After Rugby Championship, what’s next for the Springboks?

With the 2021 Rugby Championship now done and dusted, what’s next for the Springboks?

It’s been a tough few months for the world champions who’ve lived in a bio-bubble since May and been asked to produce rugby of the highest order – against some of the strongest teams on the planet.

Added to this the Boks went into the 2021 season having not played any rugby since winning the World Cup at the end of 2019. They didn’t play a game in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic.

Yet, the Boks still managed to win the series against the British and Irish Lions in July and August, they beat Argentina in two home games and could easily have also won the Rugby Championship, played on neutral ground in Queensland, Australia, if luck had been on their side.

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As it turned out the Boks only won three out of six in the Championship, losing twice to Australia and once to the All Blacks. The first loss to the Wallabies was by two points (28-26) after giving away a last-minute penalty, while the first loss to the All Blacks was also due to the Boks giving away a late penalty (19-17).

The only defeat of the three where the Boks were well beaten was the second Test against Australia, as Jacques Nienaber’s men crashed 30-17.

The final match, last Saturday, against the All Blacks was also a close affair, the win by the Boks secured at the death when on this occasion it was the world champions to get the late penalty, to triumph 31-29.

The Boks finished third in the Rugby Championship with 15 points. Australia were second with 18 and New Zealand first with 25.

The Bok players will now take some time off before assembling in a few weeks’ time for their November tour of Europe.

The Boks are scheduled to face Wales (6 November), Scotland (13 November) and England (20 November) on consecutive Saturdays next month.