If the Springboks successfully defend their World Cup crown in 2027, they will look back to 2025 as the year in which Rassie Erasmus did the lion’s share of his planning.

The Springboks coach has cast his net over the 82 players picked up on his radar by a comprehensive tracking programme that analyses the performances of contenders across the world’s tournaments.

Nothing escapes “Big Brother’ Rassie. There is nowhere to hide as his computer systems pick up every inch of grass covered or not covered. Those that excel get picked.

The next phase for Erasmus is to put the chosen 82 into the white hot crucible of international rugby and see who melts and who forges into a precious metal.

By the end of an exhausting 2025, Erasmus will have answers to his question of who he can bank on in Australia in two years time and who to cast adrift.

Unquestionably, this year is the most important for the Springbok coach in the build up to Australia. This is the year to experiment and grow depth because next year, the year before the big defence of the Webb Ellis Cup, Erasmus will want to polish performances with an elite squad.

Erasmus wants to go to Australia with a 33-man squad in which his most inexperienced players have at least 10 to 15 caps.

This is why he has asked for as many Test matches as possible in this hugely important year for his planning. The last time the Boks played15 Test or more was in 2007 when Jake White played 17 Tests, including World Cup games. White had to play a whack of games preceding the World Cup because the Boks had endured a horror 2006.

The heavy schedule paid dividends, of course, with White picking a squad that would be crowned champions at the Stade de France.

Erasmus says: “2025 is a big year for us and our planning will allow as many players as possible to prove themselves.

“We are facing the All Blacks twice in New Zealand and we are also playing away against France and Ireland, which will be very tough, and what better way to see if players have what it takes to perform under such massive pressure.

“The Boks have won twice in 10 Tests in Auckland, way back in 1921 and 1937, and the All Blacks have not lost there in the professional era. Ireland have had our number in recent years, and we all know how tough it is to play in Paris.

“This year is huge for us as we see which player can take us forward to 2027. We want to build depth and expand our player base – with the next two World Cups in mind – especially in certain positions where some of our established players are getting older, and this year will give us that opportunity.

“We used 50 players last year and blooded a number of exciting youngsters, and hopefully we can do the same again this year.

Springbok schedule for 2025

June 28: v Barbarians. Venue to be confirmed

July 5: v Italy in Pretoria

July 12: v Italy in Gqeberha

July 19: v Georgia in Nelspruit

August 16: v Australia in Johannesburg

August 23: v Australia in Cape Town

September 6: v New Zealand in Auckland

September 13: v New Zealand in Wellington

September 27: v Argentina in Durban

October 4: v Argentina in London

November 8: v France in Paris

November 15: v Italy in Turin

November 22: v Ireland in Dublin

November 29: v Wales in Cardiff