The South Africa Springboks and the Barbarian Football Club don’t play very often, but when they do, there’s cross-continent appeal and a legitimate possibility for either team to come away with the victory.
And history backs up that statement.
Since they first met in 1952, each team has won four times, and they played to a draw in 2016. Across those nine showdowns, only once has a team won in back-to-back meetings.
When they get together this week in South Africa, one squad will leave with bragging rights and the advantage in the all-time series, and FloRugby subscribers will be able to watch it happen live on Saturday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
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Will the Barbarians, based in Great Britain, have their hands full while trying to avoid a loss to the Springboks for the second consecutive year? Yes. Here’s why:
Last year, the Springboks hosted the Barbarians, but they weren’t very hospitable. South Africa scored eight tries and handed the guests a 54-7 loss, the most lopsided result in the historic rivalry.
Though the Springboks haven’t played together since November, they’re the No. 1 team in the latest World Rugby Rankings, and they’re riding the momentum of a second straight win in The Rugby Championship, which they secured in October.
Two advantages the Barbarians have is that the organization is steeped in nearly 140 years of history, and the invitation-only roster includes talented players from all over the world. Those players come together to play a diverse schedule that has included matches against national teams for more than a century.
When Barbarian F.C. heads to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa this week, the lineup will include 19 internationals from 11 nations, captained by New Zealander TJ Perenara, who has experience in many of the sport’s top leagues and tournaments.
For the Barbarians, the match marks the start of an exciting summer tour that will include a meeting with Wales on June 27.
The Springboks, also the two-time defending champions in the Rugby World Cup (2019, 2023), will follow Saturday’s friendly contest with the three-match Nations Championship, where they’ll face England, Scotland and Wales in venues across South Africa.
Before you settle in to watch the South Africa-Barbarian F.C. rubber match, here are some things to know about each team and details about how to watch the action:
How To Watch The South Africa Springboks vs. Barbarian F.C.
In the USA, FloRugby will broadcast some of the best international rugby fixtures of 2026, including South Africa against the Barbarians on June 20.
Fans also can log into FloRugby or the FloSports app to watch the Barbarians against Wales on June 27.
To see the complete schedule of matches coming up on FloRugby this year, click here.
South Africa Springboks vs. Barbarians Kickoff Time
The match between the South Africa Springboks and the Barbarians kicks off at 9 a.m. Eastern on June 20.
All-Time Results Between South Africa And Barbarian F.C.
- Jan. 26, 1952 – South Africa def. Barbarian F.C., 17-3 (Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales)
- Feb. 4, 1961 – Barbarian F.C. def. South Africa, 6-0 (Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales)
- Jan. 31, 1970 – South Africa def. Barbarian F.C., 21-12 (Twickenham Stadium in London)
- Dec. 3, 1994 – Barbarians F.C. def. South Africa, 23-15 (Lansdowne Road Stadium in Dublin)
- Dec. 10, 2000 – South Africa def. Barbarian F.C., 41-31 (Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales)
- Dec. 1, 2007 – Barbarian F.C. def. South Africa, 22-5 (Twickenham Stadium in London)
- Dec. 4, 2010 – Barbarian F.C. def. South Africa, 26-20 (Twickenham Stadium in London)
- Nov. 5, 2016 – South Africa and Barbarian F.C. tied, 31-31 (Wembley Stadium in London)
- June 28, 2025 – South Africa def. Barbarian F.C., 54-7 (Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, SA)
The series is tied 4-4, plus one draw.
Fast Facts From The South Africa-Barbarian F.C. Rivalry
- This year marks the first time South Africa and the Barbarians have met in consecutive years.
- The 2025 meeting between the two teams, the first time they played in South Africa, ended in the widest margin of victory they’ve seen, 47 points. The Springboks won 54-7.
- In the nine previous matches, South Africa has outscored the Barbarians 204-161.
- The only shutout in the series was a 6-0 win for the Barbarians in 1961.
- Only the Barbarians have won consecutive meetings, defeating the Springboks in 2007 and 2010. They played to a draw when they met again in 2016.
- Not only do the Barbarian F.C. players come from far and wide, so do the team’s coaches. Leading the way for the team’s 2026 summer tour is former New Zealand head coach and past Barbarians leader, Scott Robertson, who excelled as a player and has made many other coaching stops, including a Super Rugby stint that saw him lead the Crusaders to seven championships.
- The Springboks are led by Rassie Erasmus, who is at the helm for the second time in his career and is the head coach who led the team to its 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup titles. He also played for the team from 1997-2001.
South Africa Springboks Squad
- Aphelele Fassi (15)
- Cheslin Kolbe (14)
- Jesse Kriel (13)
- Andre Esterhuizen (12)
- Edwill van der Merwe (11)
- Quan Horn (10)
- Grant Williams (9)
- Jasper Wiese (8)
- Pieter-Steph du Toit (7)
- Siya Kolisi (captain) (6)
- Franco Mostert (5)
- Riley Norton (4)
- Carlu Sadie (3)
- Andre-Hugo Venter (2)
- Ox Nche (1)
Replacements: 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.
Barbarians Rugby Squad
- Warrick Gelant (15)
- Andrew Kellaway (14)
- Virimi Vakatawa (13)
- Alex Nankivell (12)
- Duhan van der Merwe (11)
- Tomás Albornoz (10)
- TJ Perenara (captain) (9)
- Miracle Fai’ilagi (8)
- Lachlan Boshier (7)
- Guido Petti (6)
- Alex Moon (5)
- Franco Molina (4)
- D’Arcy Rae (3)
- Elliot Dee (2)
- Mayko Vivas (1)
Replacements: 16. Leonel Oviedo; 17. Oli Kebble; 18. Pedro Delgado; 19. Izack Rodda; 20. Liam McConnell; 21. Santiago Arata; 22. Harry Plummer; 23. Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.
South Africa Rugby vs. Barbarian F.C. Highlights From 2025
South Africa Rugby opened the 2025 season against the Barbarians on June 28.
Watch the highlights from the match, a 54-7 dismantling by the Springboks on their home turf.
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