So what does the thrilling and tense finale to the Guinness Six Nations season have to do with the Springboks? Well, it is quite simple - after England play France on Saturday night, their next fixture is in Johannesburg against the world champions in July.
You could go further than that. After Scotland play their biggest game in ages as they head to Dublin in quest of the win that will put them in the frame for their first ever Six Nations title, they will be two games away from playing the Boks at Loftus. And Wales will be heading to Durban for their Nations Cup game against Rassie Erasmus’ South Africans 160 minutes of test rugby later.
It’s been a weird and topsy turvy Six Nations and the Bok brains trust might be forgiven if they feel a bit confused. When they hosted a media day at SARU House in Plattekloof last Monday, it was clear that France were the team they most feared. The “evolution” of the France team under Fabien Galthie was much admired by Rassie and his assistant coaches, as was the depth that has been developed by that nation.
But they were speaking five days before Scotland completely confounded any theories about French invincibility and any aura being developed by posting 50 points against them at Murrayfield. And don’t be fooled by the 50-40 end scoreline, the Scotland win was far more emphatic than that and was pretty much certain around 50 minutes into a game that the hosts dominated until they released some pressure on the accelerator in the last 10 minutes.
The Triple Crown decider 🤩🔥
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) March 12, 2026
Can Ireland go back-to-back, or will Scotland win it for the first time in the #GuinnessM6N era? 🤔#SSRugby | #SixNations pic.twitter.com/U2lcTfjqgt
It was pretty much the same story when Scotland beat England before that - Scotland had the game won long before the final whistle and a late England try put some false gloss on the contest from the loser’s perspective and made it appear the game was closer than it was.
WHAT WOULD RASSIE WANT?
It would be interesting to know Bok coach Erasmus’ wish for the final game of the Six Nations, which sees France pitted against England in a ‘Le Crunch’ fixture that many English people were hoping would be a Grand Slam decider but now isn’t in any sense because not even France are playing for a clean sweep.
My money says that Rassie likes a challenge and likes the games the Boks play to be hyped, as it means his men have more to prove, so he may be secretly hoping that England bounce back from three successive defeats to beat France, thus adding some meaning to the game between the 2019 World Cup finalists at Ellis Park on the first Saturday in July.
Not that it would be a significant lift for the English in the Six Nations. If Italy beat Wales in Cardiff in an earlier game, England will still finish fifth. But an England win will be meaningful for whichever team wins the showdown in Dublin between Ireland and Italy.
THE PERMUTATIONS
France and Scotland are currently level at the top after four games with 16 points. France has a superior points differential, so if they both win their games and get the same number of log points out of them, then France will retain the Six Nations title. If Scotland win with a bonus point and France win without a bonus point, then the title is Scotland’s for the first time in the Six Nations era (in other words since Italy was added to the competition).
Five wins from five for the Irish 💯☘️
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) March 12, 2026
Will they extend that record in Dublin on Saturday? 🤔#SSRugby | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/craZcC4O6K
Ireland are just two points behind France and Scotland, in third, and are also still very much in the race. If they win against Scotland and France lose to England, then they will regain the trophy they relinquished to France last season.
Regardless of what happens in Dublin, the Championship will still be on the line at the start of the France/England game that draws the final curtain on what has been a riveting competition.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Scotland have been brilliant at home but that was against two teams they had both beaten fairly recently. They have a horrible record against Ireland, with Ireland having won 11 on the trot. There is a reason for that, the Irish tend to be more physical and direct in their approach against the Scots than maybe France and England are, and it is hard to see the Irish defence leaving as many holes for the Scots to pour through that the French and England did. It would be a surprise if Ireland did not win.
Three wins for France and two for England in the last five 👀
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) March 12, 2026
We're ready for a blockbuster in Paris 🍿#SSRugby | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/VJkluHMopv
In the Paris game France will start as strong favourites despite the unexpected defeat in Edinburgh. France usually has one blow out every Six Nations campaign, and that would have been it. When it comes to England, you feel they have to come right some time, but it is hard to see that happening against a French team that will have been buzzed into a response by what happened at Murrayfield. Take France to win and with it they will win the Six Nations
The other game sees Wales play Italy and most pundits will be anticipating an Italy win after their historic triumph against England in Rome. But that could be the very reason Wales might surprise. The vibe of the Italy/Wales fixture has changed significantly from what it was a few years ago, when Italy went in as underdogs in a quest to break a long Six Nations win drought. There is no drought now, and how will they handle going to Cardiff as favourites? Don’t be too surprised if this game sees Wales break a sequence of 15 defeats in the Six Nations.
WHAT IS ON THE LINE
For Scotland it is not just about winning the Six Nations, if they beat Ireland they will win the Triple Crown, awarded to the team that wins the battle between the Home Union teams, for the first time since 1990. Ireland are also chasing a Triple Crown, although they have won it fairly frequently since Scotland last won it.
The big one, meaning the Six Nations title itself, is on the line for France, Scotland and Ireland. England are playing to lift themselves from second last, but to do that they need Wales to win in Cardiff and then they need to beat France. The wooden spoon has already been decided - that will go to Wales. But the Welsh do have plenty to play for against Italy as they desperately need to add a scalp other than Japan to the teams they’ve beaten since the last World Cup.
Final Guinness Six Nations matches
Ireland v Scotland (Dublin, Saturday 16:10)
Wales v Italy (Cardiff, Saturday 18:40)
France v England (Paris, Saturday 22:10)