The Springboks will play a Test in Adelaide for the first time when they line up against the Wallabies in the first of their two Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches in Australia on Saturday, 27 August, with their second encounter scheduled for the following week in New South Wales (venue to be confirmed) on 3 September.
Rugby Australia confirmed the Boks’ destinations on Monday, while SA Rugby confirmed that all six the Boks’ home Tests this year will kick off at 17h05 (SA time) – against Wales in the Castle Lager Incoming Series in July, as well as the three Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests in South Africa, against New Zealand at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit (6 August) and at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg (13 August), and the final match of the tournament, against Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban (24 September).
Kick-off times for both clashes against Australia, at the Adelaide Oval in South Australia and in NSW, must still be confirmed, while the Boks’ away match against Argentina at Estadio Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires (17 September) is scheduled to start at 16h10 (21h10 SA time).
The three Castle Lager Incoming Series fixtures – all to start at 17h05 as well – are against Wales are at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (2 July), the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein (9 July) and at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town (16 July).
Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber was excited about the Springboks making their first appearance in Adelaide, and returning to NSW for the first time in more than a decade in the southern hemisphere spectacle, and said it would be a great experience for the team after becoming accustomed to playing mainly in Brisbane and Perth in the last few years.
“We are very excited about playing in Adelaide for the first time and hopefully we can make the most of this occasion in a season that will be vital as we build towards to the Rugby World Cup in France next year,” said Nienaber.
“The players enjoyed the experience of playing four Tests in Queensland last year, and Adelaide will present another exciting new challenge for the team, while the last time we played the Wallabies in New South Wales, was back in 2011 in Sydney.
“It also offers us the opportunity to start on a new slate at a fresh venue in a country that we have come to know very well over the years.”
Nienaber also said the confirmation of the kick-off times for the Boks’ local Tests assists tremendously with their planning.
“Match-days are very structured for us, and every minute counts in ensuring that the players perform to their optimal ability when the starting whistle sounds, so the kick-off times allows us to finetune our planning even more as the countdown begins to the international season.”
Springbok fixtures and SA kick-off times:
Castle Lager Incoming Tour:
- 17h05: Saturday, 2 July – Springboks v Wales (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
- 17h05: Saturday, 9 July – Springboks v Wales (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein)
- 17h05: Saturday, 16 July – Springboks v Wales (Cape Town)
Castle Lager Rugby Championship:
- 17h05: Saturday, 6 August – Springboks v All Blacks (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
- 17h05: Saturday, 13 August – Springboks v All Blacks (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
- TBC: Saturday, 27 August – Australia v Springboks (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
- TBC: Saturday, 3 September – Australia v Springboks (New South Wales, venue TBC)
- 21h10: Saturday, 17 September – Argentina v Springboks (Estadio Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires)
- 17h05: Saturday, 24 September – Springboks v Argentina (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
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