Rassie Erasmus Reacts As Springboks’ 2027 Rugby World Cup Schedule Is Confirmed
- The Springboks' fixtures for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia have been released on Tuesday, February, 2026
- World Rugby confirmed the schedule for all 24 nations participating in the competition, with the Springboks gunning for their third title in a row
- The South African men's rugby national team head coach, Rassie Erasmus, was quick to share his thoughts after the schedule was confirmed
South Africa will make just their second-ever appearance in Adelaide when they kick off their 2027 Rugby World Cup journey against Italy on Sunday, 3 October 2027.
The Springboks will then travel to Brisbane and Perth for their remaining Pool B fixtures against Georgia and Romania.
Source: Getty Images
World Rugby confirmed the full match schedule for the 2027 Rugby World Cup on Tuesday,3 February 2026, in Sydney, confirming that games will be staged across eight venues throughout Australia.
Rassie Erasmus would be hoping the Springboks can defend the World Cup title for the third time in a row. He would be in charge of the team after signing a contract extension late in 2025, and he also confirmed that Tony Brown would be with him as an assistant coach despite being linked with a return to New Zealand.
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Springbok' 2027 World Cup schedule
Chasing an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup crown, the Springboks will begin their campaign against Italy at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, 3 October 2027, with kick-off scheduled for 05:45 (SA time). Their only previous Test at the venue came against Australia four years ago.
Erasmus will then lead the team to face Georgia at Brisbane Stadium on Sunday, 10 October, 2027 (08:45 SA time), before concluding their pool phase against Romania at Perth Stadium on Sunday, 17 October, 2027, with kick-off at 13:15 (SA time).
The top two teams from each of the six pools, along with the four highest-ranked third-placed sides, will progress to the round of 16. If the Springboks finish first or second in Pool B, their round-of-16 match will be played in Perth, followed by a quarter-final in Sydney, which will also host the tournament’s semi-finals and final.
Under the revised competition format, the round of 16 will take place over the weekend of 23 and 24 October, 2027, followed by quarter-finals on 30 and 31 October, 2027, in Sydney and Brisbane. Stadium Australia in Sydney will host both semi-finals on 5 and 6 November, as well as the final on Saturday, 13 November.
Erasmus reacts to World Cup schedule
Erasmus has described the release of the 2027 Rugby World Cup fixture list as a crucial starting point in fine-tuning the Springboks’ preparations for the global showpiece.
The South African rugby coach welcomed the clarity around venues and dates, noting that recent Rugby Championship matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney give the squad valuable familiarity with Australian conditions.
With the schedule now confirmed, Erasmus said the team can intensify its build-up, stressing that every detail will be addressed to ensure the players arrive at the tournament fully refreshed and in peak condition.
Source: Getty Images
The Springboks are targeting an additional preparatory fixture in June ahead of the start of their 2026 campaign, which officially gets underway in July with Nations Championship encounters against England at Johannesburg on 4 July, Scotland in Pretoria a week later, and Wales in Durban on 18 July.
August and September will then be dominated by a landmark four-Test showdown with the All Blacks as part of the newly launched Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, featuring two fixtures in Johannesburg alongside matches in Cape Town and Baltimore.
The schedule continues with a trip to Australia for a Test against the Wallabies on 27 September, although the exact venue is yet to be announced, before the Springboks return to Europe for the latter phase of the Nations Championship, facing Italy on 7 November, France on 14 November, and Ireland on 21 November.
Erasmus reacts to Springboks' World Cup draw
Briefly News also reported that Erasmus has shared his thoughts on the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw, which was held in Australia.
The Springboks coach made a bold statement about the pool South Africa found themselves in after the draw.
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Source: Briefly News
