Rugby-mad Gqeberha best place for Boks to start season, says Rassie

There could not be a better place than rugby-mad Gqeberha to stage the Springboks’ opening match of the season against the Barbarians on June 20, SA coach Rassie Erasmus says.

Despatch-born Erasmus says he is itching for the season to start and is expecting a capacity 46,000 crowd to watch the opener at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Gqeberha rugby fans will be treated to a star-studded double-header bonanza when an SA “A” team takes on the Zimbabwe Sables in a curtain-raiser to the Springboks’ opening match of the season against the Barbarians on June 20. Supporters will be able to enjoy a double helping of international rugby and a capacity crowd of 46,000 is expected at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus will use the “A” match as an opportunity to build squad depth and the encounter will provide Zimbabwe with a chance to test themselves against some of South Africa’s up-and-coming talent. “The match between the SA ‘A’ team and Zimbabwe will serve as a fantastic opportunity for both teams to achieve some of their objectives with the Rugby World Cup in mind,” Erasmus said. “From a South African perspective, we have seen the benefits of having an ‘A’ team playing against quality opposition. “Players such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ruan Nortje, Grant Williams, Aphelele Fassi and Elrigh Louw, among others, all played for the team in the early stages of their international careers. “Now they are important members of our squad, so this match will offer us another chance to give guys in our squad and others who have really put up their hands to prove what they can do against international opposition. “It’s always great to return to the Eastern Cape, where the Boks enjoy immense support, and to have back-to-back matches play out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will make the occasion of playing our first match of the year even more special.” The Springboks will host their second alignment camp in May and Erasmus is set to name his squad for their official training camp in June a few weeks later. The SA “A” game is scheduled to kick off at noon and the match between the Springboks and the Barbarians at 3pm. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

Rugby fever is rising in Gqeberha with just 60 days until the Springboks come flying out of the starting blocks against former All Blacks’ coach Scott Robertson’s composite Barbarians team.

An SA “A” team will take on the Zimbabwe Sables in a curtain-raiser to the Barbarians clash.

Erasmus will use the “A” match as an opportunity to build squad depth and the encounter will provide Zimbabwe with a chance to test themselves against some of South Africa’s up-and-coming talent.

Interest is also building ahead of the Sanzaar U20 Rugby Championship, kicking off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Monday with the Junior Boks facing Argentina (kickoff 4.10pm).

“I can’t wait for the season to start and what better place than Gqeberha, where we’ve always enjoyed enormous support,” Erasmus said.

“We’ve been told that the average attendance at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is over 95% of stadium capacity and we hope to see the stands packed out again this year when we welcome the BaaBaas to the game.

“They are coming to South Africa with an experienced and esteemed coaching team, and we know they will provide us with a proper challenge.

“At the same time, we’re very excited to see the rest of our wider squad in action in a proper match when the SA ‘A’ team take on the Sables from Zimbabwe.

“They have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and I’m sure it will be a great match.”

Story audio is generated using AI The world champion Springboks will kick off a busy international season with a blockbuster showdown against a star-studded Barbarians team at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on June 20. The non-Test match, against a team featuring invited international players from around the world, has been planned to fine-tune the Boks’ preparations before their inaugural Nations Championship match against England at Ellis Parkin Johannesburg on July 4. Insiders said the project to bring the world champions to Gqeberha had been driven by Bok coach Rassie Erasmus, who wanted to fit in an extra game before his team’s busy international season kicked off. Gqeberha was not awarded a Test match in 2026, and the clash against a Barbarians side will placate Bay fans who voiced their disappointment with the Boks’ original schedule. The Barbarians’ coaching quartet will be headed by former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and Los Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi, who will be supported by Racing 92 head coach Patrice Collazo and Argentina assistant coach Kenny Lynn. In 2025 the Springboks won a historic match between the teams by 54-7 in Cape Town, after last facing the BaaBaas in November 2016, which ended in a 31-31 draw at the Wembley Stadium in London. “It’s always exciting to face the BaaBaas, and we are looking forward to hosting them in South Africa for the second year in a row after the match in Cape Town in 2025,” Erasmus said. “This time at the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where we have traditionally enjoyed fantastic support. “With our opening Nations Championship encounter against England two weeks later, this will be an ideal opportunity to get the players match-ready against a side that always boasts top players from across the world. “The key for us, however, will be to focus on our structures and what we want to achieve on the field. “This is a new season with two new exciting competitions, so the sooner we get into a Test match mindset, the better.” Contepomi said it promised to be a memorable occasion in Gqeberha. “It was a tremendous honour to play for the Barbarians, and now to be invited to coach the BaaBaas in a match against the back-to-back world champions in their own country is just as special,” he said. “It’s a recognition of the performance of Los Pumas in recent years, and it will be a great challenge to put a team together in a week to face South Africa. “I eagerly await that opportunity.” Robertson said: “The Barbarians bring the rugby world together, so it’s special to be a part of it and to honour the jersey.” The Barbarians fixture will be followed by three local matches in the Nations Championship, against England in Johannesburg (July 4), Scotland in Pretoria (July 11) and Wales in Durban (July 18). The Boks will then face the All Blacks in four Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in August and September before an away Test against the Wallabies in Australia on September 27 The Mandela Bay Development Agency said it was proud to confirm that the Springboks would once again play on local soil at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It said the match put the metro on the international stage and provided an opportunity to showcase the city to millions of viewers. MBDA acting chief executive Unathi Peter expressed his confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay’s ability to rally to the challenge. “The exposure alone is invaluable, and the potential economic injection is substantial,” he said. “The tourism revenue and exposure generated by hosting the Springboks could translate into millions of rand in direct spending in Nelson Mandela Bay. “This is, of course, an exciting prospect.” Stadium executive Raaziq Poole said: “The stadium team works closely with national and provincial rugby structures on an ongoing basis to lobby for fixtures. “We are always in a state of operational readiness, and we’re very pleased to see these efforts pay off in the exciting confirmation of a Springbok return to Nelson Mandela Bay.” Poole said the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was maintained to world-class standards to make it an attractive proposition. Tickets for the clash against the Barbarians — starting from R250 a person — will go on sale from 10am this Wednesday, exclusively on springboks.tmtickets.co.za Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

The Springboks have never lost in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, winning eight of their nine Tests at the venue, while one clash ended in a draw.

Last year, a crowd of 44,282 packed the stands to see a clinical Springbok performance when they beat Italy 45-0.

Barbarians president John Spencer said: “Barbarian FC prides itself on its values and ethos and it is important our partners embody the same. We are delighted to be working and partnering with YesPlay when we take on the Springboks this June.

“YesPlay are a proud South African company and, in addition to the title sponsorship of the match, we are proud to have them on the front of our jersey for this exciting international clash.”

Selborne College rose to the occasion where it mattered most – on the field of play – to register a notable win over the previously unbeaten Graeme College in a cracking encounter in East London on Saturday. It was a game which was typical of the outstanding school derbies in the Eastern Cape, with each side having their moments, and a score of 19-19 with 20 minutes to go, before Selborne finally pulled away to win 34-26. With lock Travis Enslin and centre Iviwe Kabale the standout players for Selborne, the home side put Graeme under sustained pressure from the start, and this allowed them to build a handy 12-0 lead through two tries. But Graeme showed why they are so highly rated this season, particularly when they are on the attack. With No 9 Luke Doyle calling the shots from the base of the scrum, and fullback Lucritia Magau a constant menace at the back, they bounced back with three tries to go ahead 19-12. It was then that the Selborne side showed their character by levelling the score, and although Graeme scored once more, the East London side capitalised on their chances to kick a penalty and score their fifth try to complete a week which will be remembered for many different reasons. Selborne’s tries came from Sabelo Vuso (2), Enslin, Kabale and Reece Rasmussen, with Riley Hansel kicking three conversions and a penalty. Tries for Graeme came from Doyle (2), Asakhe Ranuga and Lucritia Magau, with Erin Nelson kicking three conversions. Meanwhile in Gqeberha, Paul Roos Gym held off a spirited fightback from Grey High to triumph 28-15 in their King Price Derby Series clash on the Kolisi field. After leading 14-0 at halftime and then 21-5 six minutes into the second half, the visitors saw Grey fight back to within six points of their tally before they used their forwards to rumble upfield and eventually pulled away late in the game for a deserved victory. Grey were guilty of some defensive lapses in the first half and a burst of two tries by big centre Jean Hamman, who fought his way through several defenders to the line, and speedy wing Cadynn Samuels saw them shoot into a 14-0 lead after 13 minutes. Samuels took his chance when Grey failed to manage a kick ahead by scrumhalf Tristan Armitage, and the ball bounced kindly for the left wing as he outpaced the Grey defence in 50-metre dash for the line. Kyle Snyers was on song with his boot for Paul Roos in windy conditions, slotting both conversions. Grey High got onto the board in the 40th minute when a series of drives from the forwards saw prop Daniel Naude go over for a try. That was quickly cancelled out as No 8 Werner du Bruin got onto the end of a pass from a quick tap close to the Grey line, and there was no stopping him for the visitors’ third try. Then came Grey’s brightest period of the match. This time it was Paul Roos who made a basic error with a dropped pass, which saw wing Sikhu Xego snap up possession near the halfway mark to race to the tryline. That was followed 10 minutes later by an excellent backline move as Grey quickly moved the ball through the hands and right wing Noah Mbizi used nifty footwork to evade a few defenders for their third try. A scoreline of 21-15 with 19 minutes left had made it interesting, but Paul Roos quickly tightened things up. Although they missed a penalty, they took control through their forwards, and a 25-metre maul from the halfway line underpinned their intentions. They managed to stay in the right areas of the field, and the constant pressure eventually told when flank Christian le Roux burst over for their final try, converted by Snyers to complete the scoring. Daily Dispatch

Fixtures involving the Barbarians are rare and highly anticipated worldwide, bringing together some of the most exciting names in global rugby for a once-off showcase.

Their matches are known for capturing the imagination of fans across generations, combining elite skill with an unstructured, expressive style of play that is seldom seen in the modern game.

What makes the Barbarians particularly compelling is the way their squad is assembled. Players are invited from across the rugby world based on form, reputation, and flair, often representing a mix of countries, cultures, and playing styles.

Selection is typically finalised close to matchday, adding an extra layer of intrigue and anticipation as fans eagerly await the final line-up and the magic it might produce on the field.

The Junior Boks have suffered a late injury blow ahead of their opening match against Argentina in the Sanzaar U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha on Monday. Hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele, who sustained an ankle injury late last week in Stellenbosch, has been replaced by Mahle Sithole for the four-nation tournament from April 27 to May 9. The tournament, which also features teams from New Zealand and Australia, will be played on three match days (April 27 and May 3 and 9) at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. “Injuries are unfortunately part of the game, and we want to wish Siphosethu well with his recovery,” SA coach Kevin Foote said. “He one of our leaders in the group and has a lot of experience of the Junior Bok set-up. “However, his injury has now given Mahle a great chance to showcase his abilities, and I am sure he is excited about his call-up.” The Junior Boks arrived in Gqeberha on Sunday and are spending the week sharpening their preparations for Monday’s clash against Argentina. “The people of the Friendly City are passionate rugby supporters, and we are looking forward to connecting with them during our stay here in Gqeberha,” Foote said. “We are all excited to be here and are looking forward to the week’s training and our participation against the best teams in the southern hemisphere.” Foote has included three members of the SA U20 squad that won the Junior World Championship in Italy in 2025, as well as several of the most promising young local rugby talents. Captain Riley Norton, Oliver Reid and Vusi Moyo were members of the successful Junior Bok side in 2025. They are joined in the squad by Markus Muller, Ethan Adams (both centres), Gert Kemp (No 8) and Kai Pratt (prop), all of whom played for the SA U18 side last year. The Junior Bok squad was picked from the SA U20 training group who had been preparing for the forthcoming Sanzaar event in Stellenbosch for the past two weeks. Cheswill Jooste (wing) and Zekhethelo Siyaya (fullback) were placed on standby pending their duties in the United Rugby Championship, along with Jade Muller and Akahluwa Boqwana. Injury also ruled out regular Junior Bok training squad member Luan Giliomee after the Blitzbok utility player sustained a niggle which prevented him from attending the latest training camp. Foote said reducing the training squad from 43 players to 31 for the tournament had not been easy. “We asked a lot of the group over the past two weeks, because we wanted to step up the intensity and increase their fitness, and they responded splendidly,” he said. “The Junior Boks know from experience that the southern hemisphere teams play a high-tempo game, and we are looking forward to playing an exciting brand of rugby with lots of ball in play. “We tailored our camp programme around those focus areas so that we can prepare our players accordingly for what they will encounter in the Rugby Championship.” Fixtures April 27, 2pm: New Zealand vs Australia; 4.10pm: Junior Boks vs Argentina. May 3, 2pm: New Zealand vs Argentina; 4.10pm: Junior Boks vs Australia. May 9, 2pm: Argentina vs Australia; 4.10pm: Junior Boks vs New Zealand. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

After the BaaBaas clash, the Boks will host England, Scotland, and Wales in three Tests in the new Nations Championship in July, before they welcome the All Blacks for three Tests in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, a new series that will play out every four years.

Tickets for the clash against the Barbarians — starting from R250 a person — can be obtained exclusively on springboks.tmtickets.co.za - Additional reporting SA Rugby

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