Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made 13 changes to his starting XV and recalled a host of experienced campaigners, led by captain Siya Kolisi, for Saturday’s Test against Argentina at Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires — the final fixture before the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.

Key team news:

• Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morne van den Berg all return from injury for their first Tests of 2026
• Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker are also back after recovering from niggles picked up during the Nations Championship
• Only fullback Aphelele Fassi and scrum-half Cobus Reinach retain their starting places from the 43-0 win over Wales
• The starting pack is entirely new, with a completely fresh front five and loose trio
• Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok of all time to 142 Tests
• Erasmus names a 6-2 forward-heavy bench split, with Handre Pollard the only outside back among the replacements

The scale of change is striking. Of the 23 players who featured in the Durban demolition of Wales last month, only seven remain in the matchday squad — and just two of those, Fassi and Reinach, will start. The returning players bring vast experience, with the starting XV alone boasting 541 Test caps, 384 of which sit among the forwards.

The #Springboks team to face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday has a solid look to it – more here: https://t.co/kPbxl7Gi4W 👊#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/oa6A3jlixb

— Springboks (@Springboks) August 4, 2026

The most significant returns are in the engine room and at blindside flanker. Kolisi, 35, has not featured in a Test since the unofficial international against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June, while Etzebeth and de Jager have both been sidelined by injury for the entirety of the international season so far. Between them, the three forwards carry 317 caps of international experience and were central figures in South Africa’s successive Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023.

Erasmus, however, was characteristically relaxed about his captain’s readiness. “If there is one player we have learned we never have to worry about when it comes to returning from injury it is Siya,” the Springbok coach said from Buenos Aires. “You will recall that in 2023 he was involved in a race against time to recover from quite a big injury and he came through that well. Because of his age he has learned how to deal with those injuries. He knows how to deal with those injuries, how to rehab and handle the pressure of getting himself back in time.”

He added: “We have never been unsure when selecting Siya after a long injury layoff. He has always delivered for us when coming back and this time won’t be any different.”

The fly-half jersey goes to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who has been absent since sustaining an ankle injury playing for the Stormers against Cardiff in their Vodacom URC quarter-final. The 22-year-old was in sensational form during the second half of last year’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship and the November tour, and scored a Springbok-record 37 points against Argentina in Durban last year. His return gives Erasmus his preferred playmaker heading into the All Blacks series.

Reinach partners Feinberg-Mngomezulu at scrum-half, while Esterhuizen slots in at inside centre alongside Canan Moodie, who was himself forced to withdraw from the Nations Championship squad at the eleventh hour through injury. Esterhuizen and Moodie last started together in the midfield when South Africa beat the All Blacks 35-7 at Twickenham in the 2023 World Cup build-up — and Moodie was also at outside centre when the Springboks produced their record 43-10 victory over New Zealand in Wellington last year. Ethan Hooker takes the left wing, with Edwill van der Merwe on the right and Fassi completing an exciting back three.

Up front, the pack has been completely overhauled. Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit, who was the first-choice tighthead for most of 2025 but has had limited game time this year, pack down either side of hooker Johan Grobbelaar. Etzebeth and de Jager reunite in the second row, while Kolisi is joined in the loose trio by Elrigh Louw at openside flanker and Cameron Hanekom at number eight. It is a notable opportunity for Hanekom, who was pressed into service at blindside flanker after an emergency call-up for the England Test but now starts in his regular position for the first time at international level.

Erasmus was candid about the limitations that so many returning players will bring and tempered expectations for Saturday night. “The Pumas are always a difficult team to play against, they always have sevens players in their mix who are hard to defend against and they are very similar to us, so because we have guys coming back from injury, we are expecting a bit of a grind,” he said.

“This isn’t a game where we are thinking of a margin of victory, we just want to be on the winning side. There are a lot of guys coming back from injury and then there are some who are not that settled into the team because they haven’t played that much, like Elrigh and Cameron. So we know it won’t be perfect and we are not expecting it to be.”

None of the three senior returning forwards are expected to last the full 80 minutes. Erasmus confirmed that Marco van Staden will relieve Kolisi, while Ben-Jason Dixon and Cobus Wiese will make direct swaps for Etzebeth and de Jager respectively — the latter pairing arranged to ensure the lineout calling transitions smoothly, with Wiese replacing de Jager as a fellow lineout caller and Dixon coming on for Etzebeth, who is not.

“Ben-Jason Dixon will go on for Eben and Cobus Wiese will go on for Lood, because Eben is coming back from a concussion and a long time that he hasn’t played and he won’t last 80 minutes,” Erasmus explained. “Lood hasn’t played for a long time and we’ll see how long they last in the game.”

The bench carries a distinctly forward-heavy look, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Dixon, Wiese and van Staden providing the six-two split. Wessels appears to be covering the hooker role rather than loosehead prop, continuing Erasmus’s thorough audit of his squad’s versatility. Morne van den Berg and Pollard offer the backline cover, with Pollard — himself returning from injury after missing the Wales Test — listed as the only outside back on the bench. Pollard put in a full 80 minutes against Scotland in the Nations Championship and shifted to inside centre in the second half of that match, which explains his inclusion as a utility back option.

Erasmus framed the match as an ideal proving ground. “This match is the perfect occasion for players like Siya, Eben, Lood, Sacha, Morne and the other players returning from injury to get a tough Test under the belt and get back into full swing at international level, as Argentina are a formidable team, who will push us to the limit,” he said.

He was under no illusions about the threat posed by Felipe Contepomi’s side. The Springboks have won 12 of their last 14 matches against the Pumas dating back to 2018, but both defeats came on Argentine soil — in Mendoza in 2018 and in Santiago del Estero in 2024, where the hosts edged a thriller 29-28. South Africa remain unbeaten in Buenos Aires since 1993, but Erasmus warned there will be nothing comfortable about Saturday’s assignment.

“The Argentineans are very similar to South Africans in many ways. Their passion and patriotism for their country and people, and the way they give everything on the field and keep fighting is a testament to the type of Test match we are expecting this weekend,” he said. “They have beaten us twice in Argentina before and they delivered brave performances in their Nations Championship matches, and will have a point to prove on Saturday, so we are fully aware of the challenge ahead.”

With the first Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park just two weeks away, the Buenos Aires fixture doubles as both a genuine contest and a fitness barometer. Pieter-Steph du Toit, notably, did not travel to Argentina and is being saved for the New Zealand series. Should the returning players come through unscathed and find their rhythm, Erasmus will have a near full-strength squad at his disposal for what promises to be a blockbuster series.

“If we get better and show signs that we are growing our game plan, we get our tactics right and our plan right and show some cohesion, then we will be happy,” Erasmus said. “The winning is the most important thing and then those things. We want to grow our game and just get better in each department.”

Starting XV:
15. Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba, 17 caps)
14. Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 6 caps)
13. Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls, 25 caps)
12. Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 30 caps)
11. Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 9 caps)
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers, 18 caps)
9. Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers, 52 caps)
1. Boan Venter (Lions, 9 caps)
2. Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls, 9 caps)
3. Thomas du Toit (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 33 caps)
4. Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 141 caps)
5. Lood de Jager (Wild Knights, 73 caps)
6. Siya Kolisi (c) (DHL Stormers, 103 caps)
7. Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls, 14 caps)
8. Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls, 2 caps)

Replacements:
16. Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls, 12 caps)
17. Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls, 18 caps)
18. Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers, 5 caps)
19. Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers, 10 caps)
20. Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls, 4 caps)
21. Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls, 35 caps)
22. Morne van den Berg (Lions, 6 caps)
23. Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls, 86 caps)

Match details: Argentina v South Africa, Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires. Saturday 9 August, 21:00 (SA time). Live on SuperSport.

Italy’s impressive Six Nations campaign, which included a first-ever win over England and a victory against Scotland, has been completely undone after a winless Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series saw the Azzurri tumble two places to 12th in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings.

Saturday’s 57–10 defeat to Australia in Perth was the heaviest blow in a bruising three-week stretch that also included losses to Japan and New Zealand. The nine-try hammering cost Italy 1.01 rating points, dropping them to 76.30 and below both Japan and Wales — neither of whom lost ranking points despite their own defeats to higher-ranked France and South Africa respectively.

It marks the lowest Italy have been ranked since September 2023, during the Rugby World Cup in France. Japan, meanwhile, re-enter the world’s top 10 for the first time in three years, while Wales climb one spot to 11th.

All Blacks tighten the screw

The biggest shift at the top of the rankings came from New Zealand’s convincing 40–21 victory over Ireland at Eden Park. The All Blacks collected the maximum available 1.24 rating points, cutting South Africa’s lead at the summit to just 1.68 points.

The Springboks remain number one after their 43–0 demolition of Wales in Durban, but received no ranking points reward due to the significant gap between the two sides before kick-off. With Argentina in Buenos Aires and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand looming, that narrow margin at the top will come under serious pressure in the weeks ahead.

England and Scotland consolidate

England strengthened their grip on fifth place with a hard-fought 31–24 win over Argentina in Santiago del Estero, picking up 0.93 rating points to move to 85.68. Steve Borthwick’s side are now just 1.75 points behind fourth-placed France.

Scotland were rewarded for their 33–17 victory over Fiji at Murrayfield with a 0.69-point gain, cementing sixth place on 84.78 points. France, despite beating Japan 42–15 in Tokyo, gained no ranking points due to the gulf between the two sides.

Nations Cup drama

The World Rugby Nations Cup delivered some remarkable results. Hong Kong China, who will make their Rugby World Cup debut in 2027, produced the headline moment — beating hosts Uruguay 42–40 with a last-gasp long-range penalty. The victory lifted them one place to 23rd, leapfrogging Canada despite their 23–19 win over Zimbabwe.

Romania staged an equally dramatic comeback, overturning a deficit to beat Samoa 38–37 after scoring 24 unanswered points in the final quarter. Romania climb to 21st, one place behind Samoa, who slip to their lowest-ever ranking of 20th.

Georgia and the USA continued to dominate as pool leaders, with Georgia beating Chile 49–22 and the Eagles completing a clean sweep of victories with a 29–22 win over Spain. The USA’s rating moved above 70 points for the first time since November 2024.

The biggest climbers of the week were the Philippines, who jumped nine places to 43rd after winning the Unions Cup 2026 in Thailand.

Updated World Rugby Rankings — Top 15

1. South Africa — 93.96
2. New Zealand — 92.28
3. Ireland — 88.08
4. France — 87.43
5. England — 85.68
6. Scotland — 84.78
7. Argentina — 83.13
8. Australia — 81.61
9. Fiji — 78.00
10. Japan — 76.42 (+1)
11. Wales — 76.38 (+1)
12. Italy — 76.30 (-2)
13. Georgia — 73.94
14. USA — 70.22
15. Portugal — 69.39

See the full World Rugby Rankings

The Bledisloe Cup is about to mean more than it ever has. New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia have confirmed that the All Blacks and Wallabies will contest Anzac Day test matches in 2027, 2029 and 2031, creating a new trans-Tasman sporting tradition on one of the most sacred dates in both nations’ calendars.

All three fixtures will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane with the backing of the Queensland Government, marking the first time in the 123-year history of the Bledisloe Cup that the two sides have met on 25 April. The move also restores the Bledisloe to a three-test series for the first time since 2021, adding an early-season fixture to the two matches already played as part of the Rugby Championship later in the year.

A fixture years in the making

The announcement represents the culmination of a campaign first driven by Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, who has been pushing for an Anzac Day test since 2024. New Zealand Rugby initially resisted the concept, but a change of management at NZR and the appointment of Dave Rennie as All Blacks head coach — a man known to be in favour of the fixture — helped shift the dial.

NZR had sought reciprocity in the arrangement, wary of committing to a deal that would see the Wallabies host two of three Bledisloe fixtures to the All Blacks’ one. However, the organisation ultimately could not mount a viable commercial case for alternating the Anzac Day venue, and Brisbane’s enormous New Zealand expatriate population made Suncorp the natural and only realistic home.

NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster acknowledged the strategic value of the partnership.

“New Zealand and Australia share a special and unique bond built on sporting rivalries, friendship and those men and women who have served our countries in global conflicts, some making the ultimate sacrifice in doing so,” Lancaster said.

“Playing the Bledisloe Cup on Anzac Day creates a unique trans-Tasman sporting occasion that honours our countries’ shared history and cultures, while bringing people together through rugby.

“Rugby Australia is an important partner for us, and a strong game in Australia is good for rugby in New Zealand. Brisbane has long been seen as a home away from home with a large New Zealand population living there and we see this as a huge opportunity to work in partnership with Rugby Australia to grow the game in a key market.”

Honouring shared sacrifice

The significance of the date extends well beyond commercial opportunity. Rugby’s connection to the Anzac story runs deep — ten Wallabies and 13 All Blacks made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War, according to the Australian War Memorial. Of those, at least five Wallabies and two All Blacks were killed at Gallipoli, where the spirit of Anzac was born.

Waugh invoked the memory of Tom Richards, the Wallabies legend and Gallipoli veteran, in framing the announcement.

“The eternal bond shared between Australia and New Zealand was forged on the first Anzac Day and, 112 years later, our nations will again unite around a sport that, in the immortal words of Tom Richards, provided hope and respite for troops through the ‘dark passages’ of war,” Waugh said.

“The 123-year history of Australia and New Zealand rugby is renowned and revered across the globe and the first ever staging of an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will, we believe, create a new trans-Tasman sporting tradition that will bring our nations together and reinforce our shared values.”

The men’s fixture follows in the footsteps of the Black Ferns and Wallaroos, who contested an Anzac Day test at Sunshine Coast Stadium earlier this year, offering a proof of concept for the broader initiative.

The fixtures

The three confirmed Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup tests are:

• Sunday 25 April 2027 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (early afternoon kick-off)
• Wednesday 25 April 2029 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
• Friday 25 April 2031 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Each Anzac Day fixture will form the opening test of a three-match Bledisloe series, with the remaining two tests played during the Rugby Championship — one in New Zealand and one in Australia. In 2028 and 2030, the Bledisloe Cup will remain a two-match series due to Nations Championship commitments.

The inaugural fixture in 2027 will kick off at what organisers describe as a “family-friendly early afternoon time slot,” placing it alongside the AFL and NRL’s Anzac Day blockbusters as a cornerstone of the national sporting calendar.

Queensland’s gain, Super Rugby’s question mark

Queensland has positioned itself as the permanent home of the fixture, with Premier David Crisafulli framing the agreement as part of a broader strategy to establish the state as Australia’s events capital ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.

“We are bringing the Bledisloe Cup to Queensland, with an historic agreement to lock in Anzac Day tests until 2031,” Crisafulli said. “This is part of our plan to deliver new signature events for Queensland, grow tourism and support Queensland jobs.”

The venue choice carries historical resonance — Queensland hosted the first ever test match between Australia and New Zealand in 1907, more than a century before the Bledisloe Cup itself was established.

The larger question for the rugby landscape concerns the impact on Super Rugby Pacific. With the All Blacks’ 2027 season now beginning in April rather than the traditional July window, the early rounds of the domestic competition will carry an added layer of selection intrigue. Lancaster indicated the concept had been discussed extensively with New Zealand’s Super Rugby clubs.

“The Anzac Day Bledisloe Test adds another key moment during the Super Rugby Pacific season as the early rounds will have the added element of selection intrigue ahead of this match,” Lancaster said. “We’ve worked closely with our clubs to ensure it gives fans another compelling reason to engage with the competition across the season.”

The 2027 Super Rugby Pacific format is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks, and the Anzac Day fixture will inevitably shape the structure of the competition calendar. Departing Crusaders coach Rob Penney has already voiced his support, saying the club thought it was “a great idea” and that whatever was needed to keep rugby at the forefront of people’s minds should be embraced.

The bigger picture

Lancaster was also keen to highlight the strategic value of an early-season test match in years that carry particular significance on the world rugby calendar.

“We’ve worked with the All Blacks who see value in an early test match in Rugby World Cup and men’s Lions tour years,” he said. “We know the team will embrace the challenge of two matches in Australia and look forward to them playing in front of the thousands of New Zealanders who now call it home, and the many we know will head across the Tasman for the match.”

That the 2027 fixture falls in a Rugby World Cup year — with the tournament to be hosted by Australia — adds an extra dimension. An Anzac Day test in Brisbane just months before the Wallabies host the world will serve as a statement of intent for the host nation and a form guide for both sides.

For the Wallabies, the stakes are clear. Australia has not held the Bledisloe Cup since losing it in 2003, and every additional fixture against the All Blacks represents both an opportunity and a reminder of the mountain still to be climbed. The hope within Rugby Australia will be that the occasion, the venue, and the weight of the date itself might finally provide the spark that shifts the balance of power back across the Tasman.

For the All Blacks, it is a chance to embrace a tradition that rugby league has long made its own. The NRL’s Anzac Day fixtures — particularly the annual clash between the Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra — are among the most watched events on the Australian sporting calendar. Rugby union’s belated arrival to the party reflects a sport finally willing to compete for attention on the days that matter most.

Ticketing details and further match information will be announced at a later date.