RUGBY NEWS - The 2026/27 United Rugby Championship season is in full swing and this weekend the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions get underway.

But it’s not long to go before the Springboks are back in action again.

Rassie Erasmus and his coaches are currently on a break, but no doubt keeping an eye on all the players in action in the URC and from this weekend the Europe-based cup competitions.

The last time the Boks were in action was on 27 September when they lost 42-38 to Australia in Perth.

Before that they beat the All Blacks in their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series 3-1, with the last match taking place in Baltimore, USA.

Nations Championship

The Boks will next be in action in the second part of the inaugural Nations Championship competition, this time in Europe in November.

In part one, in South Africa in July, the Boks beat England 45-21, Scotland 42-28 and Wales 43-0.

Next month the Boks take on Italy in Turin (7 November, 13:40), France in Paris (13 November, 22:10) and Ireland in Dublin (21 November, 18:40).

Depending on these results and those of the other teams involved in the Nations Championship, the South Africans will also play on the weekend of 27, 28 and 29 November in the Finals Weekend of the competition to determine log places and the ultimate champion team of the hemispheres.

As thing stand, the Boks top the “Southern Hemisphere” pool, followed by New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, with Japan and Fiji bringing up the rear.

In the “Northern Hemisphere” pool, France lead the way, followed by Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Italy.

For all the results, fixtures and standings in the Nations Championship click here.

Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen

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