Bok hopefuls' golden opportunity to impress Rassie
NEWS: Springbok hopefuls will have an opportunity to impress Rassie Erasmus in an international friendly this season, with the head coach believing it will cast the net wider to build more depth in the national side.
The SA ‘A’ side will return to action for the first time since the 2022 Outgoing Tour in a curtain raiser match for the Springboks v Barbarians against the visiting Zimbabwe Sables on June 20 in Gqeberha.
The Sables qualified for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, and this clash serves as preparation for the global event, as well as an opportunity for up-and-coming South African players looking to announce their names on the world stage.
Erasmus was excited about the opportunity to see players within his wider Bok squad and others knocking on the door take on their Zimbabwean counterparts.
“The match between the SA ‘A’ team and Zimbabwe will serve as a fantastic opportunity for both teams to achieve some of their objectives with the World Cup in mind, and from a South African point of view, we have seen the benefits of having an SA ‘A’ team playing against quality opposition,” said Erasmus.
“Players such as Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu], Ruan [Nortje], Grant [Williams], Aphelele [Fassi], and Elrigh [Louw], among others, all played for the team in the early stages of their international careers, and have become important members of our squad since.
“This match will offer us another chance to give guys within our squad and others who have really put up their hands to prove what they can do against international opposition.
“We have done well to rotate our squad and give several players a chance in the last two seasons, but there are others who have performed really well outside of that group, who we would like to see in action, so we’ll be able to cast our net wider as we prepare for that encounter.”
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Zimbabwe head coach Pieter Benadie relishes the prospect of facing the SA ‘A’ team, and said the exposure for his team would be invaluable.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world’s top rugby nations and a truly elite system.
“It’s a challenge we embrace and one that promises to push our standards to another level.
“Experiences like this are invaluable, as they expose our players to the highest level of competition, accelerate their growth, and play a key role in the continued development of our squad.
“We’re looking forward to the lessons ahead and the chance to showcase our progress on the international stage.”
Erasmus, who hails from Despatch in the Eastern Cape, and who will celebrate his 30-year anniversary in the Springbok set-up after being called up to the team’s tour of Argentina and Europe as a player in 1996, said the double-header would be a real season-opening treat for the province’s die-hard fans.
“It’s always great to return to the Eastern Cape, where the Boks enjoy immense support, and to have back-to-back matches play out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will make the occasion of playing our first match of the year even more special,” he said.
The Springboks will host their second alignment camp in May, and Erasmus is set to name his squad for their official training camp in June, a few weeks later. The coach for the SA ‘A’ team will also be announced in due course.
Saturday, June 20
SA ‘A’ v Zimbabwe
(Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 12.00 SAST; 10.00 GMT)
Springboks v Barbarians
(Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha – Kick-off: 15.00 SAST; 13.00 GMT)
