Gqeberha is ground zero for psyched-up Boks, says Rassie

Gqeberha will be ground zero for the Springboks when they set the wheels in motion for a congested season with a showpiece clash against a star-studded Barbarians side at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, coach Rassie Erasmus says.

A large contingent of South African players have assembled in Johannesburg to begin preparations for the season, which includes a match between an SA A team and Zimbabwe in Gqeberha on Saturday.

The squads will remain and train in Johannesburg until Wednesday before departing for Gqeberha for their opening assignment of the season.

Erasmus is confident the work players have been putting in on the training ground will see them hit the ground running in Gqeberha and set the tone for the rest of the season.

There is a palpable sense of excitement among players on the training pitch as the Springboks gear up for their first outing of the season against a star-studded Barbarians outfit in Gqeberha on June 20, coach Rassie Erasmus says. A squad of 51 players, including many uncapped young guns, assembled in Johannesburg on Monday to start preparing for matches against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe in a double header at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. In addition to the initial squad, Phepsi Buthelezi (loose forward) and Carlu Sadie (prop) have been called and will join the camp in the next two days, along with the Stormers players following their return from Ireland, where they played in the URC semifinal over the weekend. The highly rated Buthelezi made his Test debut against Portugal in 2024. The Stormers players arrived in camp on Monday and Buthelezi, who plays for the Sharks, reported for duty that evening. Sadie, a former Junior Springbok who joined the virtual Springbok alignment camps from France, where he plays for European champions Bordeaux Begles, will arrive in Johannesburg on Wednesday. “It’s great to be back on the field and to see familiar and new faces in the squad,” Erasmus said. “The excitement in the group to get the season under way is palpable, and we are looking forward to the week ahead. We are also pleased to welcome Phepsi and Carlu to the squad, and we are confident they will slot in with ease.” There was an emphasis on youth when the Springboks named a 51-man squad, featuring 21 uncapped players, for the Gqeberha double-header. With the Bulls players unavailable for selection after booking their place in the United Rugby Championship final against Leinster, Erasmus selected several junior players in his squad. Among the crop of rising stars is KuGompo City’s Sibabalwe Mahashe, who has impressed while playing for the Lions. The extended group includes SA U-20 players Yaqeen Ahmed (flyhalf/centre), Danie Kruger (prop), Luan Giliomee (utility back), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Oliver Reid (prop), and Liam van Wyk (hooker), Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton (loose forward/lock), Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), Markus Muller (centre) and Zekhethelo Siyaya (utility back), all of whom were members of the expanded Springbok alignment camp squad. Other uncapped players in the group are Paul de Villiers (flanker), Bathobele Hlekani (utility forward), Hanro Jacobs (prop), Jurenzo Julius (utility back), Imad Khan (scrumhalf), JJ Kotze (hooker), Mahashe (loose forward), Haashim Pead, Nico Steyn (both scrumhalves), Emmanuel Tshituka (flanker) and Jaco Williams (utility back). The Boks’ Japan-based players who have completed their club commitments will join their teammates from the outset of the camp, while the UK-based players will report for duty once their season officially concludes in line with World Rugby’s regulation 9. Erasmus said he is looking forward to seeing how the younger players adapted to the demands of senior international rugby. The Springbok squad for the opening leg of the Nations Championship against England, Scotland and Wales will be announced on June 21. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

Before Saturday’s showdown, Erasmus praised SA Rugby’s head of high performance Dave Wessels and Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote for the superb work they have done to prepare the SA U-20 players for international rugby on and off the field.

“We are fortunate to have individuals such as Dave and Kevin, who have helped us tremendously, and for the work they have done with the bunch of young players coming through,” Erasmus said.

“A lot of them will get a chance against Zimbabwe, and some may play against the Barbarians as we look to rest some players who have had a big workload this season.”

Asked what the objectives of those two matches will be, Erasmus said: “We would like a good start to the season, and like all teams, our objective is always to try to win matches.

“We face England, Scotland, and Wales in the opening leg of the Nations Championship in July, and then it’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, so it’s going to be tough.

“We have the same objectives for the Barbarians and SA A games, and those are to get some players comfortable in the set-up and afford others valuable game time and also to implement some of the aspects of the game we have been working on.

“The Barbarians and Zimbabwe are sides one cannot analyse much, and both teams will have quality players.

“The Sables are also going to the World Cup next year, so it will be a good challenge.

Story audio is generated using AI Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick will register another significant milestone in his distinguished coaching career when he returns home to Gqeberha next week as head coach of the SA A team to face Zimbabwe. New Brighton-born Stick, who played a major role in the Boks’ back-to-back World Cup rugby wins, will relish this opportunity to mentor SA’s next generation of stars at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (kickoff 12.00pm). After starring for EP in provincial rugby, Stick embarked on a glittering career with the Blitzboks before being called up to the Springbok coaching panel. He is currently in Johannesburg at a Bok training camp and is expected to name his SA A team early next week after arriving in Gqeberha. The match will be played as a curtain-raiser to the clash between the Springboks and Barbarians (kickoff 3pm). It will be the first time an SA A-side has taken to the field since 2022, when they faced the Bristol Bears and Munster in November 2022 during an end-of-season tour. Ruben van Heerden has been called up to the Springbok squad and joined the team in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The 28-year-old former Junior Springbok lock, who has been a central figure in the Stormers pack in the United Rugby Championship this season, will replace Salmaan Moerat, who has been released from camp due to injury. Van Heerden earned his 50th cap for the Stormers this season, while he also represented the Bulls, Sharks, and Exeter Chiefs earlier in his career. Zimbabwe faces a demanding schedule in the coming weeks, with the Stellenbosch camp giving Benade an important opportunity to work closely with foreign-based players who have now become available following club commitments in Europe and South Africa. Phepsi Buthelezi and Carlu Sadie, who were called up to the squad on Monday, meanwhile, have already reported for duty. The Zimbabwe Rugby Union are expected to announce a Sables squad early next week as preparations gather momentum ahead of the high-profile clash. The Sables are currently in SA for the final phase of their Stellenbosch training camp, where coach Piet Benade is assessing players before naming his final squad for both the SA A match and the World Rugby Nations Cup. Indications are that the core of the squad selected for the SA A fixture could largely remain intact for the Nations Cup, with only a few changes expected. Zimbabwe faces a demanding schedule in the coming weeks, with the Stellenbosch camp giving Benade an important opportunity to work closely with foreign-based players who have now become available following club commitments in Europe and South Africa. Zimbabwe Rugby Union interim management committee general manager Takunda “TJ” Chifokoyo said the national team was entering a crucial stage of preparations, with major selection decisions expected soon. “We are very much relieved that most of our top-tier talents’ schedules have started to free, particularly those in Europe and South Africa, as you can see from the players called in,” he said. “It is a huge positive to have some of our top and new guys in camp, as it allows coach Benade a chance to have a look at them before making his final squad selection.” The training squad currently camped in SA reflects Benade’s focus on strengthening the team with foreign-based talent and assessing new combinations ahead of an important international season. Only eight locally based players made the training squad: Jeff Makoni, Tadiwanashe Gwashu, Aiden Burnett, Brendan Mason, Tatenda Kamubvumbi, Kudzai Mashawi, Darrell Makwasha and Trevor Gurwe. Several new faces have also been included in the camp, among them: Tude Visser; Dale Lemon of Hartpury in the UK; Gary Porter of the DHL Stormers; Daniel Cooke of Chinnor RFC in the UK; and Bruce Houston of USBPA Rugby in France. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

“We’ll train together as a group until late next week and then have separate sessions with the teams next Thursday and at the captains’ runs.

“It’s great to be back on the field and to see familiar and new faces in the squad.

“The excitement in the group to get the season under way is palpable, and we are looking forward to the week ahead.

“The SA A team will also have operational, medical, and technical staff, but Mzwandile Stick [SA A head coach] and Deon Davids [assistant coach] will also be fully involved with the Springboks as well.”

Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, who returned to the fold for the first time since facing Georgia in July last year, was thrilled to be back in the Bok squad and to return to South Africa, where he will join the Toyota Cheetahs from Japan.

“It has always been my goal to give my best for my club and to prove myself to be at the Boks, and I’m excited to be back in South Africa,” he said.

“There is obviously much less travel now, knowing that I’m going home to my family here, so I’ll continue to give my best and try to help the other players as much as I can.”

There was an emphasis on youth when the Springboks named an initial squad, featuring 21 uncapped players, for the Gqeberha double-header.

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