SA Select XV to play midweek games on Bok year-end tour

SA Rugby has also confirmed an SA Select XV game against the Bristol Bears as part of a planned series of midweek games.

The Springboks will kick off their tour against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, 5 November, and this will be followed by Tests against France at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome a week later on 12 November. 

Italy await on 19 November, while the tour will conclude against England at Twickenham in London on 26 November.

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Negotiations are also currently underway to arrange two more midweek games for an SA Select XV team during the tour.

“Our traditional year-end tour is taking shape, and the fact that we have confirmed one of the SA Select XV games already is great news,” said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.

“The SA Select XV games will provide us with a chance to cast our net wider looks to build squad depth and give players as much game time as possible as the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France draws nearer.

“We only have a limited number of matches left before we kick off our Rugby World Cup campaign in September next year, and we need to use every opportunity we can to give the players game time to develop our player combinations and build squad depth.

Nienaber added: “We have constantly alluded to ensuring that we can take a squad to the World Cup with a reasonable amount of Test caps, and although the planned mid-week games are not Tests, it will be vital in keeping the players in tune with our structures and systems and giving them the chance to tour with us and play overseas. That is the only way once can build that type of experience.”