Gqeberha rugby fans deserve world class BaaBaas side

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If rugby bosses want to build trust with passionate Eastern Cape rugby fans, they cannot afford to short-change them by sending a second-rate Barbarians team to face the Springboks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on June 20.

With the cheapest tickets costing R250, Gqeberha fans expect to see a Barbarians side bristling with the world’s best players for a game against the world champions.

As things stand, supporters are being asked to fork out their hard-earned cash without knowing the makeup of the BaaBaas side.

When the Boks faced the Barbarians in Cape Town at the start of the 2025 season, the game did not live up to expectations after a mediocre BaaBaas team was assembled at the last moment.

The Boks cantered to a 54-7 win, and the match did not live up to the hype after the Barbarians struggled to assemble a squad.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus will want his team to be put under pressure by the BaaBaas in all facets of the game ahead of a busy international season.

If a competitive contest fails to materialise, the Boks could find themselves undercooked for their opening Nations Championship match against England at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on July 4.

The Barbarians’ coaching quartet will be headed by former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and Los Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi, who will be supported by Racing 92 head coach Patrice Collazo and Argentina assistant coach Kenny Lynn.

Before the underwhelming 2025 fixture, the Springboks last faced the Barbarians in 2016 in a clash which ended in a 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in London.

In 2025, Erasmus used the BaaBaas squad to blood new talent, and he named four uncapped players — Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Vincent Tshituka (flanker), Marnus van der Merwe (hooker) and Neethling Fouche (prop) in his matchday squad.

It is likely he will follow a similar pattern in Gqeberha to build squad depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

If the BaaBaas assemble a truly world-class squad, it will be an occasion to remember for the 46,000 fans expected to pack the iconic stadium.