BOKS READY TO RIP INTO RWC WITH ITALY TEST

South Africa will kick off their 2027 Rugby World Cup title defence in true Springbok style when they face Italy in what’s set to be a mouth-watering opening match for the defending champs.

The clash is scheduled for Sunday, 3 October 2027 at Adelaide Oval in Australia, and it’s expected to be a cracker as the Boks look to set the tone in Pool B.

World Rugby officially released the tournament fixtures this week, and while the opening fixture of the World Cup sees hosts Australia take on debutants Hong Kong China in Perth on 1 October, all eyes will soon turn to the four-time world champions when they begin their defence two days later against the Azzurri.

The Springboks are in a pool that also includes Georgia and Romania, with matches lined up across Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, meaning plenty of long flights and travel challenges for Rassie Erasmus’ men during the early stages of the tournament in Australia.

Fans won’t just be watching the Boks as they aim for back-to-back world titles; they’ll be watching history. South Africa’s side enters the tournament as reigning world champs after a dramatic 12-11 win over New Zealand in the 2023 final in France, and they’ll be determined not to let that momentum slip.

Italy won’t be pushovers either. Although South Africa holds a dominant head-to-head record against them, including a big World Cup victory in 2019, Gli Azzurri have shown they’re capable of upsetting bigger names, most recently beating Australia in a 2025 Test.

Image credit: The Citizen