Portugal’s impressive performance at the Rugby World Cup in France will not be in vain. Nor are the discussions that animated the World Cup about the fate of small countries that fall behind between the World Cup finals and are unable to advance because they do not face the big teams. Some major countries have heard this message clearly. Thus, the South African world champion will welcome his Portuguese counterpart in a test match next July.
The South African Football Association has announced the trial matches the Springboks will play this summer. They will face Ireland on 6 July 2024 in Durban and on 13 July in Pretoria in a rematch of a World Cup group stage match which the Irish won (13-8). And so, the following week, the Boks will welcome the Portuguese on 20 July in a historic Test match for Portugal. A good year for one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets, as the Portuguese will also face England B.
Two matches against the All Blacks
South Africa will then play the return leg again, the final of the World Cup, playing a series of tests against the All Blacks on August 31 in Johannesburg and September 7 in Cape Town. Finally, they have a final against Argentina on September 28 in Nelspruit before traveling for two matches in Australia, a busy summer or rather winter for the world champions who are therefore making a classy gesture by playing a trial match against the Portuguese. We hope that other major countries will follow suit.
