diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 53bbd018..2e4a1ac4 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Type: Package
 Package: rticles
 Title: Article Formats for R Markdown
-Version: 0.27.1
+Version: 0.27.2
 Authors@R: c(
     person("JJ", "Allaire", , "jj@posit.co", role = "aut"),
     person("Yihui", "Xie", , "xie@yihui.name", role = "aut",
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index a3d19eb4..a1cc03a8 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # rticles (development version)
 
+- Fix `springer_article()` skeleton: It now uses `equal_contribution` in author field (thanks, @nielsbock, #568).
+
 # rticles 0.27
 
 - `joss_article()` now correctly works as `base_format` for `bookdown::pdf_book()` (thanks, @mlysy, #564).
diff --git a/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/resources/template.tex b/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/resources/template.tex
index 9703db60..844c1fad 100644
--- a/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/resources/template.tex
+++ b/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/resources/template.tex
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 \usepackage{algorithmicx}%
 \usepackage{algpseudocode}%
 \usepackage{listings}%
+\usepackage{orcidlink}%
 %%%%
 
 %%%%%=============================================================================%%%%
@@ -195,8 +196,8 @@
 %%=============================================================%%
 
 $for(authors)$
-\author$if(authors.corresponding)$*$endif$[$for(authors.affiliation)$$authors.affiliation$$sep$,$endfor$]{$if(authors.prefix)$\pfx{$authors.prefix$} $endif$$if(authors.firstname)$\fnm{$authors.firstname$} $endif$$if(authors.particle)$\spfx{$authors.particle$} $endif$$if(authors.lastname)$\sur{$authors.lastname$} $endif$$if(authors.suffix)$\sfx{$authors.suffix$} $endif$$if(authors.naturename)$\tanm{$authors.naturename$} $endif$$if(authors.degrees)$\dgr{$authors.degrees$}$endif$}$if(authors.email)$\email{$authors.email$}$endif$
-$if(authors.equal_contribution)$\equalcont{authors.equal_contribution}$endif$
+\author$if(authors.corresponding)$*$endif$[$for(authors.affiliation)$$authors.affiliation$$sep$,$endfor$]{$if(authors.prefix)$\pfx{$authors.prefix$} $endif$$if(authors.firstname)$\fnm{$authors.firstname$} $endif$$if(authors.particle)$\spfx{$authors.particle$} $endif$$if(authors.lastname)$\sur{$authors.lastname$} $endif$$if(authors.suffix)$\sfx{$authors.suffix$} $endif$$if(authors.naturename)$\tanm{$authors.naturename$} $endif$$if(authors.degrees)$\dgr{$authors.degrees$}$endif$$if(authors.orcid)$\orcidlink{$authors.orcid$}$endif$}$if(authors.email)$\email{$authors.email$}$endif$
+$if(authors.equal_contribution)$\equalcont{$authors.equal_contribution$}$endif$
 $endfor$
 
 
diff --git a/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/skeleton/skeleton.Rmd b/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/skeleton/skeleton.Rmd
index 1caf0309..01f68936 100644
--- a/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/skeleton/skeleton.Rmd
+++ b/inst/rmarkdown/templates/springer/skeleton/skeleton.Rmd
@@ -27,15 +27,16 @@ authors:
     suffix: III
     naturename: Poet Laureate
     degrees: MSc, PhD
+    orcid: 0000-0000-0000-0000
     email: abc@def
     affiliation: [1,2]
     corresponding: TRUE
-    equalcont: These authors contributed equally to this work.
+    equal_contribution: These authors contributed equally to this work.
     
   - firstname: Second
     lastname: Author
     affiliation: 2
-    equalcont: These authors contributed equally to this work.
+    equal_contribution: These authors contributed equally to this work.
 
 
 affiliations: