Two of rugby union’s top world powers, South Africa and England, clash on Saturday in the opener of England’s summer tour. The match is only the second three-match Test series ever held between the two countries, and the game will live stream from Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. The match marks the start of preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, as Rugby World reported on Friday.
England has never won a Test series in South Africa, and is looking at an uphill battle, having emerged victorious in just one of their last 13 games against the Springboks, as England Rugby reports. The game will be the 39th Test between the two nations since they first squared off 112 years ago. South Africa has won 23 of those matches, with England taking 13, and two matches ending in draws.
To learn how to watch a live stream of the first South Africa vs. England rugby Test match, see the streaming information at the bottom of this article. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. South Africa Standard Time at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday, June 8. In the United Kingdom, that start time will be 4 p.m. British Summer Time, while in the United States, rugby fans can access the live stream starting at 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 8 a.m. Pacific.
The match will be historic for another, perhaps more important reason, as well. When the Test kicks off at Ellis Park, 26-year-old loose forward Siya Kolisi will become the first black player to captain South Africa in a Test match, Sky Sports reported. The event comes 24 years after the country ended its brutal system of racial apartheid that a white minority government began to impose in 1948.
In an interview with Britain’s Guardian , Kolisi, who rose from poverty to become one of the Springboks top players, understood the significance of his place in the country.
“I’m not only trying to inspire black kids but people from all races. When I’m on the field and I look into the crowd, I see people of all races and social classes. We as players represent the whole country,” Kolis said. “I tell my teammates that you should never play just to represent one group. You can’t play to be the best black player or to be the best white player to appeal to a community. You have to play to be the best for every South African. We represent something much bigger than we can imagine.”
Watch a preview of the first South Africa vs. England rugby Test match in the video below, courtesy of CGTN Africa.
To watch a free live stream of the opening match of what promises to be a bruising three-Test series pitting host South Africa against England, use the stream provided by ESPN+ , the new, online subscription sports network of the sports media giant ESPN. The ESPN+ streaming network is available with a subscription fee of $4.99 per month, but comes with a seven-day free trial. If the trial is cancelled before the weeklong period, rugby fans can watch the Test match at no charge.
In the United Kingdom, the South Africa vs. England first Test rugby match will be broadcast by Sky Sports , which means that to access a live stream, fans in the U.K. and in Ireland require a Sky Sports subscription. Subscribers then need to register for the satellite network’s Sky Go streaming service, which is free, but fans must fill out some basic information at this link to obtain a Sky Go login.
Then, at last, rugby viewers can stream the South Africa vs. England Test live from Johannesburg. Sky Go is also available on most mobile devices by downloading the Sky Go app.
In South Africa, Super Sport will carry a live stream of the Test match against England.