Is South Africa vs Barbarians on TV? Channel, kick-off time and how to watch Springboks clash
· Yahoo Sports
South Africa rugby kickstart a mighty few months of international rugby as they host the Barbarians in Gqeberha.
The Springboks host England, Wales and Scotland next month in the inaugural Nations Championship and also take on New Zealand in the first Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series later in the year.
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This, then, is an opportunity for Rassie Erasmus to look at some faces new and old in a lower-stakes encounter with the famous invitational team.
Not that one can take the BaaBas for granted – there are internationals from just about every corner of the rugby-playing world in a typically cosmopolitan selection.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is South Africa vs the Barbarians?
The clash is due to kick off at 2pm BST on Saturday 20 June at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Premier Sports 2, with coverage on the channel from 1.50pm BST and also available to subscribers via the Premier Sports website. South African viewers can tune in on SuperSport Rugby.
Team news
It’s a strong looking Springboks team, with a few newer faces mixed in alongside plenty of World Cup winners. With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu injured, Handre Pollard still involved in the URC and Manie Libbok not risked, Quan Horn is a surprise choice at fly half with the Lions full-back shifted into an unfamiliar position.
Rassie Erasmus has a look at Carlu Sadie, who helped Bordeaux Begles to Champions Cup success, at tighthead while youngster Riley Norton partners an experienced head in Franco Mostert in the second row.
The Barbarians are led by former All Blacks scrum half TJ Perenara, who partners another familiar foe for the Springboks in Argentina playmaker Tomas Albornoz. 10-cap Springbok Warrick Gelant gets an opportunity against his former colleagues while Scotland internationals Duhan van der Merwe and Oli Kebble play in the land of their birth.
There are 11 different nations represented in a squad coached by Scott Robertson, returning to coaching for the first time since losing the New Zealand job in January.
South Africa XV: 1 Ox Nche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 3 Carlu Sadie; 4 Riley Norton, 5 Franco Mostert; 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Grant Williams, 10 Quan Horn; 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cheslin Kolbe; 15 Aphelele Fassi.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Nthuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21 Evan Roos; 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Vusi Moyo.
Barbarians XV: 1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 D’Arcy Rae; 4 Franco Molina, 5 Alex Moon; 6 Guido Petti, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 8 Miracle Fai’ilagi; 9 TJ Perenara (capt.), 10 Tomas Albornoz; 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 12 Alex Nankivell, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 14 Andrew Kellaway; 15 Warrick Gelant.
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Izack Rodda, 20 Liam McConnell; 21 Santiago Arata, 22 Harry Plummaer, 23 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.