SA 'A' revived for Zimbabwe clash ahead of Springboks v Barbarians
The SA 'A' team will return to the rugby calendar for the first time since the 2022 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour — when they faced Munster and Bristol Bears — with a fixture against the Zimbabwe Sables at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 20 June, kicking off at 12h00 as a curtain-raiser to the Springboks' clash with the Barbarians at 15h00.
For Zimbabwe, the match carries particular weight: the Sables qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia — their first appearance at the tournament since 1991 — and Pieter Benade's side will be using the encounter as part of their World Cup preparation.
Rassie Erasmus sees the fixture as a squad-depth exercise, with the selection net cast beyond the established rotation group. He pointed to the SA 'A' pathway's track record, citing Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ruan Nortje, Grant Williams, Aphelele Fassi, and Elrigh Louw as players who came through that platform before becoming fixtures in the Springbok setup.
"There are others who have performed really well outside of that group, who we would like to see in action, so we'll be able to cast our net wider as we prepare for that encounter," Erasmus said.
Benade welcomed the step up in opposition, saying the exposure to an elite system would accelerate his squad's development ahead of Australia.
The Springboks hold a second alignment camp in May, with the squad for the official June training camp to be announced thereafter. The SA 'A' coaching appointment will follow separately.