Match News and Current Form
The mighty Springboks will open their 2025 season with high hopes for the year, considering they ended 2024 with 11 wins in 13 matches (L2), which included triumph in the Rugby Championship. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus decided to use this opportunity to test some new blood in his squad with four uncapped players named his matchday 23, but with the Barbarians being a composite team, no Test caps will be awarded for the match. The starting XV features two of the debutants in prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and flank Vincent Tshituka, and eagerly awaiting their first Springbok memory from the bench will be Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche, while there’s also a first for Jesse Kriel, who will captain the side after the late withdrawal of Siya Kolisi.
It wasn’t so long ago that we saw the Barbarians in action, when they ran out 45-32 victors over Fiji in June last year. Baa-Baas coach Robbie Deans has put together a star-studded lineup for the neutral fan to enjoy, captained by the legendary Irish flanker Peter O’Mahony, who will draw the curtain on his rugby career in Barbarian colours. Fellow Ireland Test centurion in prop Cian Healy will also call time on his rugby career here, and he’s joined in the matchday squad by a total of seven All Blacks headlined by loose forward pairing in Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell, while in the engine room sits a South African wearing opposing colours in Ruben van Heerden.
Head-to-Head History
This will be the ninth edition of a Springbok side tackling a Barbarian outfit, albeit it being the first to take place on South African soil. The last H2H ended in a thrilling 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in London, and it’s the Baa-Baas who hold the edge otherwise with four wins to the South Africans’ three.
Hot Stats and Streaks
South Africa overcame the pre-match handicap in five of their last six matches.
South Africa kept their opponents to less than 20 points in four of their last six games.
The Barbarians have seen in excess of 60 total points in 11 of their last 14 matches.
The second half has produced more points than the first in ten of the Barbarians last 12 fixtures.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
South Africa fullback Aphelele Fassi had a great 2024 season in the green and gold, scoring five tries in his last six games for the Springboks. New Zealand’s Lachlan Boshier will be hoping to have another fun day out in Barbarian colours despite starting on the bench, considering he scored a brace the last time he wore the black and white hoops.
South Africa are no doubt experimenting in some ways, partly due to players from the Bulls, along with RG Snyman and Handrè Pollard only joining them recently given their involvements in the United Rugby Championship and Gallagher Premiership Finals.
Betting Analysis
This is likely not to be treated as a normal test match, meaning kicking for poles if given a penalty probably isn’t high on either teams agenda, and with the Springboks powerful forwards looking to make a statement, there could be value in looking at Malcolm Marx as an anytime or first try scorer in this game.
