The Springboks are set to kick off their 2025 international season on Saturday against the Barbarians in Cape Town, in a year head coach Rassie Erasmus will likely finalise some experiments in his team.
While the focus will remain on winning as many of their matches — they will play 13 Tests and the invitational match against the Baabaas — to maintain a healthy standing on the World Rugby rankings for the World Cup draw later this year, it will be the final season where the Boks can fully experiment with certain players to see if they will fit into the 2027 Rugby World Cup plans.
The @Barbarian_FC will announce their final squad in the coming days – if you could bring one of these former #Springboks back, who would it be? 🫡
Don’t miss out, grab your tickets now from Ticketmaster South Africa – click here: https://t.co/28iIerACCJ 🎟
There’s rugby …… pic.twitter.com/pWF7sMGjto
— Springboks (@Springboks) June 21, 2025
The showdown against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium (5.10PM start) offers the reigning world champions the opportunity to shake off some rust after the off-season.
However, it won’t just be for that, they will also experiment with combinations while giving some senior players rest.
All indications are that Erasmus will let loose a host of his World Cup-winning Boks against the Baabaas, especially those who play their rugby in Japan and haven’t had a lot of game time recently.
It could include the likes of Jesse Kriel and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while newbies like Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Vincent Tshituka could get a first Springbok run in the forwards.
The bulk of the pack, though, should feature some core players who will be able to lay an early marker for the forwards as they look to keep their domination going in world rugby.
🗣️ “Is your output still the same? If you’re 35 and you still do it, you can play!”
Rassie Erasmus on his mindset when it comes to balancing youth with experience this season ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/QE4YRg8WXF
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 21, 2025
While the Barbarians match is a spectacle in its own right, it also serves an important purpose: laying the foundation for a crucial upcoming Test series against Italy on the 5th and 12th of July in Pretoria and Gqeberha and a one-off clash with Georgia in Nelspruit.
With the Azzurri and Georgians steadily improving and hungry to challenge tier-one opposition, the Springboks will use these mid-year fixtures to fine-tune their systems, assess player form, bleed some new Test caps and build vital momentum for a demanding international calendar ahead.
Over the next four weekends, they will put the blocks in place to defend their Rugby Championship crown including two home fixtures against Australia in August and double away Tests against the All Blacks — including the all-important one at Eden Park in Auckland on 6 September.
Francois Venter 🤝 Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Almost time for the Springboks to take on the Barbarians. Tickets are available here 🔗 https://t.co/e0X1MSaOkz #Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/T0bwuV6N3J
— Springboks (@Springboks) June 17, 2025
Erasmus said earlier that they will not underestimate the Barbarians, although they can’t really prepare for what the invitational side can bring on the day because they play without any real structure.
So, the focus will be on getting their ducks in a row and trying to play within their structure to build a platform to launch their season.
It will be a wet week in the Cape Town winter, and this could affect the free-flowing game of the Baabaas. On the other hand, it will suit the Boks if they want to play a more structured game in the wet conditions.
Erasmus will announce his first Bok team of the season on Tuesday.
