TJ Perenara will captain the Barbarians against South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, leading a star-studded selection in what the 89-cap former All Black scrumhalf regards as a genuine Test match.
Perenara, who faced the Springboks multiple times during his All Black career before joining Japan's Black Rams in 2024, says the intensity of the Barbarians' preparation has matched a standard Test week. "We make sure that our commitment and intensity between those four lines is so that we prepare ourselves the best way we can," he said. "We only get to be around each other for six days before we play the best team in the world."
The 34-year-old acknowledged the Barbarians may not execute everything cleanly on the day, placing emphasis instead on the off-field connections built during the week to hold the group together under pressure — while being careful not to let the social side undermine the preparation. "Our ability to get that balance right is important. It relates to how far into the night you go and when to stop. This group wants to win."
Coach Scott Robertson, who assembled the squad from Cape Town, dismissed any notion that South Africa are fielding a secondary selection. "Any player who puts a Bok jersey on deserves it," he said, adding that the inclusion of Junior Springbok players alongside experienced campaigners makes for a formidable opposition. "It is a helluva match team they have put out."