Scotland have the chance to make history when they face South Africa in Round 2 of the Nations Championship 2026 Southern Hemisphere Series, but the task ahead of them could barely be more difficult.
You can watch Nations Championship 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.
South Africa vs Scotland live streams: TV channels, dates
South Africa vs Scotland takes place on Saturday, July 11
► Time: 11:40 a.m. ET / 4:40 p.m. BST / 1:40 a.m. AEST (Sun)
• FREE STREAM — Rugbypass TV (US) / ITVX (UK) / Virgin Media Play (Ireland)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
South Africa made light work of England in Round 1, easing to a 45-21 victory as the Springboks kicked off their campaign in style. The back-to-back world champions head to Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld Stadium, which sits 1,350m above sea level, boasting an impressive record at the venue, winning 15 of their past 16 Tests there. Head coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his XV, with star wing Cheslin Kolbe among those to make way. Pieter-Steph du Toit captains the side again in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi.
Scotland are targeting their first-ever win in South Africa on their first visit to the country since 2014. After a 47-38 victory over Argentina in Round 1, Gregor Townsend’s men have been further boosted by the return of talismanic fly-half Finn Russell, who replaces Tom Jordan in one of three changes to the XV. Despite the 33-year-old’s presence, Townsend has labeled the clash in Pretoria as the ‘ultimate challenge’, owing to the altitude and the quality of Scotland’s opponents.
Will the Boks ease to victory again, or can the visitors cause an upset for the ages? Here’s how to watch South Africa vs Scotland in the Nations Championship 2026 for free online from anywhere.
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland for FREE
Live coverage of South Africa vs Scotland is carried by several free-to-air streaming platforms around the world.
Specifically, you can watch all Nations Championship 2026 matches for free on:
Traveling overseas? You won’t be able to watch South Africa vs Scotland like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch Nations Championship 2026 for free — we’ll explain more below.
South Africa vs Scotland: Team News
South Africa XV: Boan Venter, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Ruan Nortje, Paul de Villiers, Pieter-Steph du Toit (c), Evan Roos; Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Edwill van der Merwe, Aphelele Fassi.
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zach Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Vincent Tshituka, Elrigh Louw, Grant Williams, Quan Horn.
Scotland XV: Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, Zander Fagerson, Gregor Brown , Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey; Ben White, Finn Russell, Jamie Dobie, Sione Tuipulotu, Rory Hutchinson, Kyle Steyn. Kyle Rowe.
Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Rory Sutherland, Will Hurd, Alex Samuel, Josh Bayliss, Magnus Bradbury, Tom Jordan, Stafford McDowall.
Watch South Africa vs Scotland from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching Nations Championship 2026 on your usual subscription?
You can still watch South Africa vs Scotland live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software can make your devices appear to be back in your home country regardless of where you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you’re in New Zealand and want to watch the free U.S. coverage, choose ‘United States’ from the server list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your usual streaming service and watch South Africa vs Scotland live from anywhere.
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland online in the U.S.
South Africa vs Scotland is being streamed for FREE online via Rugbypass TV in the U.S.
Rugbypass TV can be streamed through your web browser as well as its dedicated mobile app.
Traveling overseas right now? You can use a VPN to watch South Africa vs Scotland as if you were back home. Of the options, NordVPN is our top pick.
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland live streams in the U.K.
South Africa vs Scotland will be shown live on ITV in the UK. Coverage is available on ITV1 and the broadcaster’s streaming platform ITVX.
Every Nations Championship 2026 fixture will be broadcast on ITV in the U.K. All matches will be free-to-air on TV (so long as you have a valid TV Licence) as well as online through ITVX.
Away from home? You can still catch all the action using a VPN, such as our top pick: NordVPN.
Where to watch South Africa vs Scotland live online in Australia
Rugby union fans in Australia can watch South Africa vs Scotland live on Stan Sport, which will show every match of the 2026 championship.
You’ll need a Stan subscription, which starts at $12/month, and then add Stan Sport for an extra $20/month.
If you’re traveling overseas you can still watch every match of Nations Championship 2026 on Stan via a VPN. Our number one VPN service right now is NordVPN.
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland live streams in New Zealand
New Zealanders can catch South Africa vs Scotland on Sky Sport.
That means you can also watch through the online Sky Sport Now platform, which costs $29.99/day, $59.99/month or $549.99/year.
Remember, you can still tap into your Nations Championship 2026 stream when overseas by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland in Ireland
As mentioned above, Irish residents can watch South Africa vs Scotland on Virgin Media Play.
The free service is showing every match of Nations Championship 2026, meaning you won’t have to pay a penny to stream any of the 42 games.
Outside the Emerald Isle? Watch from anywhere across the world with NordVPN!
How to watch South Africa vs Scotland in Canada
South Africa vs Scotland will be broadcast on the Premier Sports subscription service in Canada, which costs CA$29.99/month, CA$79.99 for six months or CA$139.99 for a whole year.
Outside Canada during Nations Championship 2026? Unlock your Premier Sports streams with NordVPN.
More from Tom’s Guide
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.