Split-squad strategy to bring Boks more success in 2025

SPOTLIGHT: The logistical challenges of the 2025 Test season will be mitigated by the Springboks’ outstanding strength in depth.

Shortly after SA Rugby announced its plans for two alignment camps in March, the fixture list for the 2025 Test season was confirmed.

After hosting Italy and Georgia this July, the Boks will begin their Rugby Championship title defence with a double-header against the Wallabies at home.

The New Zealand leg of the tournament will present Rassie Erasmus’ charges with a chance to become the first South African side to win at Eden Park since 1937, before the mini series moves to Wellington the following week.

The Boks will return to South Africa for their last home fixture of the season against Argentina, before travelling to Twickenham to tackle the Pumas in a potential Rugby Championship decider.

The season concludes with tour fixtures against France, Italy, Ireland and Wales – and the Boks should be especially desperate to win the marquee clashes in Paris and Dublin.

What does the confirmation of the fixtures have to do with the announcement that 55 players will meet for the first alignment camp on 7 March, or that a further 26 – including the overseas-based contingent – will meet virtually several weeks later?

Erasmus has made it clear that he is preparing a large squad to peak at the 2027 World Cup and claim an unprecedented hat-trick of global titles.

In the short- to middle-term, however, the Bok coach may use that extensive squad to navigate the challenges on the 2025 Test season, and emerge with the big scalps of New Zealand, France and Ireland – as well as an overall win-record in excess of 80%.

The Boks won’t underestimate Italy in the two-Test series staged in July, but those matches – as well as the one-off against Georgia – will present the squad with various opportunities.

The senior players should receive a chance to play in front of a partisan home crowd, but Erasmus will use one or two of those matches to rotate the team and explore alternatives.

Erasmus often preaches about balance, and with that in mind, he will also aim to give his best combinations time to build momentum for the Rugby Championship.

Much will hinge on the results of the double-header in New Zealand, but it’s possible that the class of 2025 could become the first Bok team in history to successfully defend its Rugby Championship title.

The Wallabies will fly to South Africa just days after a three-Test series against the British & Irish Lions – and may be depleted and fatigued by the time they tackle the Boks.

Again, the Boks would do well to focus on the result rather than the opposition, as two bonus-point wins would put them in a strong position (as was the case last year, after they picked up 10 log points in Australia).

Erasmus may rotate his players across the fixtures against Australia. If the Boks start the tournament well, he may opt to split his squad and send an advance party of senior players to New Zealand, to prepare for the first clash against the All Blacks on 6 September.

Erasmus split his squad in similar fashion during the 2019 and 2023 Rugby Championship tournaments in order to deal with the challenge of facing Australia in South Africa the one week and the All Blacks in New Zealand seven days later.

The policy certainly boosted performance, although results varied from a crucial draw in 2019 to a heavy loss in 2023.

This season, a fortnight will separate the second game against Australia in South Africa and the first match against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

As a result, the Boks should have sufficient time to acclimatise to the conditions and time zone, and have a real crack at burying the Eden Park bogey.

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#NEWS: ‘On our radar’: Rassie to connect with big names ahead of Test season 👇#SouthAfrica #Springboks https://t.co/mGHMedRxUT

— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) February 19, 2025

Some South African fans may be bullish about the two away games in New Zealand, given that the Boks currently boast a four-game winning streak against the All Blacks.

But the fact of the matter is that the Boks have won four Tests in the Land of the Long White Cloud during the professional era.

Even if they lose the first game in Auckland, the second Test in Wellington will present them with an opportunity to end a six-year drought in New Zealand – incidentally, their last victory in this part of the world was at the Cake Tin, and the All Blacks have struggled against several other top sides at this venue in recent years.

The double-header against Argentina will be significant regardless of what transpires in New Zealand.

If the Boks succeed in New Zealand, Erasmus will have leeway to rest a few stars and explore a few alternative combos in the home clash against the Pumas.

Again, he may send an advance party to Twickenham, given that the second Test against Argentina will be staged seven days after the first – and the conditions in South Africa and London will be very different.

But if the Boks return from New Zealand on the back of two losses, the best available side may be called upon to secure a morale-boosting result at home.

That would necessitate a change of plans for the away match in London, with more second- and third-choice combinations getting a chance to shine.

Either way, rotation will be essential over the course of those games against Argentina.

At a glance, the four-match tour to Europe in November will present Erasmus with a chance to tick all of the relevant boxes.

Instead of playing France and Ireland back-to-back – as was the case on the 2022 tour to the Northern Hemisphere – the first-choice side will have a two-week break after the battle in Paris.

This may increase the chances of South Africa ending yet another drought: the 13-year losing run in Dublin.

The second-tour fixture against Italy should provide Erasmus with room to experiment, while the final match against Wales will be staged outside of the World Rugby-sanctioned window, and will necessitate the selection of a weakened team.

None of the overseas-based players will be available for that clash in Cardiff. The Boks will take heart from the fact that they beat Wales twice last season even though they were missing a host of star players.

The plan to build for the 2027 World Cup will continue, and it’s safe to say that by the end of 2025, Erasmus will have more answers regarding the depth of his squad and the potency of his game plan.

But if the Boks manage to develop, while also claiming monumental wins against the All Blacks, France and Ireland, 2025 could be a very successful year indeed.

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— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) February 18, 2025