Springboks’ home Tests in 2025: Opponents, dates confirmed

The Springboks will play just six Tests on home soil in 2025, after the world champions’ home Tests were confirmed on Wednesday.

After a bumper 2024 season which saw the Boks host Ireland in two Tests and New Zealand in two Tests, while also playing against Portugal and Argentina, Rassie Erasmus’ charges will welcome Italy, Georgia, Australia and Argentina to South Africa in 2025.

While the dates have been locked in for the Tests in the June/July window as well as the home leg of the Rugby Championship, SA Rugby will only confirm venues and kick-off times at a later stage.

Italy will visit South Africa for the first time since 2013 when they face the Boks on 5 and 12 July. Dating back to their first visit in 1999, the Azzurri have only played seven Tests in South Africa before.

A week later, the Boks will take on Georgia on home soil for the second time, in line with World Rugby’s plans to expose emerging nations to top tier opposition. The Lelos played one Test against South Africa in Pretoria in 2021, as prelude to the Covid-impacted tour of the British & Irish Lions. The second Test against Georgia was cancelled.

The Boks will start the defence of their Rugby Championship crown against the Wallabies, who host the British & Irish Lions in July, on consecutive weekends in August, on the 16th and 23rd.

Away Tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand follow on 6 and 13 September before the Boks wrap up the Rugby Championship home (27 September) and away (4 October) against Argentina.

Details of the venues for the All Blacks Tests, the away match in Argentina and the November tour to Europe will be announced in due course.

Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):

5 July: SA v Italy

12 July: SA v Italy

19 July: SA v Georgia

16 August: SA v Australia

23 August: SA v Australia

27 September: SA v Argentina