Boks To Play Japan At Wembley Stadium
Back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, are set to face Japan at Wembley Stadium in their November tour, before the official Autumn Nations Series kicks off.
Match Details and Venue
The highly anticipated match will take place on 1 November, marking the first rugby event at the famous North London venue since 2016. That year, the Springboks played the Barbarians to a thrilling 31-31 draw.
Wembley Stadium, the home of the England national football team, was re-opened in 2007 when Chelsea defeated Manchester United in the FA Cup final with a goal from Didier Drogba. It is also the venue for all major domestic cup finals in England.
The Springboks are familiar with playing in London. They defeated Wales 41-13 at Twickenham in June 2024 and secured a dominant 35-7 victory over New Zealand at the same venue a year earlier, just before the Rugby World Cup in France. The Boks will also play Argentina in the final round of the Rugby Championship on October 4 at Allianz Stadium, a match that is expected to draw strong support from the UK’s vibrant South African expat community.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his excitement about the tour. “We are delighted to be starting off our tour of the Northern Hemisphere with a match against Japan at the iconic Wembley Stadium,” he said. “The Brave Blossoms are renowned for playing fast, attacking, high-tempo rugby… We have had fantastic support from our fans in the UK for our fixtures in London over the past few years, and I am sure this match will be no different.”
Japan’s coach, Eddie Jones, who won the 2007 Rugby World Cup as a technical advisor for the Springboks, also welcomed the opportunity to face the world champions.
“Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player,” said Jones. “The game in Brighton 10 years ago [the ‘Miracle of Brighton’] changed rugby in Japan from being a minor sport to a boom sport.”
This will be only the fourth time South Africa and Japan have met. The Springboks won the last two encounters, both in 2019, following Japan’s historic 34-32 victory in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Wembley Stadium has hosted 11 rugby matches since 1992. After its rebuilding in 2007, four rugby fixtures have been played there, including two in the 2015 Rugby World Cup (New Zealand vs. Argentina and Ireland vs. Romania), both of which drew capacity crowds of just under 90,000 people.
A Wembley Stadium spokesperson said: “After nine years away, international rugby returns to Wembley Stadium. We are thrilled to be hosting back-to-back World Cup winners South Africa and a very exciting Japan side. It promises to be another spectacular sporting fixture under the arch, and fans can expect an incredible atmosphere at the world’s most famous stadium.”
The fixture is being promoted and delivered by Pitch International, the London-based sports marketing agency renowned for staging major international rugby and football events around the world.
Andy Marinos, Chief Commercial Officer at Pitch International, said: “Bringing South Africa and Japan together at Wembley Stadium, one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world, is a fantastic milestone for Pitch International. Hosting two proud rugby nations on such a historic stage is a testament to our commitment to showcasing world-class rugby events globally.
“This fixture will not only celebrate the rising strength of Japanese rugby and the enduring legacy of the Springboks, but also reinforce Pitch International’s dedication to delivering unforgettable experiences for players and fans alike. We are proud to be at the heart of this occasion and look forward to an incredible match in London this November.”
