The Springboks will kick off their season against the Barbarians this weekend, with AJ Jacobs having been appointed as the referee.
Jacobs will be assisted by Christopher Allison and Stephan Geldenhuys, while Egon Seconds is the TMO, and Ben Crouse is in the review bunker.
With the Barbarians being a composite team, no Test caps will be awarded for the match that will kick off at 17:10.
AJ Jacobs has been part of the referee team for the Springboks many times in the past
Looking ahead to the Barbarians game, Springbok coach Erasmus said: “A whole lot of players in this squad have played for the Baabaas, and I’ve also coached them before, so we have an idea of what to expect from them.
“They don’t have much time to train together as a group, but if one looks at the calibre of players they have announced so far and the history between the teams over the years, we know it’s going to take a top-class effort to get the desired result.
“That said, we are pleased with how our preparations are going, and our focus in this match will be to get our structures and systems in place for the Test matches coming up. So, this is a vital game for us.”
Springbok record against the Barbarians:
Played 8, Won 3; Lost 4; Drawn 1. Points for: 150; Points against: 154; Tries Scored 23; Tries conceded 29; Highest score: 41; Biggest win 14 points. Win % 38%.
Interesting facts:
- This will mark the first ever match between the Springboks and Barbarians in South Africa.
- The last time the teams met was at the Wembley Stadium in 2016, where the teams played to a 31-31 draw.
- The teams have faced one another on eight occasions, with the Springboks winning three and the Barbarians four, while the last match ended in a draw.
- The Springboks suffered defeats in their previous two outings before 2016, going down 26-20 in 2010, and 22-5 in 2007 at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
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