The Springboks wrapped up the 2025 Rugby Championship, feeling quite content with where they were as a team, and where they were needing to improve.
After defending their trophy at the iconic Allianz Stadium, the recently crowned Rugby Championship winners will soon return to Europe. Here they are set to face Japan, France, Italy, Ireland, and Wales on their Northern Hemisphere tour.
Despite the recent success, Rassie Erasmus is under no illusion that there are still many improvements to be made.
Springbok combinations affect rhythm
Earlier this month, Erasmus told reporters that he is still on a mission to find the perfect game. He explained that the inconsistency in their Rugby Championship performance was due to the testing of different combinations.
“We believe that when we give different combinations a chance, different guys under pressure a chance, you will have a little bit of a lack of rhythm,” he stated as reported by Planet Rugby.
Despite the inconsistencies, he added that the Springboks were still the better-performing team in this year’s tournament.
French flair to present the ultimate test
Following their first game against Japan in Wembley, the Springboks will shift their attention to the Stade de France. The last time they played at the venue was in the World Cup final in 2023.
For the French, this will be even more significant. This was where the teams played their quarter-final match. A game some described as the “greatest match in rugby”, in which the hosts fell short 29-28 and exited the competition.
This time, they will be without their captain, Antoine Dupont. The scrumhalf ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in France’s Six Nations win over Ireland earlier this year. Toulouse reported that he has been doing light training but will only return to action in December.
This, however, won’t deter the Six Nations champions from being up for the challenge and upsetting the South Africans.
Three areas of competition
Tony Ball vs French Flair
The Springboks have been praised for their ability to move the ball and play the offload game. Thanks to attack coach Tony Brown, they have been able to blend their expansive game with forward dominance. Meanwhile, the opposition have proven themselves worthy of matching this with individual skill, audacious offloads and unpredictability.
Forward dominance
Both teams can stand their ground in a scrum. South Africa has long been the more dominant force with their bomb squad that causes havoc. However, the opposition have since also trialled the infamous 7-1 split at this year’s Six Nations tournament and came out successful.
Emotion
With much history riding on the two teams. It will come down to who can remain composed under the pressure. Remaining calm will allow either team to execute the game plan to the best of their ability and could ensure a victory.
Springboks vs France takes place on 8 November at the Stade de France Stadium in Paris.
