By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A South African A team will face Zimbabwe Sables as a curtain raiser for the first Springboks game of the year, SA Rugby has confirmed in a statement.
It will be the first time that an SA A team has played since the 2022 end-of-year tour, when the team coached by Mzwandile Stick faced off against Munster and Bristol Bears.
The clash between SA A and the Sables will take place on 20 June in Gqeberha at 12h00 (local) and will be preceded by the Springboks versus the Barbarians at 15h00.
“The match between the SA ‘A’ team and Zimbabwe will serve as a fantastic opportunity for both teams to achieve some of their objectives with the Rugby World Cup in mind, and from a South African point of view, we have seen the benefits of having an SA ‘A’ team playing against quality opposition,” said Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus.
“Players such as Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu), Ruan (Nortje), Grant (Williams), Aphelele (Fassi), and Elrigh (Louw), among others, all played for the team in the early stages of their international careers, and have become important members of our squad since, so this match will offer us another chance to give guys within our squad and others who have really put up their hands to prove what they can do against international opposition.”
“We have done well to rotate our squad and give several players a chance in the last two seasons, but 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.”
Sables head coach Pieter Benade was equally thrilled about his charges facing the SA ‘A’ team and said: “We’re excited for the opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world’s top rugby nations and a truly elite system. It’s a challenge we embrace and one that promises to push our standards to another level.
“Experiences like this are invaluable, as they expose our players to the highest level of competition, accelerate their growth, and play a key role in the continued development of our squad. We’re looking forward to the lessons ahead and the chance to showcase our progress on the international stage.”
Erasmus, who hails from Despatch in the Eastern Cape, and who will celebrate his 30-year anniversary in the Springbok set-up after being called up to the team’s tour of Argentina and Europe as a player in 1996, said the double-header would be a real season-opening treat for the province’s die-hard fans.
“It’s always great to return to the Eastern Cape, where the Boks enjoy immense support, and to have back-to-back matches play out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will make the occasion of playing our first match of the year even more special,” he said.
The Springboks will host their second alignment camp in May, and Erasmus is set to name his squad for their official training camp in June, a few weeks later. The coach for the SA ‘A’ team will also be announced in due course.
Springbok fixtures in 2026:
International:
- Saturday 20 June: Springboks v Barbarians and SA ‘A’ v Zimbabwe (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha)
Nations Championship:
- Saturday 4 July: Springboks v England (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- Saturday 11 July: Springboks v Scotland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
- Saturday 18 July: Springboks v Wales (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry:
- Saturday 22 August: Springboks v All Blacks (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- Saturday 29 August: Springboks v All Blacks (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
- Saturday 5 September: Springboks v All Blacks (FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)
- Saturday 12 September: Springboks v All Blacks (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA)
Once-off Tests:
- Saturday 8 August: Argentina v Springboks (Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Buenos Aires)
- Sunday 27 September: Wallabies v Springboks (Optus Stadium, Perth)
Nations Championship:
- Saturday 7 November: Italy v Springboks (Venue TBC)
- Friday 13 November: France v Springboks (Stade de France, Paris)
- Saturday 21 November: Ireland v Springboks (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
- Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November: Finals Weekend (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London).