The national camp in Johannesburg is in good spirits ahead of Saturday's double-header at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, with assistant coach Deon Davids and loose forward Paul de Villiers fronting Monday's media briefing.
SA 'A' open proceedings against Zimbabwe at 12h00, with the Springboks facing the Barbarians at 15h00. The squad remains in Johannesburg until Wednesday before travelling to Gqeberha for captains' runs ahead of the weekend.
Davids, who carries dual responsibilities across both national teams this week, said alignment between the two squads has been a deliberate focus. "We've tried to keep things aligned in terms of our plans, and that has been our approach in terms of what we've done in the different departments, and I think it's worked well, and we're on the right track."
He described the blend of youth and experience in camp as a positive, noting good progression from the alignment camps into the current training environment. On the opposition, Davids expects the Barbarians to bring experienced individuals who will look to play an expansive game despite limited preparation time, while he rates Zimbabwe as a structured, well-coached side — a point reinforced by their qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
De Villiers, a former Junior Springbok captain, is part of the expanded national squad and said the step up in training intensity has been the sharpest adjustment from provincial rugby. "You are competing against guys that also play for the Springboks, and all the players want to be here, so I think the intensity of the training sessions is one of the main differences." He acknowledged nerves ahead of the weekend but said his focus remains squarely on performing when the time comes.