This week it was confirmed by Rassie Erasmus that the Springboks could play as many as 15 Tests in 2025, with the coach having made this request in order to keep building squad depth.

“We are hoping for 15 [Tests], and they should be confirmed soon,” Erasmus said. “We have a tough season, but we need that. We still want to filter players and give others opportunities.”

With this prospect in mind, and considering it no longer seems likely that the Springboks will ditch the Rugby Championship for the Six Nations any time soon, there will be some questions around player welfare.

After last year’s end-of-year tour, most South African players headed straight back into action with their domestic teams in the URC and other European competitions, and there has been a severe injury toll during an almost never-ending season.

Although there has been talk of a global season with aligned competition dates, nothing has materialised as yet. However, during an interview with The Telegraph, it was a prospect validated by Erasmus, who suggested the Rugby Championship should be moved to the same window as the Six Nations between February and March.

“I think it would have sorted out a lot of problems, player load and injury wise, with the URC and European Cup it would definitely free up a lot of weeks for us,” Erasmus said in reference to the Rugby Championship moving to earlier in the year.

“Us joining the Six Nations, I’m not sure how that sits with other people,” he added. “We admire the competition and when I was at Munster I realised how big it is. For me, having been there for 18 months or so, I’m not sure if the Six Nations and northern hemisphere would want us in there.

“There are a lot of traditions that are a little bit more valuable than us just fitting in and thinking we can just go into a competition that has a hell of a lot of heritage, so I’m not what the answer is there.”

Springbok fixtures in 2025:

28 June: SA v Barbarians, TBA

Incoming Series:

5 July: SA v Italy, Pretoria

12 July: SA v Italy, Gqeberha

19 July: SA v Georgia, Nelspruit

Rugby Championship:

16 August: SA v Australia, Johannesburg

23 August: SA v Australia, Cape Town

6 September: New Zealand v SA – Eden Park, Auckland

13 September: New Zealand v SA – Sky Stadium, Wellington

27 September: SA v Argentina, Durban

4 October: Argentina v SA – Twickenham, London

Year-end tour:

8 November: France v South Africa, Paris

15 November: Italy v South Africa, Turin

22 November: Ireland v South Africa, Dublin

29 November: Wales v South Africa, Cardiff