The Barbarians are walking into a buzzsaw on Saturday, and their coach and captain aren’t pretending otherwise.
Scott Robertson and TJ Perenara both spent Thursday talking about the Springboks like a team that knows what’s coming. And what’s coming is a South African squad with so much depth it barely matters who actually pulls on the green jersey.
“No, they’re a very good team,” Perenara said. “The depth of that squad is amazing. I think whoever they put out there is going to be really, really good.”
The Barbarians captain is 34 now, playing his club rugby in Japan for the Ricoh Black Rams, but he’s been around long enough to know when a team is levels above. The Springboks have mixed veterans with young guns for this one. Rassie Erasmus named a matchday 23 that includes players coming back from injury, a few U20 prospects getting their first taste of senior international rugby, and the kind of physicality that makes the Baa-baas’ job considerably harder than usual.
Robertson, who coached the All Blacks before joining the invitational side, said the same thing in different words.
“If you put the Springbok jersey on, if you’re representing it, Rassie’s not going to pick someone that hasn’t deserved it,” Robertson said. “I just like the mix of the U20 boys that have come through and the opportunities they’ve been given. He does that really well.”
Robertson called it “a hell of a mixed team” but noted the experience still runs deep. The Boks aren’t just throwing bodies out there. They’re fielding players who have been through the system, who understand the standard, and who are playing for a coach known for getting the absolute most out of his roster.
The biggest talking point out of the Springboks’ lineup announcement was the decision to start Quan Horn at fly-half. The Lions fullback has never worn the No. 10 jersey in a professional match before. Not once. And now he’s doing it against a Barbarians squad loaded with All Blacks talent.
Robertson didn’t sound like a coach ready to exploit that inexperience, though.
“He’s a naturally talented footballer. He can go from 15 to 10,” Robertson said. “He’s got a hell of a… That’s really all I can say. If he’s playing, he’ll be good enough for sure.”
The Barbarians have their own New Zealand flavor in the lineup. Robertson and Perenara are joined by Munster’s Alex Nankivell at inside center and Lachlan Boshier on the openside flank. Clermont’s Harry Plummer, who has one All Blacks cap, is on the bench. That’s a lot of rugby IQ in one room, but even they know Saturday is going to be messy.
The game kicks off in Gqeberha, and the Springboks are using it as a tune-up for November Tests against England, Scotland and Wales. For the Barbarians, it’s a one-off chance to prove they can still hang with the best team in the world.
Nobody’s betting on that.
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