SA 'A' team returns to action against Zimbabwe Sables in Gqeberha double-header
The SA 'A' team will return to the rugby calendar for the first time since the 2022 Outgoing Tour — when they faced Munster and the Bristol Bears — lining up against the Zimbabwe Sables as a curtain-raiser to the Springboks' opening match of 2026 against the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 20 June.
The SA 'A' fixture kicks off at 12h00, with the Springboks and Barbarians following at 15h00.
Erasmus has framed the match explicitly as a squad-depth exercise, with his eye on players outside the current rotation who have been pressing for Springbok consideration. He cited the 'A' team's track record in fast-tracking players into the senior squad, naming Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ruan Nortje, Grant Williams, Aphelele Fassi and Elrigh Louw as products of that pathway.
"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," Erasmus said.
For Zimbabwe, the match carries different but equally significant weight. The Sables have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia — their first appearance at the tournament since 1991 — and coach Pieter Benade is treating the fixture as a key preparation benchmark. "Experiences like this are invaluable, as they expose our players to the highest level of competition and accelerate their growth," Benade said.
Erasmus is scheduled to name his squad for the official June training camp in the weeks following the second alignment camp in May. The SA 'A' coach will be announced separately.