Story audio is generated using AI
It will be a glorious return to his roots for hometown hero Siya Kolisi when he leads the Springboks into battle against a star-studded Barbarians side in Gqeberha on Saturday (3pm).
Zwide-born Kolisi, who missed the Bok Test against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in 2025 because of an injury, will captain a team sprinkled with youth and experience.
A powerful SA A team, with KuGompo City’s Siba Mahashe starting from the bench, has been named to face Zimbabwe in a curtain-raiser (noon) to the Bok match.
The Springboks feature a total of 18 capped internationals, with the only two players in the starting lineup who have yet to make their Test debuts being Junior Bok captain Riley Norton (lock) and Carlu Sadie (prop).
The uncapped players among the replacements are JJ Kotze (hooker), Paul de Villiers (loose forward) and SA U20 flyhalf Vusi Moyo.
The backline has a strong international flavour, with Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe and Edwill van der Merwe forming the back three, while Andre Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel will combine in a hard-running midfield combination, and Quan Horn will take over the No 10 jumper alongside Grant Williams at halfback.
Up front, Ox Nche and Sadie will form a front-row trio with Andre-Hugo Venter, while Norton and Franco Mostert will run the engine room, and the familiar loose trio of Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese will complete the forward pack.
“We said from the outset that we wanted to give a few players returning from injury and others who have been playing overseas game time in this Barbarians match,” Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said.
“We are also exposing some of the younger players on our radar to top-class international rugby, and we believe this squad reflects those objectives.
“The coaches have been very impressed with the way the new players have jumped straight into action and grasped our systems and structures.
“We are excited to see what they can do alongside some of our regular Springbok players as we build for what will be a challenging season with the Nations Championship and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series approaching.
“The Barbarians have a group of exciting and experienced players in their squad, and they’ll come out guns blazing and try to produce an entertaining style of rugby, which will serve as a good test for us.
“They will challenge us, but this will be a good hit-out for our players to get back into top-level international rugby, with the England match a little over two weeks away.”
SA A coach Mzwandile Stick named a talented side who will have the luxury of relying on a group of senior players such as Lukhanyo Am (centre), Boan Venter (prop), Phepsi Buthelezi (No 8), Vincent Tshituka (lock) and Neethling Fouche (prop), who will be supported by an exciting group of youngsters including Luan Giliomee, Jaco Williams and Zekhethelo Siyaya in the back three.
Markus Muller will partner with Am in the midfield, with halfbacks Yaqeen Ahmed and Haashim Pead dictating play at halfback.
Springbok team to face Barbarians: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Quan Horn, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Riley Norton, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21, Evan Roos, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Vusi Moyo.
SA A team to face Zimbabwe: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurenzo Julius.
- Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald