Scotland’s SA-born wing Duhan van der Merwe, New Zealand’s TJ Perenara and Australia’s Andrew Kellaway are among the first batch of Barbarians players named to play the Springboks in Gqeberha on June 20.
The composite Barbarians will be facing the world champions in front of an expected capacity 46,000 crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (kickoff 3pm).
The clash is part of a double-header which also features a showdown between an SA A team and Zimbabwe as a curtain-raiser (kickoff noon).
Van der Merwe, a former Junior Springbok wing who has played for Scotland and the British & Irish Lions, will wear a Barbarians jersey for the first time.
He will be joined on the tour to SA by fellow Scotland squad players D’Arcy Rae and Liam McConnell.
All three have been selected in collaboration with Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend to ensure they have game time before they return to SA to face the Boks in the Nations Championship match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on July 11.
Perenara, a former All Blacks vice-captain, will bring 89 Tests worth of experience, flair and attacking instincts to the Barbarians squad.
Wallabies speedster Kellaway, who has 49 caps for Australia, will be joined in the backline by Argentine flyhalf Tomas Albornoz and Uruguay scrumhalf Santiago Arata.
Further squad announcements are expected soon.
“I can’t wait to join up with the Barbarians this summer,” Van der Merwe said.
“It is a massive honour and opportunity to represent them.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to be part of so to get this opportunity is massive.
“The Barbarians are a rugby institution, and we have some tough Tests coming.
“To play for them against the world champions will be a massive challenge and one I’m really looking forward to.”
Any perceptions that the international season opener might be a low-key affair were kicked into touch when joint coach Felipe Contepomi said the Baabaas wanted to erase memories of the 2025 clash between the teams when the Boks ran out runaway 54-7 winners in Cape Town.
Contepomi, who is coaching alongside Scott Robertson, Patrice Collazo and Kenny Lynn, said the Baabaas wanted to be much more competitive in Gqeberha than had been the case in Cape Town.
“To hear that Bok coach Rassie Erasmus is taking it as seriously as a Test match is the best way for us to prepare,” he said.
“Facing South Africa is a big, big challenge, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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