Springbok home Test venues locked in for 2025 season

The Springboks will return to the Eastern Cape for the first time since 2021 when they take on Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha in the second Test of the Incoming Series in July, with SA Rugby confirming the venues of the six local Tests on Thursday.

The back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions will kick their season off against Italy in Pretoria a week earlier, on Saturday 5 July, and will also play in Mbombela, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban in 2025.

Italy will be visiting South Africa for the first time since 2013 and the Boks’ season opener at Loftus Versfeld will also be the first fixture between the teams in Gauteng, before they meet again a week later, on Saturday 12 July, in Gqeberha, where they last crossed paths in 2001.

The last time the Boks played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was two Tests against Argentina in 2021, behind closed doors due to the COVID pandemic.

Georgia clash

The last Test in the Incoming Series is against Georgia at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, 19 July – which is only the third match between the sides in history, with the first being in Sydney during the 2003 RWC and second in Pretoria in 2021, with the latter also played in an empty stadium due to COVID restrictions. A second Test between the sides had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

After a month break the Boks will begin their Rugby Championship title defence against Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg and the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 16 and 23 August, before travelling to New Zealand for successive Tests against the All Blacks in Auckland and Wellington.

They will then return to South Africa for their final home Test of the year against Argentina at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, 27 September, before the away match against the Pumas a week later at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was pleased with the Test venues and said it sparked even more excitement among the coaches for the 2025 season.

Peace of mind

“The confirmation of the Test venues always gives us peace of mind from a coaching and management team perspective because it means we can step up our planning, and it also boosts the excitement from the public for the season,” said Erasmus.

“We have played at most of these venues in the last few years and we know them well, although it will be particularly exciting to return to Gqeberha for the first time since 2021.

“We thoroughly enjoy the passionate support we receive from our home crowds throughout the country, and we have no doubt we will enjoy great support at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium once again – this time in a packed stadium, which we last experienced in the Eastern Cape in 2018 against Australia.”

Erasmus was content with the hard work done behind the scenes so far as they look to build on a successful 2024 season: “We are already at an advanced stage of our planning from a coaching, logistics, and operations perspective, and it’s exciting to see how everything is coming together ahead of another challenging and exciting season.”

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer shared Erasmus’ excitement following the confirmation of the Test venues and said: “All six home Tests will be played at top-class venues, and we are pleased that we will see the Boks run out in five different provinces.

“The team enjoys a lot of support throughout the country – we had more than 300000 fans in attendance at our home Tests last year – and by spreading out the matches, hopefully it allows as many people as possible to see them live in action.”

Springbok home fixtures in 2025

Incoming Series

5 July: SA v Italy – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

12 July: SA v Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha

19 July: SA v Georgia – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Rugby Championship

16 August: SA v Australia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg

23 August: SA v Australia – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

27 September: SA v Argentina – Kings Park, Durban