Overview
- South Africa closed the 2025 Test season atop the World Rugby rankings after defending the Rugby Championship and delivering landmark away wins, including Wellington and Dublin.
- Malcolm Marx was named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year as six Springboks earned places in the 2025 Dream Team.
- Despite their top seeding, the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw could still hand the Springboks a demanding pool under the format that may include hosts Australia or Scotland from the second band.
- The Blitzboks finished fifth in Dubai, thumping Great Britain 34-0 and beating Spain 21-12 after pool losses to Fiji and Argentina, with coach Philip Snyman calling day one below standard.
- For the Cape Town SVNS on 6–7 December, South Africa are in Pool A with New Zealand, Fiji and Great Britain, face fitness checks on Selvyn Davids and Ryan Oosthuizen, and play pool matches at 12:44, 16:00 and 19:41 on Saturday.