Springbok fixtures locked in: World champions face All Blacks twice before title defence

The Springboks' fixture list for the 2023 season was finalised by SA Rugby on Wednesday.

The Boks will face arch-rivals New Zealand twice - away in the Rugby Championship and in a World Cup warm-up match in London.

SA Rugby also confirmed the Boks' home venues in a shortened Rugby Championship. The world champions will kick off their season against Australia on 8 July at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

They will then travel to New Zealand to tackle the All Blacks at a yet-to-be-determined venue on 15 July, before returning to South Africa to host Argentina at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 29 July.

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"Loftus Versfeld and Ellis Park are iconic stadiums, and we thoroughly enjoy the fanatic support from the home crowds at these venues, so we are thrilled to start off what is a vital season for the team at these stadiums," Bok coach Jacques Nienaber said in a statement.

"These Rugby Championship matches are going to be crucial as we look to get our Rugby World Cup season off to a good start and playing against New Zealand away and Australia and Argentina on the highveld will be ideal for our preparation.

"All three sides will enter the international spectacle in France among a handful of teams that will be considered potential contenders for the title, so we are expecting a thorough test throughout the campaign."

Nienaber's charges will also play World Cup warm-up matches away to Argentina (venue TBA, 5 August) and Wales (Cardiff, 19 August), before the second encounter against the All Blacks at Twickenham (25 August). 

SA Rugby's Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, added that the match against the Pumas in Argentina would boost their World