GREEN AND GOLD STANDARD: Springboks’ 2026 season is already a massive success — so what’s next?

The Springboks have claimed a monumental series victory against the All Blacks in the inaugural Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (RGR) Tests, and the team is basking in the glory of their triumph. The intense, compelling nature of the RGR matches has made the final result a lasting one, much like those of World Cup or British & Irish Lions tour matches. The Boks' achievement in the series may take decades to fully appreciate, as they will likely be viewed with new perspectives in the future.

As they continue to build towards the 2027 World Cup, the Boks have already accomplished their primary goal for the 2026 season. South Africa has been relishing the afterglow of the victory, and rightly so. Malcolm Marx's timely breakdown interventions, the relentless maul that broke the All Blacks' resistance, and Kurt-Lee Arendse's try from an unlikely spot all warrant a fresh perspective as the Bok side evolves ahead of the next RGR series in 2030.

With Rassie Erasmus at the helm until 2031, senior players such as Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, and others nearing their late thirties will step aside after the 2027 World Cup. The next series against New Zealand will be considerably more challenging, and by the time the team returns to South Africa on a tour in 2034, the Boks may have undergone substantial changes, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ethan Hooker potentially among the few remaining players from 2026.

The quadrennial series between rugby's leading nations holds immense significance, and future generations may recall the 2026 fixtures similarly to how we remember Morné Steyn's winning penalty against the Lions in 2009 or Joel Stransky's iconic drop goal in 1995. As South Africa prepares for the 2027 World Cup, the Boks have already met their primary objective for the 2026 Test season.