Springboks vs Barbarians: 6 Things We Learnt

The Springboks couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2025 season. Playing against a high-profile (but probably hungover) Barbarians side in Cape Town gave Rassie Erasmus everything they needed to shake off the cobwebs and get the now-excellently-oiled Bok-machine ticking again.

Following the 54-7 hammering of the invitational side, what exactly did we learn about the new, refreshed Bok team:

Kolbe remains king

It’s hard not to start with the headline of the night. Even by his own high standards, Cheslin Kolbe was once again the most electric and exciting player on the field, making something happen every time he got the ball. In addition to his trademark footwork being on full display, his incredible high-ball chasing and retrieval was sublime, even regaining a botched kick by scrumhalf Morne van den Burg. Kolbe continues to show why he’s the best player in the world.

Handling skills

The general catch-and-pass skills by the Springboks has to be praised. While physicality is their go-to attribute, the all-round ball skills of the players was on full show during the admittedly-awful conditions in Cape Town. Where the BaaBaas failed to even string two or three passes together, the Boks were shuffling, offloading, and bullet-passing with excellent accuracy — with the quick hands leading up to Damian de Allende’s kick and Ardense’s try a perfect example.

New blood & returning faces

While some debuts can be overlooked in a Springbok team full of superstars, the new faces in the squad slotted in like they had been there for a few seasons. Vincent Tshituka was sublime, scoring two tries and being aggressive in both attack and defence; Asenathi Ntlabakanye started the game with a bang, winning two scrum penalties for the Springboks to get them on the front-foot; and the relative rookies, such as Jan-Hendrik Wessels, were great too. Throw in the returning faces of Lood de Jager and Jean-Luc Du Preez, who delivered the goods too, the Boks currently have a really healthy-looking roster.

Short kicking game

The Springboks’ ability to use the short kicking game more effectively has really added a number of try-scoring options. South Africa have two or three of the fastest, most explosive wings in the world, and having players that can put through short, accurate kicks (Aphelele Fassi and Damien de Allende showcased this) gives the likes of Kolbe, Arendse, and others the chance to chase and score tries behind a rushing defence.

Jesse Kriel continues to thrive

Easily the most underrated yet impactful players in the Bok squad, Jesse Kriel stepped into the captaincy role excellently, and while it didn’t change the way he played or how he usually dictates the defensive strategies from outside centre, it just put it on greater display for the wider rugby audience to see.

Counterattacking kings

Where the All Blacks were once the leaders in counterattacking rugby, the Springboks have shifted their attacking mindset to capitalise on scrambled defence from deep in their own half. We’ve been seeing it for a few years, but the Boks are really refining their counterattack, which gives many of SA’s most skillfull players the freedom to break away from the structure and use their instinct.

The Springboks next play Italy on 5 July in Pretoria.