Boks’ season underway with first alignment camp

The Springboks officially kicked off their 2026 programme on Tuesday with a three-day alignment camp in Cape Town, where the players were exposed to the expectations of them on and off the field this season, the macroplan for the year, as well as the standards expected in each position.

The group of 49 players, including 11 new faces, assembled in the Mother City on Tuesday and had their first session later that evening, which dealt with the macroplan and logistics for the 2026 international season, which was followed by a gym visit on Wednesday morning and a series of boardroom sessions throughout the day presented by the coaches, led by head coach Rassie Erasmus.

The camp will continue on Thursday and will conclude with the SA Rugby Awards, before the players return to their provincial unions on Friday.

The sessions covered the details of how a training and Test week operates, as well as the demands on them each week in national camp and what they need to focus on individually to play their way into the national team.

This camp will be followed by a virtual alignment camp with 21 overseas-based players, with the second alignment camp set to be hosted in May.

The Boks will kick off the season with a fixture against the Barbarians on Saturday, 20 June in Gqeberha, followed by three local matches in the Nations Championship, against England in Johannesburg (4 July), Scotland in Pretoria (11 July), and Wales in Durban (18 July).

They will then meet Argentina in Buenos Aires (8 August), and the All Blacks in four Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in August and September.

This will be followed by an away Test against the Wallabies in Australia (27 September), before the second leg of the Nations Championship kicks off in Europe, with matches against Italy (7 November), France (13 November), and Ireland (21 November), before the Finals Weekend in London (27 to 29 November).

Springbok fixtures 2026

International

Saturday 20 June: Springboks v Barbarians (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha)

Nations Championship

Saturday 4 July: Springboks v England (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

Saturday 11 July: Springboks v Scotland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

Saturday 18 July: Springboks v Wales (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry

Saturday 22 August: Springboks v All Blacks (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

Saturday 29 August: Springboks v All Blacks (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)

Saturday 5 September: Springboks v All Blacks (FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)

Saturday 12 September: Springboks v All Blacks (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA)

Once-off Tests

Saturday, 8 August: Argentina v Springboks (venue TBC)

Sunday 27 September: Wallabies v Springboks (Optus Stadium, Perth)

Nations Championship

Saturday 7 November: Italy v Springboks (venue TBC)

Friday 13 November: France v Springboks (Stade de France, Paris)

Saturday 21 November: Ireland v Springboks (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November: Finals Weekend (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London)

Players invited to the first Springbok alignment camp

Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Kai Pratt, Emmanuel Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Siphosethu Mnebebele, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Vodacom Bulls), Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Frans Malherbe, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos (all DHL Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Lions).

Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sebastian de Klerk, Cheswill Jooste, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard (all Vodacom Bulls), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Markus Muller, Cobus Reinach, Damian Willemse (all DHL Stormers), Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Morne van den Berg (all Lions).