Boks ramping up for BaaBaas showdown in Gqeberha

With preparations for his team’s opening match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on June 20 starting to ramp up, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named a 40-man squad for an alignment camp in Cape Town next week.

Apart from selecting a team to face the BaaBaas, Erasmus will also have to gather an SA A team to take on the Zimbabwe Sables in a game that will be played as a curtain-raiser to the Bok clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

With two teams having to be named to wear the green and gold in Gqeberha, Erasmus has spread his net far and wide in an effort to rope in the SA’s best players.

If the Barbarians live up to their famous creed of prioritising flair over dull defensive tactics, a dazzling feast of running rugby will be served up when they face the Springboks in Gqeberha on June 20. Fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the composite BaaBaas squad, which is expected to feature many of the world’s best players at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Players wearing the iconic black and white hooped Barbarians jersey have scored some of the most exciting tries in rugby’s history. Legendary scrumhalf Gareth Edwards scored what many regard as rugby’s greatest try for the Barbarians against the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park in 1973. It is referred to simply as “that try” and is etched in memories of fans because of its sheer brilliance. The move started with a deep kick from a New Zealand player, and the ball dropped towards Phil Bennett near to his goal line. Livewire Bennett sidestepped and evaded three tackles, in turn passing the ball to JPR Williams. The ball then passed through the hands of John Pullin, John Dawes, Tommy David and Derek Quinnell before Edwards, slipping between two teammates and seemingly intercepting the last pass, finished with a diving try in the lefthand corner. Fixtures involving the Barbarians are rare and highly anticipated worldwide, and they bring together some of the most exciting names in global rugby for a once-off match. Their games are known for capturing the imagination of fans across generations, combining skill with an unstructured, expressive style of play that is seldom seen in the modern game. What makes the Barbarians particularly compelling is the manner in which 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. Rugby fever is rising in Gqeberha, with the Springboks expected to come flying out of the starting blocks against former All Blacks’ coach Scott Robertson’s Barbarians team. An SA A team will take on the Zimbabwe Sables in a curtain-raiser to the Barbarians clash. The Barbarians were formed in 1890, when William Percy Carpmael, a player for both Blackheath and Cambridge University, realised his dream of spreading good fellowship among all rugby players and harnessing the game’s virtues of flair, courage, spirit and passion. In 1952 the Barbarians played their inaugural fixture against the Springboks at Cardiff Arms Park in Wales, which South Africa went on to win 17-3. Nine years later, the Barbarians claimed their first victory against the Boks, winning 6-0 at the same venue. The next two meetings followed a similar pattern, with the Boks winning 21-12 at Twickenham in 1970, before the Barbarians pulled one back in 1994, winning 23-15 at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. In 2000, the Boks rounded off a largely successful tour of Argentina and Europe with a 41-31 victory over the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium. Although nobody knew it at the time, that result in Cardiff would mark the Boks’ last win against the black and white hoops for a quarter of a century. After winning the 2007 World Cup in France, a much-changed Bok side lost 22-5 to the Barbarians at Twickenham. The next contest in 2010 was closer, although the Barbarians still managed to win 26-20 in London. The next clash was staged at Wembley Stadium in London, with Allister Coetzee in charge of the Boks and former Crusaders and Australia coach Robbie Deans at the helm of the Barbarians. The Barbarians led 17-12 at halftime before SA hit back in the second half with three tries. Rohan Janse van Rensburg’s touchdown in the 77th minute ensured that the Boks came away from Wembley with a 31-31 draw. In 2025 the Boks began their season with a dominant 54-7 win over the Barbarians in Cape Town. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus says there could not be a better place than rugby-mad Gqeberha to stage the Springboks’ opening match of the season. 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. - Additional reporting SA Rugby Win tickets The Herald, in partnership with SA Rugby, is giving away 20 double tickets to see the Springboks face off against the Barbarians in the YesPlay Cup at Gqeberha’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on June 20 2026. Two lucky readers also stand a chance to win branded rugby merchandise. For entry details, keep an eye on The Herald’s Facebook account. Competition terms and conditions: The competition closes on Thursday June 4 2026 at 12pm. Winners will be randomly selected via lucky draw. Only entrants who correctly answer the competition question will be eligible for the draw. Winners will be contacted via private inbox message on Facebook on Friday June 5. Prizes are not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. By entering, participants agree to the competition terms and conditions. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook.

Erasmus has named a purpose- and goal-driven squad, or the team’s second in-person alignment camp with former Hudson Park schoolboy Sibabalwe Mahashe and the highly rated Zekhethelo Siyaya invited to their first camp.

Embrose Papier, Francke Horn, Andre-Hugo Venter and Henco van Wyk, who have all attended alignment camps in the past, have also been included in the group.

With several experienced national players, who have been in the set-up for several seasons, sidelined due to injury, Erasmus said the purpose of this camp was to expose these players to the team’s structures and systems with an eye on the next two seasons and beyond.

The camp squad — which comprises 25 forwards and 15 backline players — will run from Tuesday to Thursday and includes 10 uncapped players in Paul de Villiers, Bathobele Hlekani, Francke Horn, Mahashe, Riley Norton, Haashim Pead, Siyaya, Emmanuel Tshituka, Van Wyk and Jaco Williams, six of whom were invited to the first alignment camp in March.

“This is an exciting group of players, and it’s been pleasing to see them make their presence felt in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and during their teams’ Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup campaigns this season,” Erasmus said.

“This camp will be a good opportunity to expose those invited to our setup and the standards expected of the national coaches. We’re looking forward to involving Sibabalwe, Zekhethelo, Andre, Embrose, Francke and Henco at this camp as we continue to build our squad depth.”

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. 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 “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.” 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.” 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. 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 Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

There are several players who are not currently fit to play, and we look forward to seeing them back in action in the near future, knowing they have a good sense of how the team operates and what will be expected of them when they return.”

“It’s important to be clear about the objective of this alignment camp and that is to expose these players to our environment, our standards and the way we operate.

“The players who will not be present, whether through injury or workload, remain in our plans, and each one of them is on his own path with his own set of timelines.

Story audio is generated using AI Just three months after making his professional rugby debut, KuGompo City’s Sibabalwe Mahashe has caught Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus’s eye, earning a first training camp invitation. The former Hudson Park loose forward was on Wednesday named in the 40-man squad for the Boks’ second in-person alignment camp in Cape Town that starts next week. Erasmus said the inclusion of the 22-year-old Mahashe was to generate squad depth ahead of the Boks’ busy calendar as some experienced national players, who had been in the set-up for several seasons, were sidelined due to injury. “We’re looking forward to involving Sibabalwe at this camp as we continue to build our squad depth,” Erasmus said. He said the camp was a good opportunity to expose Mahashe and the other newcomers in the Bok setup so they could understand the standards expected of the national coaches. Mahashe will be joined by Sharks youngster Zekhethelo Siyaya as one of the newcomers in the Bok camp setup. Former Border Craven Week player Mahashe has quickly established himself as a key “X-factor” loose forward for the Johannesburg-based Lions, in both the United Rugby Championship and the EPCR Challenge Cup. His high work rate, dominant tackles and clean ball-carrying have been instrumental for the Lions; hence, the team is close to making it to the URC knockout stages. Mahashe has been part of the SA Rugby system since coming out of Hudson less than five years ago. He has been part of the SA Schools, Academy and U20 setup, which Erasmus has publicly said he pays attention to and gives advantage to youngsters in making it quickly into the senior Boks group. “It’s important to be clear about the objective of this alignment camp, and that is to expose these players to our environment, our standards and the way we operate,” Erasmus said. “The players who will not be present, whether through injury or workload, remain in our plans, and each one of them is on his own path with his own set of timelines. “This week will give us the chance to align those who are fit and firing now with the way we want to operate so that when an opportunity arises either this year or further down the line, they are ready to step up and deliver at an international level,” he said. Erasmus said the second virtual alignment camp would be hosted after the conclusion of this session. The Springboks begin their international season on June 20 against the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. That will be followed by home Tests against England, Scotland and Wales before a four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. Then, later in the year, they will have an away Test against the Wallabies, Italy, France and Ireland. The players invited to the second in-person Springbok alignment camp: Forwards: Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter, Bathobele Hlekani, Francke Horn, Sibabalwe Mahashe, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Emmanuel Tshituka Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard, Andre Esterhuizen, Zekhethelo Siyaya, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams, Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Henco van Wyk, Morne van den Berg, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone. Daily Dispatch

“This week will give us the chance to align those who are fit and firing now with the way we want to operate so that when an opportunity arises either this year or further down the line, they are ready to step up and deliver at an international level.”

Springbok alignment camp squad:

Forwards: Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all Stormers); Bathobele Hlekani, Francke Horn, Sibabalwe Mahashe, Asenathi Ntlabakanye (all Lions); Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls); Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Emmanuel Tshituka (all Sharks)

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard (all Bulls); Andre Esterhuizen, Zekhethelo Siyaya, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (all Sharks); Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Henco van Wyk, Morne van den Berg (all Lions); Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse (both Stormers). — Additional reporting SA Rugby Communications

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