Springboks to now also face Japan this season?

Is Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus lining up one or two additional Tests against Japan this season?

The two-time World Cup winner said last week he was considering organising three extra matches for the Springboks this season, one of which could be a non-Test match against the Barbarians.

The other two would be official Tests, however, they would fall outside the international Test window, allowing Erasmus to push several young stars into the field as he looks to build depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

The Boks have 13 Tests scheduled for the coming season, starting with two matches against Italy in July, followed by a one-off Test against tier two side, Georgia.

Those matches are followed by the six the Boks will play in the Rugby Championship, against Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, while they’re scheduled to play France, Italy, Ireland and Wales on their northern hemisphere tour in November.

Additional Tests

According to Rapport, the Boks could now also come up against Japan in one or two Tests this year, but there is no indication when the matches would take place or where.

A match against the Barbarians is likely to take place the week before the first Test against Italy (5 July), should it get the green light

The last time the Boks and Japan clashed was in the World Cup quarter-finals in Tokyo in 2019, when the South Africans won 26-3.

In the 2015 tournament in England, the Eddie Jones coached side pulled off one of the biggest shocks in rugby when they beat the Boks 34-32 in Brighton.

Bok alignment camp

With the United Rugby Championship taking a break this week, Erasmus has organised the first of the season’s alignment camps, taking place in Cape Town from Monday to Wednesday.

The camp, with 55 players invited, will comprise two gymnasium sessions and a series of boardroom meetings to get the players up to speed on the requirements and expected standards for the season.

The group includes 18 members of the 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning squad – 10 of which were also crowned champions at the 2019 World Cup, and five of whom participated in the 2015 international extravaganza – with additional 22 capped national players named in the group.

Three players who had been earmarked to feature for the Boks this year, but will no longer attend the camp because they have been ruled out of rugby for the remainder of the year are Trevor Nyakane (injured), Elrigh Louw (injured) and Steven Kitshoff, who has retired.

Players invited to Springbok alignment camp:

Forwards: Ethan Bester, Phepsi Buthelezi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche (all Sharks); Ben-Jason Dixon, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all Stormers); Renzo du Plessis, Francke Horn, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Lions); Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Reinhardt Ludwig, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams (all Sharks); Paul de Wet, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (all Stormers); Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Henco van Wyk (all Lions); Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier (all Bulls).