Charles Wessels outlined a demanding schedule.
“The Springboks will be together for 135 days this year,” he said. “We are playing 13 Tests and 14 matches in total. We are 581 days away from kicking off our 2027 World Cup campaign against Italy.”
Wessels confirmed the Boks will play 20 Tests before the global showpiece.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
