The Springboks’ blockbuster Test schedule includes a double dose of fixtures against all of Argentina, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Wales and one against each of England, Portugal and Scotland.
The double world champions will play six of the aforementioned 13 Test matches in 2024 in South Africa in front of their home crowds and the other seven will be played primarily in Europe as well as Australia and Argentina.
MID-YEAR OUTINGS A TEST OF CHARACTER
The Springboks will begin their reign as back-to-back world champions and their second spell under the tutelage of Rassie Erasmus with an exhibition Test against Wales at Twickenham in London on 22 June.
Erasmus’ men will then return to South Africa for three epic showdown’s on home soil.
First up is mouthwatering two-Test series against the Irish. The highly-anticipated series will pit the two top-ranked sides in the world against each other and will also afford the Springboks an opportunity to avenge their World Cup pool stage loss against Ireland.
The first Test between the rivals will take place at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 6 July, followed by the series-decider at Kings Park a week later.
Erasmus’ Springboks will then round off their mid-year Test campaign with an historic encounter when they tackle Portugal in Bloemfontein on 20 July in a game that could potentially help bridge the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 rugby nations while also elevating the growth of the game in developing rugby countries.
SPRINGBOKS RETURN TO TRADITIONAL TOURNAMENT AND RIVALRIES
The Boks will then shift their attention to the Rugby Championship, but there’ll be a three-week break in play before the southern hemisphere’s premier rugby tournament kicks off.
Two away Tests against the Wallabies in Sydney and Perth on 10 and 17 August, respectively, sees the Springboks start their campaign on a challenging note.
Luckily, the arduousness of the trip down under will be offset by another two-week break in play, before the Springboks tackle the All Blacks at Ellis Park on 31 August and Cape Town Stadium on 7 September.
The two games against Los Pumas will be home and away fixtures, with the first of the two taking place in Argentina and the second at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit in September.
END-OF-YEAR EUROPEAN TOUR: PARTY OR PAIN?
Erasmus will then lead his men into battle in Europe, where they are primed to clash with Scotland in Edinburgh, England in London and Wales in Cardiff.
Those three Tests will be played on the weekends of 10, 16 and 23 November.
SPRINGBOKS’ FULL 2024 TEST SCHEDULE
Mid-year Test fixtures
Saturday, 22 June: Springboks vs Wales (Twickenham, London)
Saturday, 6 July: SA vs Ireland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, 13 July: Springboks vs Ireland (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
Saturday, 20 July: SA vs Portugal (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Rugby Championship fixtures
Saturday, 10 August: Australia vs Springboks (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Saturday, 17 August: Australia vs SA (Optus Stadium, Perth)
Saturday, 31 August: Springboks vs New Zealand (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
Saturday, 7 September: SA v New Zealand (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday, 21 September: Argentina v Springboks (Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago)
Saturday, 28 September: SA v Argentina (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
End-of-year-tour fixtures
Sunday, 10 November: Scotland vs Springboks (Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Saturday, 16 November: England vs SA (Twickenham, London)
Saturday, 23 November: Wales vs Springboks (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
