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Esterhuizen and Giliomee eager as Boks and SA 'A' prepare for Gqeberha double-header
The Springboks face the Barbarians and SA 'A' take on Zimbabwe in a double-header at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, with Andre Esterhuizen backing Quan Horn's shift to flyhalf and teenager Luan Giliomee set for his third green-and-gold environment of the year.
Erasmus explains family connection and hooker rotation behind Venter and Kotze selections
Erasmus explains the hooker rotation logic behind Andre-Hugo Venter's selection against the Barbarians, with a personal twist, while Lukhanyo Am features at 12 for SA 'A' against Zimbabwe as he bids to rebuild his Test case.
Horn handed Springbok debut at flyhalf against Barbarians in Gqeberha
Quan Horn will make his Springbok debut at flyhalf when South Africa face the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. The uncapped playmaker has been thrust into the starting role as the hosts prepare for their international season opener in what Andre Esterhuizen insists will be treated as a proper test match despite no caps being awarded.
Esterhuizen relishing the midfield test as Boks prepare to treat BaaBaas clash like a proper Test
Esterhuizen previews a spicy midfield contest against Nankivell and Vakatawa, explains why the Boks won't deviate from their processes regardless of the Barbarians' attacking intentions, and offers an insight into how Erasmus's squad thinks about positional versatility.
Perenara to captain Barbarians against Springboks in Port Elizabeth
TJ Perenara captains a Barbarians side coached by Scott Robertson against South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, with the 89-cap former All Black treating the non-cap fixture as a full Test match.
Mallett backs Erasmus's Horn gamble at 10 — but calls it a 'fantastic challenge'
Nick Mallett endorses Erasmus's decision to start Quan Horn at fly-half against the Barbarians, arguing Horn has been operating as a de facto 10 within the Lions system all season — and that the experienced players around him make this a realistic audition ahead of the Nations Championship.
Esterhuizen: Boks treating Barbarians clash as a full test match
Andre Esterhuizen says the Springboks are treating Saturday's YesPlay Cup match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha as a full test match, flagging the Nankivelli-Vakatawa midfield as a serious challenge while backing Quan Horn to handle the unfamiliar flyhalf role.
Esterhuizen: Boks treating Barbarians clash as a full test match
Andre Esterhuizen says the Springboks are treating Saturday's YesPlay Cup clash against the Barbarians in Gqeberha as a standard test match, with a focus on process and winning. He also backed Quan Horn to handle the flyhalf role and flagged the visiting midfield pairing of Alex Nankivelli and Virimi Vakatawa as a genuine challenge.
Keo & Zels back Rassie's youth call-ups — and the Bulls to deliver in Dublin
Keo and Zels endorse Erasmus's youth-leaning squad picks and tip the Bulls to win the URC final in Dublin.
Borthwick plans to rest Itoje for England's summer Tests — but it hinges on second-row fitness
Borthwick wants Itoje rested for the summer Tests — South Africa included — but England's second-row depth is so brittle that one injury to Martin or Coles this weekend could force a rethink.
Keo & Zels back Rassie's youth call-ups — and the Bulls to seal it in Dublin
Keo & Zels back Erasmus's youth-heavy squad selections and predict the Bulls will claim a maiden URC title on Friday night in Dublin.
Horn at 10, a Stormers-heavy Bomb Squad, and five uncapped faces — five things to know about the Boks' Barbarians selection
Erasmus has named Quan Horn at fly-half — his first professional start at 10 — with Kolbe taking kicking duties, a Stormers-heavy Bomb Squad replacing the usual faces, and five uncapped players handed their moment ahead of the Nations Championship.
Stormers' Riley Norton earns senior Springbok call-up for Barbarians clash
Rassie Erasmus has added Stormers forward Riley Norton, 20, to the senior Springbok squad for Saturday's Barbarians match. Norton led South Africa to U20 World Cup success.
Stick unpacks the thinking behind blooding teenage talent in the Bok system
Stick explains that pulling teenagers like Siyaya into senior Bok alignment camps is a deliberate pipeline strategy — the exposure to that environment is designed to raise their ceiling before they return to franchise and Junior World Cup rugby.
Five things that matter in Erasmus's Barbarians squad
Planet Rugby breaks down the five key talking points from Erasmus's Barbarians squad: Horn's unprecedented fly-half debut, Du Toit's injury comeback, a heavily rotated Bomb Squad drawn entirely from the Stormers, and five uncapped players given their shot before the Nations Championship opener.
23 fan names to feature on Springbok shorts for Barbarians Test in Gqeberha
Betway has named 23 South African supporters whose names will replace the Betway logo on Springbok shorts during the 20 June Test against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, with the group set to attend the Captain's Run and full matchday as part of the experience.
URC Final: The head-to-heads that will decide it in Dublin
Nacewa and Matfield break down the key URC Final battles: Le Roux vs Keenan at fullback, Papier vs Gibson-Park at nine, and Moodie's midfield test against a Leinster back line that ended the Bulls 32-7 twelve months ago.
Perenara's Barbarians: X-factor over pedigree ahead of Gqeberha clash
Rich breaks down a Barbarians squad built on X-factor rather than depth, with a flair-heavy backline and an underdog forward pack facing a stern Springbok examination in Gqeberha.
Turnover specialist De Villiers hungry to make mark off the bench against Barbarians
Stormers loose forward Paul de Villiers, who finished the URC season with 19 turnovers won, is set to come off the bench for the Springboks against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday, drawing on the breakdown knowledge of Kolisi, Mahashe and Tshituka as he targets a senior debut impact.
Springboks trial virtual reality training ahead of Barbarians clash
Erasmus and Giliomee have been filmed using VR headsets in Johannesburg as the Springboks incorporate virtual reality into their Barbarians match preparation.