The Springboks have made a perfect start to the 2026 season, which saw the world champions kick off with a big win over the Barbarians before brushing aside England, Scotland and Wales.
However, things are about to get a lot more challenging as a four-Test series against the All Blacks looms on the horizon, with this highly-anticipated ‘Greatest Rugby Rivalry’ sandwiched in between a one-off Test against Argentina and Australia respectively.
At the end of the year the Nations Championship resumes, and for the Springboks, this will include games against Italy, France and Ireland.
With this in mind, here are all the kick off times to jot down in your rugby diaries for the rest of the season.
SPRINGBOKS’ REMAINING 2026 FIXTURES AND KICK OFF TIMES
Once-off Test
- Saturday 8 August: Argentina v Boks
- Venue: Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires
- Kick-off: 21:00
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (v All Blacks)
- Saturday 22 August: Boks v All Blacks
- Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Saturday 29 August: Boks v All Blacks
- Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Saturday 5 September: Boks v All Blacks
- Venue: FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
- Kick-off: 17:00
- Saturday 12 September: Boks v All Blacks
- Venue: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA
- Kick-off: 18:00 (Expected)
Once-off Test
- Sunday 27 September: Wallabies v Boks
- Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth
- Kick-off: 11:30
Nations Championship (End of Year Tour)
- Saturday 7 November: Italy v Boks
- Venue: Venue TBC
- Kick-off: 16:00
- Friday 13 November: France v Boks
- Venue: Stade de France, Paris
- Kick-off: 22:00
- Saturday 21 November: Ireland v Boks
- Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- Kick-off: 19:30
- 27–29 November: Finals Weekend
- Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
- Kick-off: TBC
Boks not slowing down
Recently, in a fascinating interview Eben Etzebeth conducted with The Verdict podcast, the veteran lock explained how Rassie Erasmus continues to best prepare the Springboks.
“I don’t know if you’ve watched Prison Break, but there’s a guy on there, Michael Scofield. He was always one step ahead.
“Every time people thought they were going to catch him, he’d already planned for it. That’s how Rassie is with the way he does things. He’ll do something today, but he’s already thinking about what’s coming next.
He says even if you think it’s a bad plan, if everyone buys into it and everyone does it, it can actually become a good plan,” Etzebeth said. “With all the different things he tries and all the different moves, we just buy in.
“It’s not like in some environments where a coach comes with a suggestion and senior players think one thing, junior players think another and then it doesn’t work.
“With him, we just buy in. Most of it works.”
