LONDON – The Springboks are returning to hallowed ground. South Africa’s rugby world champions will kick off their Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a blockbuster Test match against Japan at London’s legendary Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 1 November, marking the venue’s first rugby international in nine years.
The highly anticipated clash will see two contrasting rugby philosophies collide under the famous Wembley arch, as the powerhouse Springboks face off against Eddie Jones’ fast-paced Brave Blossoms in what promises to be a spectacular curtain-raiser to the November international window.
Wembley Stadium last hosted rugby in 2016, when the Springboks and Barbarians played out a thrilling 31-31 draw that went down to the wire. The upcoming fixture will be only the 12th rugby match ever played at the iconic north London venue.
“We are delighted to be starting off our tour of the Northern Hemisphere with a match against Japan at the iconic Wembley Stadium,” said Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus. “The last time the Boks played at Wembley was in 2016 against the Barbarians, in a tense affair which went down to the wire.”
The encounter will be only the fourth meeting between these nations, with the fixture carrying significant historical weight. Japan stunned the rugby world in 2015 with their famous ‘Miracle of Brighton’ victory over South Africa, claiming a 34-32 triumph that remains one of the Rugby World Cup’s greatest upsets.
Since then, the Springboks have won both subsequent encounters in 2019, but Japan coach Eddie Jones – who previously served as a technical advisor during South Africa’s 2007 World Cup triumph – is relishing another opportunity to test his side against the world champions.
“The game in Brighton 10 years ago changed rugby in Japan from being a minor sport to a boom sport,” Jones reflected. “Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player.”
The Wembley showdown serves as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of more challenging fixtures. For South Africa, it precedes their official November Test series opener against France in Paris, while providing another opportunity to showcase their rugby before the passionate UK-based South African expatriate community.
The Springboks have made London something of a second home in recent years, defeating Wales 41-13 at Twickenham in June 2024 and securing a commanding 35-7 victory over New Zealand at the same venue in 2023.
Wembley’s rugby history includes some memorable moments, with the rebuilt stadium hosting four fixtures since reopening in 2007. The venue’s rugby matches have consistently drawn massive crowds, including capacity audiences of nearly 90,000 for two Rugby World Cup matches in 2015.
A Wembley Stadium spokesperson expressed excitement about rugby’s return: “After nine years away, international rugby returns to Wembley Stadium. We are thrilled to be hosting back-to-back World Cup winners South Africa and a very exciting Japan side.”
The match is being promoted by Pitch International, with Chief Commercial Officer Andy Marinos highlighting the significance of bringing “two proud rugby nations” together at “one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world.”
As both teams prepare for this historic encounter, rugby fans can expect fireworks when the methodical, physical approach of the Springboks meets the high-tempo, attacking style that has become Japan’s trademark under Jones’ guidance.
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