Erasmus to name Springbok team two days before All Blacks Test

Rassie Erasmus will announce the Springboks’ matchday squad at 14:00 on Thursday, 20 August, two days before South Africa face New Zealand at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The opening Test is scheduled for Saturday, 22 August.

The timing represents a change from Erasmus’s usual selection schedule. Since taking charge, the coach has generally confirmed his teams on the Monday or Tuesday of a Test week. This time, the squad will remain unconfirmed until the Thursday media conference at Southern Sun Hyde Park.

The announcement comes during a structured week of preparations for the Springboks. Erasmus and one player are due to meet the media on Monday, followed by assistant coach Felix Jones and three players on Tuesday. The squad’s first open training session will take place at Wits on Wednesday.

South Africa will have one full day between the team announcement and the Test. On Friday, the Springboks are scheduled to take their official team photograph at 10:00 before holding their captain’s run at Ellis Park from 11:00. The captain will then speak to the media at 13:30.

Saturday’s match will be the first of four fixtures involving the Springboks and All Blacks in a series that will determine Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. Erasmus’s selection will therefore be the final major team decision before the two sides begin their latest contest at Ellis Park.