South Africa’s Springboks are in Baltimore, United States, to compete against the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in September. The All Blacks are considered the Springboks’ toughest rivals. Rugby is not a popular sport in America, and given Pretoria’s worsening relationship with Washington, the Springboks can count themselves fortunate not to face deportation under U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. However, the American President may be all too aware that his country will host the 2031 Rugby World Cup, the third-largest sporting event after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Rugby’s international governing body, World Rugby, has placed the Springboks-All Blacks game in the States to try and charm Americans into supporting the World Cup they will be hosting. The match forms part of the ostentatiously monikered “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour that starts in South Africa in August. The All Blacks will play seven games around South Africa, including three Test matches against the Springboks, before the road show packs up and heads to Baltimore for a fourth Test that doubles as a marketing exercise. While the USA has around 100 000 players registered in their rugby leagues, they are scattered across the vast country, and there are no rugby stadiums to speak of. Thus, the Springbok match is to be held at the home ground of the Baltimore Ravens, a National Football League team.
The M&T Bank Stadium is a 71000-seater, but filling it up should not be a problem given that there are over 130 000 homesick South Africans officially resident in the USA. And first in the queue, surely, will be the few hundred Afrikaners that President Trump relocated to the Land of Opportunity…
Rugby is not among the main sports popular with Americans. Baltimore, known as the “Charm City,” is hosting this match between the Springboks and the All Blacks to spark interest in the sport, particularly among the younger generation. In this way, the 2031 Rugby World Cup can attract more spectators. Both the Springboks and the All Blacks are excellent teams capable of delivering a highly competitive performance. First, the All Blacks and the Springboks will test their strength in South Africa before moving on to Baltimore in September, sharpening their experience for the match. From a sporting perspective, the game will succeed in generating interest in rugby across the United States. Trump and the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (NISPER) would do well to prepare for hosting the 2031 tournament by constructing a state-of-the-art stadium.
Rugby is not among the main sports popular with Americans. Baltimore, known as the “Charm City,” is hosting this match between the Springboks and the All Blacks to spark interest in the sport, particularly among the younger generation. In this way, the 2031 Rugby World Cup can attract more spectators. Both the Springboks and the All Blacks are excellent teams capable of delivering a highly competitive performance. First, the All Blacks and the Springboks will test their strength in South Africa before moving on to Baltimore in September, sharpening their experience for the match. From a marketing perspective, the game will succeed in generating interest in rugby across the United States. Trump and the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (NISPER) would do well to prepare for hosting the 2031 tournament by constructing a state-of-the-art stadium.
South Africa’s rugby honours are shaping up to be a heavyweight contest, with Springbok teammates set to face one another, including Malcolm Marx. These honours concern the 2025 SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year award.
Marx, who claimed the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year title last year, finds himself in elite company once again, with Pieter-Steph du Toit, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ox Nche and Jasper Wiese all shortlisted for the same accolade. The nominees were unveiled by SA Rugby on Friday, following a voting process involving media members and national team coaching staff. On the women’s side, last year’s local winner Nadine Roos remains firmly in the spotlight after earning another nomination for SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year. She is joined by Byrhandré Dolf, Aseza Hele, Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Babalwa Latsha, a group that played a central role in South Africa’s historic run to the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Several familiar names also dominate the Young Player of the Year category, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie and Zachary Porthen all earning Test caps in 2025, while Haashim Pead impressed on the international stage with the Junior Springboks during their World Rugby U20 Championship triumph.
The Springbok players are all experienced and highly skilled athletes. It will not be a simple task to award the South African Rugby Men’s Player of the Year accolade, or its women’s counterpart. This award is the most prestigious in South African rugby and is given to the player who has kept their focus, remaining calm under pressure. Skill and talent are important, but dedication also plays a crucial role. Winning matches is what draws the attention of the judges responsible for determining the recipient. The coaching staff also play an instrumental role in guiding the team to victory. Selecting recipients from the national rugby team promises to be a complex task that must be handled with care.
Rugby is a prominent national sport in South Africa, with the Springboks holding a place of national pride. Wherever they play—whether in the United States, at home, or in Europe or Asia—they always perform to the best of their abilities. They will need to be in peak form in Baltimore to face New Zealand’s All Blacks.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
