The Springboks will face formidable, bruising opponents in their final Test before next year’s World Cup.
Siya Kolisi’s men will take on Fiji at the 20,000-capacity Central Coast Stadium in Gosford on Saturday, 18 September 2027.
It will be their last hit-out before they begin their World Cup campaign 15 days later against Italy in Adelaide on Sunday, 3 October, as they bid to become the first team to win the tournament three times in a row.
The fixture will also mark only the fourth meeting between the two nations, while giving supporters in Australia the chance to see the world champions and one of international rugby’s most exciting sides in action ahead of the tournament.
Bok boss Rassie Erasmus believes Fiji will provide the Boks with exactly the type of challenge they need before beginning their World Cup title defence.
“We are very excited about the announcement of the clash against Fiji as part of our preparations for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, and for the opportunity to play another Test match in Gosford on the Central Coast after last facing the Pacific Islanders there in 2004,” said Erasmus.
“Fiji are a quality team who have consistently tested some of the top sides in the world over the last few years, and they proved that they can be a force to be reckoned with by advancing to the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup, so it’s certainly going to be a great test for our team before the international spectacle in Australia.”
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The Flying Fijians will be looking to build on their quarter-final appearance in France in 2023 and Erasmus expects them to relish the opportunity to test themselves against the world champions.
“They are one of the top-10 ranked teams in the world, and they are a physical and talented side who will undoubtedly want to take full advantage of the match, similarly to us, before the World Cup kicks off,” he said.
Both teams will establish high-performance training camps on the Central Coast around the Test as part of their preparations, while also engaging with the local community.
Kick-off is scheduled for 10am SA time.
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Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post Boks’ final World Cup warm-up locked in appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The Springboks will face formidable, bruising opponents in their final Test before next year’s World Cup.
The post Boks’ final World Cup warm-up locked in appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
