The Springboks kick off their 2026 season against the Barbarians this Saturday, and Rassie Erasmus has shown respect for the touring team by selecting 18 capped internationals in the matchday 23.
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However, there have also been big opportunities handed to Junior Bok captain Riley Norton (lock) and Carlu Sadie (prop), while the uncapped players among the replacements are JJ Kotze (hooker), Paul de Villiers (loose forward) and SA U20 flyhalf Vusi Moyo.
Interestingly, he opted to hand Quan Horn a start at flyhalf, despite the talented 24-year-old more regularly being seen as a specialist fullback.
Mzwandile Stick, meanwhile, named a talented young SA ‘A’ side, who will have the luxury of relying on a group of senior players such who will be supported by an exciting group of youngsters including Luan Giliomee, Jaco Williams, and Zekhethelo Siyaya in the back three.
Markus Muller, meanwhile, will partner up with Am in the midfield, with halfbacks Yaqeen Ahmed and Haashim Pead dictating play at halfback.
Following these team announcements, Rassie Erasmus has provided some key insights
Balancing youth, overseas stars, and injury returns
“We said from the outset that we wanted to give a few players returning from injury and others who have been playing overseas game time in this match, while at the same time exposing some of the younger players on our radar to top-class international rugby, and we believe this squad reflects those objectives,” Erasmus said.
Navigating the lock crisis & backing Riley Norton
“I don’t want to single out a player because he’s standing out more than the others, but he’s definitely a guy that’s got maturity about him, coming into the Springbok setup as a young guy. He’s definitely not at all ‘windgat’, he’s confident, and there’s an aura around him. He understands what professional rugby is about, and I think that’s why he’s such a great leader for the Junior Boks.”
The flyhalf experiment
“Manie (Libbok) has played a lot of rugby in Japan recently, and we want to manage him properly. We must also see Handré (Pollard) get through the URC final without injury, while Sacha is currently injured. So, it creates an opportunity for us to have a look at Quan.
“We know he can play 15, but if he can play 10 and 15, hopefully in future that will help with a 6-2 bench split. The other assistant coaches, all of us, really see something in him when it comes to 10.”
Appointing Vincent Tshituka as SA ‘A’ captain
“Vincent is a natural leader who leads by example with his work rate and physicality on the field. He has a fantastic understanding of the game, and his versatility to slide into the lock position for this match shows his commitment to the team’s needs. He’s the perfect person to lead this mix of youth and experience against a very motivated Zimbabwe team.”
Selection benefits of the SA ‘A’ game
“The SA ‘A’ game is a luxury for us because it bridges the gap between domestic franchise form and full international intensity. It allows us to keep guys like Lukhanyo (Am) sharp while throwing the younger tier—like Haashim Pead and Markus Muller—straight into a high-consequence environment where they have to sink or swim under the guidance of senior leaders.”
Carlu Sadie’s pathway to the tighthead shirt
“Carlu has put up his hand in a very tough competition in France. We’ve always known about his scrummaging abilities, but his work rate off the ball and his general play have improved significantly over the last season. Facing a Barbarians pack with varying styles is the perfect test to see how he translates that form into our system.”
squads
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Quan Horn, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Riley Norton, 3 Carlü Sadie, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ox Nché.
Bench: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Vusi Moyo.
SOUTH AFRICA A – 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Vincent Tshituka (c), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Boan Venter.
Bench: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adré Smith, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurenzo Julius.