The Springboks have a short break after their dramatic defeat to Australia, but Rassie Erasmus’ side still have four Tests to complete before the end of 2026.
The Springboks will have some time away from Test rugby during October before returning to action for a demanding end-of-year campaign in November.
South Africa have already endured a busy 2026 season, including three Tests in July, a pair of one-off internationals against Argentina and Australia, and a four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand.
With the October window providing a break from international fixtures, several Springboks are expected to return to their clubs and could feature in the United Rugby Championship before the national team reconvenes.
The Boks will then begin their November campaign as part of the Nations Championship, with four Tests scheduled before the competition reaches its finals weekend.
Springboks’ November fixtures
South Africa’s next Test will be against Italy in Turin.
- 7 November: Italy vs Springboks
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
Kick-off: 16:00 - 13 November: France vs Springboks
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 22:00 - 21 November: Ireland vs Springboks
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 19:30 - 27–29 November: Nations Championship Finals Weekend
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: To be confirmed
The final fixture of the campaign will depend on how the teams finish the Nations Championship pool stage.
The competition brings together teams from the northern and southern hemispheres, with results across the pool-stage matches determining the final standings in each conference.
The teams will then meet their corresponding-ranked opponent from the opposite conference during finals weekend, with the top-ranked teams contesting the Grand Final.
Boks looking to bounce back
The October break comes after a disappointing afternoon in Perth, where Australia defeated South Africa 42-38 in a dramatic Test at Optus Stadium.
Although Erasmus made a number of changes to his starting XV, the result provided a reminder of the challenge facing the Boks as they build towards next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Erasmus acknowledged Australia’s improvement and said the match could prove useful ahead of the World Cup, particularly if the two teams meet in an important knockout fixture.
Captain Andre Esterhuizen was also frustrated that South Africa had allowed the match to reach such a difficult position after Australia built a significant lead.
The Springboks eventually produced a remarkable late comeback, but Australia held on for victory.
With four Tests still to come in 2026, South Africa now have a period to regroup before the November tour begins.
The Italy, France and Ireland Tests will provide further opportunities for Erasmus to assess his squad before the Nations Championship reaches its decisive final weekend.
