Boks to return to Nelson Mandela Bay in 2025 home tests

The Springboks will tour the country again as the local tests have been spread around the country, with Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium joining Mbombela as two of the outer venues for the games in a “quieter” domestic season that will focus heavily on Bok player development.

For now there is no word on a possible extra test match as requested by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus in the SA Rugby press release last week with the Boks opening their international season in the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Italy in Pretoria this year.

The clash will be the first between the two sides in Gauteng, followed by a second test in Nelson Mandela Bay in Gqeberha a week later before the final Incoming Series game will be against Georgia in Nelspruit a week later.

The Boks will play Australia in back to back Castle Lager Rugby Championship tests in Joburg and Cape Town, while the Argentina test is set for Durban this year.

The venues for the six Springboks' home Test matches have been confirmed, with the team returning to Gqeberha for the first time since 2021 🇿🇦🏟️ pic.twitter.com/jxZ9433qrw
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 27, 2025

TOUGH OVERSEAS TESTS

For once, the overseas tests in 2025 will be a lot tougher for the Boks than their local games, with the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia overshadowing most of the test calendar.

But while that does take centre stage, there is an argument that the two-test tour of New Zealand in the Rugby Championship - with a blockbuster test at Eden Park where the All Blacks haven’t lost for 30 years - is just as big, if not bigger in world rugby.

The Boks also face four tests on their November tour - including the grudge return match against France following the Boks’ one-point victory in the World Cup quarterfinal and a match against World No 2 side Ireland in Dublin.

They will take on Italy in Rome as well, with the final November test being against Wales in Cardiff outside the test window.

The Boks will also face Argentina in London with Los Pumas giving up their right for a home test in order for some much-needed revenue in the British capital.

BACK TO THE BAY

The return to Nelson Mandela Bay however, will be the first since 2021 when the Boks faced Argentina twice in Covid-affected tests that were played in empty stadiums.

The last time the Boks faced Italy in Gqeberha was in 2001 in a very one-sided test in the Eastern Cape.

The Boks have faced Georgia in the 2003 World Cup and also in 2021 in Pretoria as a warm-up to the Lions tour that took place behind closed doors.

But a Covid outbreak among the Georgian team forced the second test to be cancelled.

The Boks will begin their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title defence against Australia at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg and the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 16 and 23 August, before travelling to New Zealand for successive tests against the All Blacks in Auckland (6 September) and Wellington (13 September).

They will then return to South Africa for their final home test of the year against Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, 27 September, before the away match against the Pumas a week later at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was pleased with the test venues and said it sparked even more excitement among the coaches for the 2025 season.

“The confirmation of the test venues always gives us peace of mind from a coaching and management team perspective because it means we can step up our planning, and it also boosts the excitement from the public for the season,” said Erasmus.

“We have played at most of these venues in the last few years and we know them well, although it will be particularly exciting to return to Gqeberha for the first time since 2021.

“We thoroughly enjoy the passionate support we receive from our home crowds throughout the country, and we have no doubt we will enjoy great support at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium once again – this time in a packed stadium, which we last experienced in the Eastern Cape in 2018 against Australia.”

ERASMUS CONTENT

Erasmus was content with the hard work done behind the scenes so far as they look to build on a successful 2024 season: “We are already at an advanced stage of our planning from a coaching, logistics, and operations perspective, and it’s exciting to see how everything is coming together ahead of another challenging and exciting season.”

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer shared Erasmus’s excitement following the confirmation of the test venues and said: “All six home tests will be played at top-class venues, and we are pleased that we will see the Boks run out in five different provinces.

“The team enjoys a lot of support throughout the country – we had more than 300 000 fans in attendance at our home tests last year – and by spreading out the matches, hopefully it allows as many people as possible to see them live in action.”

Details on ticket sales will be announced in due course.

SPRINGBOK FIXTURES IN 2025

CASTLE LAGER INCOMING SERIES:

5 July: SA v Italy – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

12 July: SA v Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha

19 July: SA v Georgia – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

CASTLE LAGER RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP:

16 August: SA v Australia – Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town

6 September: SA v New Zealand – Auckland

13 September: SA v New Zealand – Wellington

27 September: SA v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban