Latest news with #Baabaas
IOL News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
The doctor is in: Human and Springboks step up to full Test mode for set-piece battle against Italy
After bashing the ill-prepared Barbarians last week in a friendly, the Springboks have switched into full Test-match mode, and scrum coach Daan Human says it will be a different ball game against the Azzurri in Pretoria on Saturday. The scary thing is that Human believes the Boks will go up a level from their 54-7 romp in the rain last week. 'The big difference is that the Baabaas don't play regularly," said Human on Monday in Johannesburg, "so we had to look at them as individuals. "This week we play a proper Test match team and we can do much more homework. That is the big difference, and having had our opening match, there is now stuff we can work on.'
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie to ring changes for Italy as Springboks spread game time
There are likely to be a number of changes to the Springbok team for their first official Test of the season against Italy from the one that faced the Baabaas. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus chats to the media after their thumping win over the Barbarians in Cape Town. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is expected to ring the changes for the first Test of the incoming series against Italy in Pretoria this weekend as he aims to spread game time across the whole squad over the coming weeks. The Boks got their season off to a cracking start with a 54-7 thumping of the Barbarians in their one-off non-Test in Cape Town on Saturday, and now turn their attention to their next three games against Italy and Georgia. Heading into the Baabaas match the Boks only made part of their squad available, leaving out most of the players who featured in various franchise finals late in the club season. But they will now have the full group of 46 players available for the incoming series, and might possibly even add a few extra players to the group for their last game against Georgia in Mbombela. Speaking after the Baabaas romp, Erasmus explained that the players who will be facing Italy in the matches in Pretoria and Gqeberha already knew the team lineups. 'The guys will know tomorrow (Sunday) night who's playing Italy 'one' and 'two'. They've got a fairly good idea already. The guys who played the Barbarians knew two weeks ago, so they had two weeks of training together,' said Erasmus. 'That's always a little bit of a caveat. If things don't go according to plan, Italy 'two' can always change. But we do know who the core of the team will be. So we definitely know who's in the mix for Italy 'one'.' Japan players The Japan-based players are expected to get some more game time, while senior players like captain Siya Kolisi, who was pulled out of the Baabaas game with a stiff neck on Friday, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux could all be in line to play this weekend. It will be interesting to see if any the four uncapped players who featured against the Baabaas, namely Vincent Tshituka, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Neethling Fouche and Marnus van der Merwe, will receive their official first caps, while the Bulls players, such as Wilco Louw and Ruan Nortje, and Thomas du Toit (Bath) will also be in the mix. Erasmus also confirmed that star loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has been out injured since undergoing shoulder surgery in November last year, would likely be available for selection for the second Italian game. 'We won't get carried away with this performance (against the Baabaas). Certainly some guys showed us that they can do it at this level, but we'll layer them in to make sure there's a balance,' explained Erasmus. 'I think guys like Damian (de Allende), Jesse (Kriel) are a bit undercooked. Kurt-Lee (Arendse) hasn't really played in a lot of matches either in Japan and didn't come back to the Bulls. 'So we'll try to strike a balance so that when we're done with Georgia, we've got a group of 45 or 50 (players) that got some game time.'
Otago Daily Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Barbarians hammered
The Springboks thumped the Barbarians 54-7 in Cape Town yesterday. Openside flanker Vincent Tshituka scored two tries on debut for the Springboks, who led 19-0 at halftime. French fullback Mervyn Jaminet scored the only try for the Barbarians. Highlanders regular Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens started on the wing for the Baabaas, while former Highlander Shannon Frizell was at No8 alongside former All Blacks captain Sam Cane and Irish great Peter O'Mahony. — APL
TimesLIVE
24-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Barbarians arrive in Cape with heavy duty experience for Boks clash
The Barbarians have arrived on our shores but there is nothing primitive about the men coach Robbie Deans has assembled for the task of taking down the double Rugby World Cup-holding Springboks. The 23-man squad features 18 players with Test experience but as tradition dictates they also have rookies for Saturday's clash at Cape Town Stadium. All Blacks Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell, plus Ireland's Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy are here, but fellow advance party member Conor Murray is no longer in the squad. The Baabaas, however, still boast the vastly experienced former All Blacks scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Kerr-Barlow, who made his Test debut in 2012, would have been an All Blacks regular had he not opted to play rugby in France from 2017. To be fair, Aaron Smith was in the process of laying claim to the No 9 position across 124 internationals. 🗣️ "We had a few beers, helped us sleep well last night and there's a few more planned for the week!" The bonding has already started for the Baa-Baas but Sam Cane says they are determined to put out a big performance on Saturday in Cape Town. — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 23, 2025 Kerr-Barlow, however, who is endowed with soft and combative skills in equal measure, has met great success with La Rochelle. He helped them to two Champions Cup titles. Santiago Arata Perrone will probably be his backup. Kerr-Barlow is likely to give direction to a backline that can sizzle. All Blacks wing Mark Talea is one of the slipperiest outside backs in the game. He wriggles out of tackles and may be particularly hard to pin down on a wet Cape Town Stadium surface. Peter Umaga-Jensen is a destructive runner out wide and at times in midfield, while Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a wing with wheels, or if you prefer, gas. Toulon's Leicester Faingaʻanuku carries similar peril for defences. In Melvyn Jaminet they have a deadeye Dick goal kicker who'd be happy to oblige when conversions are on offer. Jaminet was destined to be a regular in the France team until injury and the emergence of Thomas Ramos ruled otherwise. 🗣️ "It's actually a difficult one to plan around." Rassie Erasmus on how the Springboks will be approaching the Barbarians match next Saturday. Click below to get your tickets now 👇 — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 17, 2025 The Baabaas can only live up to their cavalier reputation if they get a steady supply of front foot ball. Healy and the broad necked Camille Chat are experienced hands in the front row, while Stormers and Junior Bok lock Ruben van Heerden may form a second row partnership with Somerset West-born Toulon captain David Ribbans. The latter, a former Western Province player, is an England international with more than 100 caps for Northampton Saints before moving to the Cote d'Azur. The back row will be hotly contested for a place in the starting XV with Cane, O'Mahony and Hoskins Sotutu the likely starters. Frizell, however, is a player who can inject much impetus to proceedings, whether he starts or comes off the bench. Given their experience and talent, the Baabaas can pose the Boks some uncomfortable questions but whether Deans can knit them into a tight unit while in the Mother City's welcoming embrace is another matter. The Boks though, will take what is often a festival affair seriously, 'The Barbarians have knocked over many good teams over the years,' Boks assistant coach Tony Brown reminded. 'It is huge for the first test of the year and we are preparing the players as if it is a Test match. 'This is not Barbarians against the Barbarians. We are going about our preparations as we would normally prepare for a Test match.' Barbarians squad Forwards: Cian Healy (Leinster), Will Collier (Castres), Hassane Kolingar (Racing 92), Paul Alo-Emile (Stade Francais), Camille Chat (Lyon), John Ricky Riccitelli (Auckland Blues), David Ribbans (Toulon), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers), Josh Beehre (Auckland Blues), Hoskins Sotutu (Auckland Blues), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Sam Cane (Tokyo Sungoliath), Shannon Frizell (Toshiba), Lachlan Boshier (Wild Knights)
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springboks take calculated risk against Baabaas as Lood de Jager finally makes his international return
Lock Lood de Jager will make his return to the Springbok team on Saturday after nearly two years out when they face the Barbarians in Caep Town. Image: BackpagePix Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus sprung a few surprises with the uncapped players for the clash with the Barbarians on Saturday but selected an experienced side to try and lay a strong season-opening platform in Cape Town. While they will approach the game at the DHL Stadium (5.10pm start) with a Test-match mentality, four uncapped players — two in the starting XV and two off the bench — will make their debut. The team also consists of four other players with less than 10 caps. However, the rest of the side is stacked with World Cup winners. Judging by the experience they've gone with, the world champions should have no trouble putting the Baabaas away. The invitational side, finally to an almost full complement, assembled in Cape Town on Tuesday ahead of the duel. Although not an official test, Sharks loose forward Vincent Tshituka and Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye will experience the Green-and-Gold for the first time. Replacement tighthead Neethling Fouché and replacement hooker Marnus van der Merwe are the uncapped guys on the bench. Erasmus explained on Thursday that they opted to bleed some new players, but with the strong blend of experience, they want to ensure they have a foundation as they head into the 2025 Test season in July. Regular captain Siya Kolisi will lead the team in the opener. 'It's a calculated risk in the sense that we know what guys like Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu), Krappies (Morné van den Berg, scrumhalf) and Fassi (Aphelele, fullback) can do when they are on song, but we need those experienced heads around them,' Erasmus said. 'The Barbarians came here to entertain. Sometimes you need a little bit of control on the side for that. With that inexperience at 9, 10 and 15, we felt that it was a calculated decision because we do have calm heads around them. 'We last played eight months ago and we've seen what happened to the British and Irish Lions recently against Argentina when they put a team together. Credit, though, must go to Argentina for that victory. Selecting just an experienced side to win this game would've been beside the point. We know we could've selected our most in-form side, but what happens in 12 months then (if they do not select inexperienced guys).' 'We want a good start and that is why we selected this side. We would love to entertain, but we won't fuel their fire.' Erasmus is excited for the uncapped players to make their mark, while the return of Lood de Jager is another good sign for the Springboks.
