Six Nations highlights the threats of England, France before marquee showdowns with Boks

The Springboks are in the midst of an extensive planning phase, and will only play their first Test of the 2026 season against England in Johannesburg on 4 July.

Seven months will have elapsed by the time the Boks return to the Test arena, and with that in mind, it would be unrealistic to expect the same level of synergy that marked the team’s performances over the course of a monumental 2025 campaign.

And yet, as head coach Rassie Erasmus recently stated in an illuminating three-part podcast aimed at lawmakers and fans alike, there’s plenty to be gained during this period of stasis.

Over the next two months, the Bok management team will dissect the Six Nations performances of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in order to prepare for South Africa’s matches against these teams in the upcoming Nations Championship.

Going by the quality of the performances and some of the results in the first round of the northern hemisphere showpiece, the Boks may need every advantage they can get.

Tactical shift

Over the past few seasons, a number of Test teams have followed the Boks’ lead, whether they have fielded six or more forwards on the bench or invested in a kicking strategy aimed at creating attacking and try-scoring opportunities.

Last Saturday, Italy made a statement when they edged Scotland 18-15 in Rome. Erasmus himself may have seen that result coming, having urged all and sundry to what the Italians closely after the Boks faced the Azzurri three times in 2025.

While the torrential conditions in Rome certainly influenced the tactics, Italy finished with 34 kicks from hand, and Scotland with 30. Over in London, England racked up 42 kicks and 1,332 kick metres. The ploy certainly didn’t hamper their attacking prowess, as they finished with seven tries in their 48-7 demolition of Wales.

Two days earlier, France smashed Ireland 36-14 in Paris. Both teams put boot to ball on 39 occasions – a remarkable figure when one considers the Test average and the fact that South Africa – who often criticised for their kick-heavy approach – averaged 30 kicks from hand across the 2025 season. Nevertheless, Les Bleus worked their way downfield, and scored five outstanding tries.

As things stand, only three teams remain in the running for a Six Nations Grand Slam – although Italy may have more modest ambitions, and a top-three finish on the table would be hailed as a sign of progress, given their struggles in previous editions of the tournament.

Le Crunch may double as decider

While England finished round one at the top of the table, it is France who have the advantage with four matches to play, having claimed five log points from their fixture against perennial contenders Ireland.

France’s Grand Slam destiny remains in their own hands, as they will travel to Cardiff to face a struggling Wales side this Sunday, before hosting Italy in Lille.

After the tournament break, they will head to Edinburgh to tackle Scotland – who have been in decline for some time – before facing England in Paris in what could be a title decider.

Providing they don’t slip up in the next three rounds, France should go into the final weekend with momentum as well as home advantage, and in that scenario they will be overwhelming favourites to clinch a second consecutive Six Nations title.

Will England have anything to say about that? How good are England really?

These are the questions that have been asked by the British press in recent months, even though England have won 12 Tests in succession.

Coach Steve Borthwick deserves credit for taking the team forward in every department and adding another layer to their depth – but they still have everything to prove, given that they haven’t won the Six Nations since 2020.

As many as eight of their last 12 games have been staged in London – none against the Boks – and the jury is still out as to whether they can win big matches on the road.

England won two Tests in Argentina last July, but have yet to tackle one of the leading Six Nations sides, or Scotland – a bogey team in recent seasons – away from home during this streak.

Calcutta Cup fixtures are typically brutal affairs, and Scotland will have added motivation to perform this Saturday in light of recent events.

The loss to Italy highlighted the flaws in the Scottish game, and prompted more questions about long-time coach Gregor Townsend, who is expected to join the Newcastle Red Bulls following the 2027 World Cup.

Sir Clive Woodward, the 2003 World Cup-winning coach of England, has led the criticism of Townsend in recent days, and suggested that his position won’t be tenable if Scotland lose heavily to England this weekend.

If Scotland prevail, however, the spotlight will shift to England and their attempts to salvage this Six Nations campaign. In that event, they may need to chase bonus-point wins against Ireland in London and Italy in Rome in order to keep France – and the title – in their sights.

What this means for the Boks

While Erasmus has prioritised the 2027 World Cup, the Boks have plenty to gain over the course of a historic 2026 season that will include the inaugural Greatest Rivalry Series against the All Blacks.

What’s more, the inaugural Nations Championship will serve up a number of new challenges and incentives.

For the first time since 2010 – and only the second time in the professional era – the Boks will face all of the Six Nations teams in a calendar year.

While rotation of personnel is to be expected in the coming months, the Boks may well complete a Six Nations Slam if they beat England, Scotland and Wales in South Africa this July, as well as Italy, France and Ireland in Europe this November.

Erasmus won’t look beyond that first match against England, and will know how current events may shape the English mindset before the showdown at Ellis Park on 4 July.

If England beat Scotland, Ireland and Italy in the coming weeks, they will believe that they have what it takes to upset France in a potential Six Nations decider on 14 March.

Consider how the mood might shift in Europe if England complete a Six Nations Grand Slam by winning a “final” in Paris, and if they travel to South Africa in July with a 16-game winning streak.

But if France complete the Slam and pick up their third Six Nations title in five seasons, the conversation will change once more.

They’re already the dominant force in club rugby, accounting for the past five European Champions Cup titles. One of Bordeaux-Bégles or Toulouse, the early front-runners in this season’s tournament, may well ensure that the trophy remains on French soil for yet another year.

France will have the benefit of playing the Boks at home this November – as has been the case since 2017 – and if they win that one-off and possibly the Nations Championship, Fabien Galthié’s side will finish 2026 as Test rugby’s No 1 team and as favourites to lift the 2027 World Cup.

We’re only one week into the 2026 Test season, and already it’s clear to see how a few results might alter the wider rugby discourse.

Erasmus is willing to sacrifice a few results this year as he focuses on winning the quadrennial series against New Zealand and building a squad that can peak at the 2027 World Cup.

And yet, it would come as a great surprise if the Bok management didn’t target the matches against the leading Six Nations teams – which at this stage are England and France – in the upcoming Nations Championship.

Perhaps a Six Nations Slam and a perfect season will be too much to ask for a Bok side with other priorities, but Erasmus and company should be gunning for big scalps and looking to strengthen their grip on the No 1 ranking a year out from World Cup. DM