PREVIEW: Boks search for individual confidence as SA depth is showcased

The Gqeberha double header featuring the Springboks and the South Africa A team on Saturday is a gilt edged opportunity for this country to boost the national confidence by confirming the depth that Rassie Erasmus has available to him both now and going forward.

The Boks are the main feature as they repeat what they did last year, which is to face the Barbarians, and they will be looking for a similar type of performance and result. Apart from players who are returning from injury (Aphelele Fassi and Pieter-Steph du Toit) and getting up to speed after returning from Japan (the likes of Jesse Kriel, Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese), there’s also the experimental aspect that is a large part of why this game is being played.

And for that the focus will mainly be on Quan Horn, the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions fullback who will be starting at the unfamiliar position of flyhalf in what for him is a relatively rare appearance in a Bok jersey, and the young Junior Bok captain Riley Norton, who slots into the starting second row even though he has yet to play a senior game for the DHL Stormers.

If Horn comes through with flying colours, and there is no reason he shouldn’t as he does flit into the first receiver channel a lot for the Lions and often with telling effect, then Erasmus will have another utility option to facilitate a six/two bench split as he heads into a new international season that has the Greatest Rivalry Series against the All Blacks in August and September as its main feature.

FOCUS WILL BE ON NORTON’S PERSONAL CONFIDENCE

In Norton’s case it appears the question has always been when, rather than if, he becomes an established Bok. That is unlikely to be right now, and the focus of his immediate future will most likely remain leading the SA Under-20 side to the defence of the junior world title they won in such emphatic style last year.

However, a strong showing in what is effectively his first senior representative game will add to the lock stocks that Erasmus has admitted he is concerned about as well as boost his own personal confidence as his career gains momentum.

Then there’s Carlu Sadie, a man mountain in a country known for having a steady supply of tighthead props, and the opportunity other players, such as hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, get to show Erasmus that they belong at international level. Even though of course this game isn’t an official test match and doesn’t count for caps, it is recognised as a Bok game.

The Barbarians team that lines up against them isn’t as strong as some Barbarians teams can be and Erasmus might be hoping that they do manage to provide better opposition, so that it can be a proper work-out, than the side that fronted in Cape Town last year did.

Admittedly that was a wet day that was hardly conducive to Barbarians rugby, and the indications are that what confronts them in terms of conditions at the Eastern Cape venue on Saturday will be more conducive.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Rassie Erasmus names his #Springboks team to face the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday afternoon 🇿🇦#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/KV2Nvc6hiN — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 16, 2026

CURTAIN-RAISER FEATURES FUTURE GLOBAL STARS

The A side kick off what should be an entertaining afternoon of rugby for an Eastern Cape audience that is starved off top level rugby with several players in its ranks against neighbouring Zimbabwe who could just go on to become global stars and who have already shown promise in sporadic appearances for URC teams.

We’re thinking Markus Muller, Luan Giliomee, Batho Hlekani, Haashim Pead, Zekhethelo Ziyaya and Oliver Reid here but there are also players, like Norton in the main game, who haven’t even played senior rugby yet.

And that group is headlined by the prodigiously talented Stormers contracted flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who will have World Cup winner Lukhanyo Am alongside him to help ease his transition into senior rugby against a Zimbabwe team that features a clutch of players we know - Lions fullback/wing Tapira Mafuwa, Sharks loose-forward Tino Masevere and Stormers lock Gary Porter.

The halfback combos for the #Springboks and South Africa 'A' this weekend in Gqeberha 🦵👐 pic.twitter.com/6Bbrz1y8tV — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 18, 2026

Provided there are no injuries to players who might feature when the international season becomes a whole lot more serious when England arrive in two weeks time, it should be a fun day out and, if you consider there are no Bulls players involved plus nearly a full team of players being rested, certainly the names on paper suggest SA rugby is in good health.

What Saturday at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is about is translating what we see on paper to confirmation on the field.

South Africa v Barbarians (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, Saturday 3pm)

Springboks: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe, Quan Horn, Grant Williams, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Riley Norton, Carlu Sadie, Andre-Hugo, Ox Nche.
Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, Evan Roos, Faf de Klerk, Vusi Moyo.

Barbarians: Warrick Gelant (SA), Andrew Kellaway (Australia), Virimi Vakatawa (France/Fiji), Alex Nankivell (New Zealand), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Tomos Albornoz (Argentina), TJ Perenara (New Zealand), Miracle Fai’ilagi (Samoa), Lachlan Boshier (New Zealand), Guido Petti (Argentina), Alex Moon (England), Franco Molina (Argentina), D’Arcy Rae (Scotland), Elliot Dee (Wales), Mayko Vivas (Argentina).
Replacements: Leonel Oviedo (Argentina), Oli Kebble (Scotland/SA), Pedro Delgado (Argentina), Izak Rodder, Liam McConnell (Scotland), Santiago Arata (Uruguay), Harry Plummer (New Zealand), Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (Fiji).

Prediction: Boks to win by about 40 points

South Africa A v Zimbabwe (12 noon)

South Africa A: Luan Giliomee, Jaco Williams, Markus Muller, Lukhanyo Am, Zekhethelo Ziyaya, Yaqeen Ahmed, Haashim Pead, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bathobele Hlekani, Emmanuel Tshituka, Ruben van Heerden, Vincent Tshituka (captain), Neethling Fouche, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Boan Venter.
Replacements: Liam van Wyk, Oliver Reid, Hanro Jacobs, Adre Smith, Siba Mahashe, Nico Steyn, Imad Khan, Jurenzo Julius.

Zimbabwe: Tapiwa Mafura, Trevor Gurwe, Brandon Mudzekenyedzi, Kudzai Mashawi, Edward Sigauke, Bruce Houston, Hilton Mudariki (captain), Tinotenda Mavesere, Dylan Utete, Simbarashe Siraha, Gary Porter, Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, Bornwell Gwinji, Simba Mandioma, Victor Mupunga.
Replacements: Liam Larkan, Tijde Visser, Michael Kumbirai, Daniel Cooke, Tadiwanashe Gwashu, Aiden Burnett, Keegan Joubert, Dion Khumalo.