Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made clear that South Africa will not deviate from their established game plan despite the Nations Championship introducing a league table to international rugby for the first time.

The world champions begin their campaign against England at Ellis Park on 4 July, entering a competition where bonus points, try tallies and group standings will determine qualification for Finals Weekend. Yet Erasmus revealed the Boks have no intention of chasing attacking returns at the expense of their proven formula.

"We've never played a competition with the Springboks, apart from maybe the World Cup, where you get log points for Test match rugby," Erasmus said. "It's almost just been world rankings, and to be honest with you, we just want to try and win every match."

England pose experienced threat

Erasmus named a 46-man squad on Saturday night, with Siya Kolisi confirmed as captain. England coach Steve Borthwick announced his travelling party on Monday, prompting Erasmus to highlight the quality of the opposition.

"The England squad is good – their average age is about 27, and Test caps around 32, so it's a young yet experienced squad," Erasmus said. "There are a few older players in their 30s, which brings the experience, but the young guys will add fearlessness into a team that was in the World Cup semi-final (in 2023), and who have competed really well off the back of the Premiership."

The Springbok coach singled out England loose forward Henry Pollock, drawing a comparison with his own captain. "He's like Siya. People make a big deal about certain players, but I don't always think the players themselves want that attention. What counts is what they do on the field, and recently, he's been doing that."

Kolisi relishes captaincy return

Kolisi, whose first match as Bok captain came against England at Ellis Park in 2018, expressed his delight at retaining the armband. "It's a really good feeling," Kolisi said. "Everything starts from the top, and I think the biggest thing is to make sure the team remains the most important aspect."

The Nations Championship format represents unfamiliar territory for a side built around peaking for Rugby World Cups and knockout rugby. With New Zealand capable of running up large scores at home and points difference potentially decisive, Erasmus was asked whether South Africa would need to become more attack-minded. His answer underscored the Boks' long-term focus on squad depth and refining their game model ahead of the next World Cup cycle.

"We're doing things how we do it in Springbok rugby," Erasmus said, signalling that South Africa's approach to the Nations Championship will prioritise consistency over chasing log points.