South Africa vs England Preview & Prediction | 2026 Nations Championship | Round 1
This is as tough a Nations Championship opener as it can possibly get for England, as they take on the world's best side in Johannesburg.
Start date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – RugbyPass TV
South Africa team news: Kolbe & Willemse set for 50th caps
Squad: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Mani Libbok, 9 Grant Williams; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrick Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zach Porthen, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Andre Esterhuizen, 23 Canan Moodie
England team news: George Martin involved again
Squad: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Alex Coles, 5 George Martin, 6 Ollie Chessum, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Ben Earl
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Marcus Smith
South Africa vs England prediction
The undoubted favourites to go all the way in the first staging of the Nations Championship, South Africa are the top-ranked side in world rugby and will take some beating.
The reigning world champions, who most recently hammered the Barbarians 80-31 in June, won all four of their Autumn Nations Series contests last year, and won their second successive Rugby Championship title on points difference.
This is quite an ask for England in Johannesburg then, especially considering the fact that Steve Borthwick's side endured a torrid Six Nations campaign where they won just one of their five games.
England massively underperformed in that competition and you have to feel they will show improvement here given the undoubted quality they possess. While they did beat the Springboks on their last visit to South Africa in 2018 though, this South Africa side have been utterly dominant in recent times.
Keen to make a statement that they are still on top, we see the hosts covering a fair handicap in this one.
South Africa vs England tip: South Africa to win with -14.5 handicap
