Rugby history will be rewritten when the Springboks launch their 2025 season against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 28 June – the first time the famous international invitational outfit will be in action on South African soil.
Tickets for the match – priced from R250 – will go on sale from Tuesday 6 May at 09h00 exclusively available from Ticketmaster.
The match is being organised and promoted by Pitch International, the London-based sports marketing agency. Historically such matches have been hosted overseas – usually in London – but Pitch agreed to bring the game to South Africa in preparation for the Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy in Pretoria a week later.
The Barbarians – consisting of players who ply their trade in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, French Top 14, English Premiership, Super Rugby, and the Japanese League – will be coached by the experienced Robbie Deans, a former All Black who was also in charge of the Wallabies and the Crusaders in a coaching career spanning almost three decades.
The BaaBaas match in Cape Town in June will be the ninth between the Boks and the famous black-and-white clad club, and the first since 5 November 2016, when the teams played to a 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in London.
“This is an historic moment and it will be very special to welcome the Barbarians to South Africa for the first time,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.
“The Springboks wanted a match before the series against Italy to prepare and we’re really grateful to our friends at the Barbarians and Pitch for assisting in bringing this encounter to life.”
Since the first clash between the sides in 1952, the Barbarians have won four games and the Springboks three, to add to the draw nine years ago. The Boks’ last victory over the Barbarians was on 10 December 2000 in Cardiff, by 41-31.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the match would be the perfect trigger to get his players into match-mode before the Castle Lager Incoming Series, which features two Tests against Italy (5 and 12 July) and one against Georgia (19 July).
“It’s always exciting to face the BaaBaas, and this match will be particularly special as it marks the first time that we will face them in South Africa,” said Erasmus.
“For us this will be the perfect opportunity to get the players match-ready for the official international season, which starts a week later.
“With a big squad one can simulate a match situation, but there is nothing like a proper international with the full build-up and the pressure to get the players battle ready, so this is a great occasion for us.
“With the Barbarians team featuring players from across the world, they are tough to analyse, so the key for us will be to focus on our structures and what we want to achieve on the field.”
Deans, who will be assisted by Patrice Collazo (Racing 92, France), Atsushi Kanazawa (Saitama Wild Knights, Japan) and former All Black lock Sam Whitelock, said: “It is exciting news to have the iconic Barbarians announced to play against the World Champion Springboks in Cape Town in late June – these are two of the biggest brands in the game.
“The last occasion these two teams met at Wembley resulted in a draw. The Springboks have achieved a lot since that day, this will be an altogether different challenge on-site in South Africa.
“We are hopeful of putting together a combination that will provide the sort of spectacle that the occasion deserves.”
Erasmus added: “We may have had a satisfying 2024 season, but this is a new year and a fresh challenge, and we’d like to start strong and build momentum as the season progresses.
“We have a tough year ahead, and the Barbarians, who are usually laden with seasoned internationals, will provide the perfect test before the Castle Lager Incoming Series.”
The Castle Lager Incoming Series will be followed by the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against Australia (16 and 23 August in Johannesburg and Cape Town), the All Blacks (6 and 13 September in New Zealand), and Argentina (27 September and 4 October in Durban and London respectively), before the Boks will depart on their traditional end of the year tour.
Springbok home fixtures 2025:
28 June: Barbarians v SA – DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Castle Lager Incoming Series:
5 July: SA v Italy – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
12 July: SA v Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha
19 July: SA v Georgia – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Castle Lager Rugby Championship:
16 August: SA v Australia – Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town
27 September: SA v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
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