The Springboks will start the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a historic Test against Japan at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 1 November. This Test will be the first rugby event to be held at the famous north London venue since 2016, when the Springboks and the Barbarians played out a thrilling 31-31 draw.
Tickets will go on general sale on Friday, 22 August via Ticketmaster and Wembley Stadium.
The Boks are no strangers to playing in London, having defeated Wales 41-13 in June 2024 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, and New Zealand by 35-7 a year earlier in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup in France.
On 4 October, the Boks will face Argentina in the final round of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship at Allianz Stadium, where raucous support from the UK’s vibrant expat community of South Africans is again expected.
“We are delighted to be starting off our tour of the Northern Hemisphere with a match against Japan at the iconic Wembley Stadium, especially ahead of a challenging Castle Lager Outgoing Tour which kicks off a week later with the first official Test of the November window against France in Paris,” 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 in a 31-31 drawn match.
“The Brave Blossoms are renowned for playing fast, attacking, high-tempo rugby – which has been prevalent in our last two encounters, before and during the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.
“We have had fantastic support from our fans in the UK for our fixtures in London over the past few years and I am sure this match will be no different, especially being at one of the most famous sporting venues in the world.”
This will be only the fourth meeting between South Africa and Japan. The Springboks won the last two encounters (both in 2019), following the ‘Miracle of Brighton’ in 2015, which saw Jones’ Brave Blossoms claim a 34-32 victory in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup.
Japan coach Eddie Jones, who won the RWC in 2007 as a technical advisor to the Springboks, reached two more World Cup finals with Australia (2003) and England (2019), relished the prospect of another clash with the world champions.
“The game in Brighton 10 years ago changed rugby in Japan from being a minor sport to a boom sport,” said Jones. “Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player.”
Wembley Stadium has hosted 11 rugby matches over the years, starting with England’s 26-13 win over Canada in 1992.
Since the venue was rebuilt and reopened in 2007, four rugby fixtures have been played at Wembley, including two Rugby World Cup matches in 2015 (New Zealand’s 26-16 victory over Argentina, and Ireland beating Romania 44-10), which both drew capacity crowds of just under 90,000 people.
A Wembley Stadium spokesperson said: “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. It promises to be another spectacular sporting fixture under the arch, and fans can expect an incredible atmosphere at the world’s most famous stadium.”
The fixture is being promoted and delivered by Pitch International, the London-based sports marketing agency renowned for staging major international rugby and football events around the world.
Andy Marinos, Chief Commercial Officer at Pitch International, said: “Bringing South Africa and Japan together at Wembley Stadium, one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world, is a fantastic milestone for Pitch International. Hosting two proud rugby nations on such a historic stage is a testament to our commitment to showcasing world-class rugby events globally.
“This fixture will not only celebrate the rising strength of Japanese rugby and the enduring legacy of the Springboks, but also reinforce Pitch International’s dedication to delivering unforgettable experiences for players and fans alike. We are proud to be at the heart of this occasion and look forward to an incredible match in London this November.”
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