The Springboks are ramping up their Rugby World Cup 2023 preparation with confirmation of an extra “warm-up” against the All Blacks, two weeks before the tournament starts.

The match is set for Friday, 25 August at the home of England rugby. There is no doubt the 82,000-capacity Twickenham will be sold out for the clash between the combined winners of six RWCs.

It also marks the second clash between the sides at the west London venue, with the previous encounter at RWC 2015. The All Blacks beat the Boks 20-18 in a tense 2015 semifinal, where a Dan Carter drop-goal proved the difference, before going on to win the title with a comfortable 34-17 victory over Australia.

On one level, taking on the All Blacks so close to the tournament could come with risks because clashes against the old enemy tend to be brutal affairs. Injuries are almost guaranteed. The match also comes six days after the Boks meet Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. In recent years Tests between the Boks and Wales have also been intensely physical encounters.

It underlines how serious the Boks are about being battle hardened by the time they start the defence of their world title against Scotland on 10 September 2023 in Marseille.

Jasper Wiese crashes into a tackle during the Springboks’ clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on 13 August 2022. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)

While there is a major risk of injuries, and even suspensions of these two games, the opposite view is that nothing will replicate World Cup pressure like contests against New Zealand and Wales.

New Zealand bring all-around intensity, pace and skill to the contest, while Wales’ style is a virtual mirror of the Boks’ forward-dominant, territory-based approach. Tactically and technically the Boks could not have asked for two better contests so close to the start of the RWC 2023.

Commercial value

But make no mistake, the two matches, particularly the Test against the All Blacks, are not just about RWC 2023 preparation. They are about commercial value.

Both the Boks and the All Blacks are set to receive hefty payments for staging the match in London – in South Africa’s case, tens of millions of rands.

The Boks also stand to take home millions from the Wales clash. That income will be vital to pay towards RWC bonuses and other associated costs.

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Whatever the motivations for the encounter, there is one inescapable guarantee: a Springboks versus All Blacks clash will capture the world’s imagination. Coming just two weeks before the start of the global showpiece, it will ensure the spotlight falls firmly on rugby in the run-up to RWC 2023.

Tickets for the Twickenham meeting go on sale on 27 October, 10 months before the game, underlining what valuable commodities the two rugby powerhouses are.

At £55 (R1,145) per adult and £28 (R580) for under-16s, a Twickenham full house could generate more than R80-million in ticket sales alone, which excludes the broadcast rights for the match. Obviously there is a fee payable to the Rugby Football Union and Twickenham Stadium, but the take-home income will still be in the tens of millions.

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The Wales game will generate less money but it will still amount to millions for the South African Rugby Union (Saru).

It’s an absolute financial windfall for South African rugby in precarious financial times.

The Boks could probably have organised a game or two at home, which would have been better on players in terms of shortening their time away from home. But in pure, cold commercial terms, playing two huge Tests in Britain makes far more financial sense and will help Saru’s balance sheet.

“The Springboks and All Blacks share one of the greatest rivalries in rugby, and to face them at Twickenham will be an exciting experience for the players and our fans,” said director of rugby Rassie Erasmus.

“The match will take place shortly before we kick off our World Cup campaign, and both this encounter and the Test against Wales will be vital for us to measure ourselves before the competition and to put the final building blocks in place so that we can enter the showpiece in the desired form.”

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Coach Jacques Nienaber added: “We are excited to play this vital fixture against one of our main arch-rivals before the Rugby World Cup at the iconic Twickenham Stadium.

“There is a large contingent of passionate expats and Springbok supporters in London, and we have no doubt they will come out and support us in what we know will be a massive occasion for both teams before the World Cup.”

Makazole Mapimpi gets airborne to win back possession against New Zealand in Johannesburg on 13 August 2022. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)

All Black coach Ian Foster was understandably delighted at the chance to face the Boks again, especially as the 2023 Rugby Championship will be a truncated tournament:

“This match will form an important part of our preparations for the Rugby World Cup. Matches against the Springboks are always hard-fought and we are expecting nothing less than a titanic battle on this unique occasion.” DM