Apart from the three home Tests in July, the usual Castle Lager Rugby Championship between August and October, and the end-of-year trip to the Northern Hemisphere in November, the Boks are looking to add two more matches to their schedule.

Charles Wessels, the Springboks’ Team Manager, said the first option they are considering is a midyear clash against the Barbarians before the Castle Lager Incoming Series, and they are also looking at adding another Test, with the opponent, venue and date still to be confirmed.

Erasmus has already invited two groups of players for an in-person alignment camp (locally-based players) as well as virtual sessions (mostly players based abroad) later this month, and said they want to spread the selection net as wide as possible.

“It’s a big year for us and our planning is in place to allow as many players as possible to see what we’ve got planned and how we want to approach the season, and for the new guys, how we do things at the Boks,” said Erasmus.

“We’ve already got 13 Tests confirmed and we’re looking at adding perhaps another two games to the schedule, to make it a proper international schedule. The last time the Boks played these many games in a year, was in 2007, when there were 17 clashes.

“We are facing the All Blacks twice in New Zealand and we are also playing away against France and Ireland, which will be very tough, and what better way to see if players have what it takes to perform under such massive pressure.

“The Boks have won twice in 10 Tests in Auckland, way back in 1921 and 1937, and the All Blacks have not lost there in the professional era. Ireland have had our number in recent years, and we all know how tough it is to play in Paris.

“We want to build depth and expand our player base – with the next two Rugby World Cups in mind – specially in certain positions where some of our established players are getting older, and this year will give us that opportunity.

“We used 50 players last year and blooded a number of exciting youngsters, and hopefully we can do the same again this year.

“We already know we’ll be without Steven Kitshoff (retired), as well as Elrigh Louw and Trevor Nyakane (both injured) this year, which will provide opportunities for other players to step forward, while we’d also like to give players more opportunities in certain positions.”

The Boks played 13 Tests in each season from 2021 up to and including 2024, they had 12 Tests in 2019 and 14 in 2018, the year Erasmus returned to South Africa from Irish province Munster.