Quan Horn will earn his first Springbok cap at flyhalf in Saturday's clash with the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, marking a significant moment for the uncapped playmaker in what the hosts are treating as a full test match.
Andre Esterhuizen confirmed the Springboks would approach the non-cap fixture with the same intensity as any official international. "We just want to go out there and play our game," Esterhuizen said during a media briefing on Wednesday. "I know it is a Barbarians game and everyone looks at it and thinks it can be loose. They might want to make it loose, but we are aiming to stick to our processes like we do in every game. For us it is a normal test match."
The powerhouse centre highlighted the challenge posed by the Barbarians' midfield pairing of Alex Nankivell and Virimi Vakatawa. "It's obviously a powerhouse centre pairing – Nankivell is a very strong, abrasive runner with good offload skills and good distribution, so it's going to be a good centre battle," Esterhuizen explained. "We've all seen Vakatawa playing for France, he's a very experienced player, he's been around, and he's also a very good ball-carrier. I'm excited for the challenge."
The Springboks won the corresponding fixture 54-7 in Cape Town last year, though wet conditions limited the spectacle. Clear weather with a maximum of 20 degrees is forecast for Gqeberha, potentially suiting the Barbarians' attacking style under Scott Robertson's coaching. Esterhuizen will partner Jesse Kriel in the centres as South Africa open their international season.