Springboks v Barbarians: Tale of the tape
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks will open a blockbuster international season with a clash against the Barbarians on Saturday, June 20, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
Last year, the Springboks hosted the Barbarians in a historic Test in Cape Town. After a nine-year wait, the Boks thumped the iconic invitational side 54-7 at Cape Town Stadium on June 28.
South Africa faced the Barbarians on nine occasions, with each team claiming four victories while one ended in a draw.
We look at all the encounters between the two sides and what made them memorable.
Past results between the Springboks and Barbarians:
January 26, 1952: Barbarians 3 – 17 Springboks, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
The Springboks secured the convincing victory during their 1951-52 European tour. The match marked the start of the rivalry.
February 4, 1961: Barbarians 6 – 0 Springboks, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
The Barbarians bounced back in their second meeting against a heavily favoured Springbok side.
Up until that fixture, the South Africans had won 29 straight matches on their tour of Europe, over a total of 34 matches.
The Barbarians produced a massive upset to become the only team that defeated South Africa during the tour.
The trip included 30 matches against regional and club teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and France, while the Boks also played five Tests against the home nations and France.
January 31, 1970: Barbarians 12 – 21 Springboks, Twickenham, London
The Springboks suffered defeats to Scotland and England while drawing level with Ireland during their 1969-70 tour of Britain and Ireland, but managed to overcome the Barbarians in a match that highlighted physicality against flair.
The Britain-based outfit entertained with inventiveness and attack that has become synonymous with Barbarians rugby, while the Springboks’ forwards proved the difference to secure the win despite the BaaBaas scoring three early tries.
December 3, 1994: Barbarians 23 – 15 Springboks, Landsdowne Road, Dublin
The black and white hoops claimed a comprehensive win as the Springboks made their return to the international stage.
The result saw the Barbarians level out the historical results between the sides, with both having won two.
December 10, 2000: Barbarians 31 – 41 Springboks, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Playing in the new Millennium Stadium, the Boks concluded a largely successful tour of Argentina and Europe with a 41-31 win.
The result would mark the Boks’ last win over the invitational side in 25 years.
December 1, 2007: Barbarians 22 – 5 Springboks, Twickenham, London
The Springboks, fresh off World Cup success, suffered a defeat in Jake White’s final assignment as Bok boss.
The Barbarians, featuring the likes of Matt Giteau, Jason Robinson, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, and Ma’a Nonu, ran in three tries to the Boks’ one.
While the Springbok team featured just five starters from their World Cup Final triumph in France, the Barbarians showed that they still have a place in international rugby in style as Giteau starred and Robinson treated his home crowd to his fancy footwork one last time.
December 4, 2010: Barbarians 26 -20 Springboks, Twickenham, London
The injury-hit Springboks prioritised grooming youngsters in this match, giving opportunities to a number of uncapped players, including flyhalf Elton Jantjies.
While players didn’t receive Test caps for their appearance in the national team, it nonetheless provided a taste of Test-level demands as the Barbarians gained and held onto an early lead.
November 5, 2016: Barbarians 31 – 31 Springboks, Wembley Stadium, London
This was the first-ever stalemate between these two sides and the last time, to date, the BaaBaas faced the Boks outside of South Africa.
Centres Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Francois Venter saved the Boks from defeat with two late tries in a thrill-a-minute display with the teams scoring five tries apiece and running the ball from absolutely everywhere.
June 28, 2025: Springboks 54 – Barbarians 7
The Barbarians proved no match for the Boks last year, managing a solitary try while the hosts ran in eight in front of a lively Cape Town crowd.
It was the first time ever that the BaaBaas played in South Africa, and getting their packed international season off to a solid start was a top priority for Rassie Erasmus and Co.
The Boks went on to win 12 out of 15 Tests in their record-setting season, including handing the All Blacks their heaviest-ever defeat and retaining the Rugby Championship for the first time in their history.
