Overview
- Rassie Erasmus briefed reporters on Tuesday, June 23, and said the Springboks will open the Nations Championship at Ellis Park against England on July 4.
- Erasmus praised England back‑row Henry Pollock for his on‑field output and compared the 21‑year‑old’s influence to Siya Kolisi’s leadership on the pitch.
- The coach stated South Africa will not pursue bonus points at the expense of their style and will treat the competition as a series of single Tests to win.
- Erasmus described the 46‑man squad as provisional and confirmed planned rotation with veterans who were left out remaining in contention to join later.
- Lock availability is a live issue with Lood de Jager labelled touch‑and‑go for the England match and Franco Mostert monitored for a short recovery window.