Six Nations form could hand Springboks early tactical clues ahead of July Tests

One round into the Six Nations and Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus should already have some valuable answers — and a few new questions — as Scotland and Wales showed early signs of vulnerability ahead of their July Nations Championship clashes with the world champions.

While France’s demolition job of Ireland in Paris stole the spotlight, it was the alarming early struggles of the Scots and Welsh that may have really caught the Bok coaches’ attention.

Scotland suffered a surprise 18-15 defeat to Italy, a side the Springboks will face later this year and first at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, while England comprehensively outplayed Wales 48-7 at Twickenham.

The English, of course, will be South Africa’s first opponent in the July Nations Championship, making that Welsh capitulation particularly relevant. The Boks are scheduled to face England in the tournament’s opener, followed by Scotland and then Wales.

Early Six Nations form suggests that those final two fixtures could present opportunities beyond just winning for Erasmus and his side.

Given their performances, both clashes may now be viewed as matches where Erasmus can afford to rotate his squad and test depth, particularly with the looming Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks later in the season. The July window, looking at how the Boks drove their campaign last season, should now be earmarked as another opportunity to broaden the Bok player pool even further, and these Six Nations results may reinforce that strategy over the next couple of months.

Wales, in particular, always looked like a potential target for experimentation.

Even before their heavy defeat to the English, Erasmus and his assistants were likely to use the third July Test as a chance to mix things up by introducing more new faces, trying fresh combinations, and handing opportunities to fringe players.

Scotland’s loss to Italy, however, adds a fresh twist to the tale.

The Scots were expected to push on this season on the international stage with an established side and players in good form thanks to the United Rugby Championship. But that defeat in Rome, in treacherous weather conditions, could tempt the Springboks to take a similarly experimental approach against them as well, especially if the opening Test against England proves physically demanding.

For the next couple of months, the Six Nations will be more than just a northern hemisphere spectacle for the Boks. It could be an important planning tool for the international season and could have a big influence on how the world champions approach 2026.