The Springboks have arrived in Australia ahead of their one-off Test against the Wallabies at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, September 27, with Rassie Erasmus flagging player welfare as the priority concern in the lead-up to the match.
The squad flew from Baltimore to Dallas, then on to Sydney before settling at their base in Terrigal, north of Sydney — a lengthy haul that follows three demanding Tests across the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks and the Rugby Championship matches against Argentina.
Erasmus is under no illusions about what awaits them. The Wallabies arrive at this fixture with confidence high after their series win in Argentina, and the Bok coach has identified them as a markedly different proposition to what his side has faced over the past few weeks.
"The Wallabies have been playing well, and we have no doubt they will come out firing in this match, which will require another full 80-minute performance from us to get the desired result," Erasmus said.
With training set to begin on Friday, Erasmus credited Head of Athletic Performance Andy Edwards and the logistics team for managing the travel demands. The players were given Sunday off in Baltimore before departing for Australia.
The Perth match is also the first meeting between the two sides this year and carries added significance as a reconnaissance mission ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which Australia will host.