Imperfect South Africa enjoy early season tune-up against Barbarians

South Africa opened their 2026 season with a 12-try, 80-31 demolition of the Barbarians at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, though the scoreline flatters the margin of control for long stretches of a game that got scrappy in the middle.

Edwill van der Merwe was the standout, finishing with a hat-trick, while debutant lock Riley Norton and utility back Quan Horn, handed an audition at No.10, both put in solid showings.

The Boks were up and running inside four minutes, Siya Kolisi threading van der Merwe through on the left to score. The Barbarians hit back almost immediately, Virimi Vakatawa slicing through after a missed tackle to dot down on nine minutes. Pieter-Steph du Toit restored the Bok lead shortly after, crashing over under the posts, before Jasper Wiese touched down on 19 minutes for their third.

Back-to-back yellow cards for the Barbarians (TJ Perenara for a high tackle, Miracle Fai’ilagi for not rolling away) handed the Boks the platform to go further clear. Van der Merwe got his second on 14 minutes, then Horn stepped his way through to put Norton over for his first Test try on 24 minutes.

The Boks led 35-12 at that point and looked comfortable. Then Grant Williams stuck out a hand to stop a Barbarians attack and was sent to the bin for a deliberate knock-down, and the visitors made them pay. Three tries in quick succession from Franco Molina, Andrew Kellaway and Perenara cut the deficit to nine and suddenly the game had a different complexion entirely.

Fixture

Rugby Union Hybrid Friendlies

South Africa

80 - 31

Full-time

Barbarians

All Stats and Data

Cheslin Kolbe steadied the ship just before the break, picking up from the base of a scrum with Williams still off the field, rounding his man and dotting down on 42 minutes to make it 42-26 at half-time.

The second half was more controlled. Jean-Jacques Kotze rumbled over from a maul on 47 minutes to effectively end the contest, and van der Merwe completed his hat-trick on 58 minutes after veteran Faf de Klerk came on and quickened the tempo.

Kellaway grabbed a second for the Barbarians, but tries from Vusi Simphiwe Moyo, De Klerk, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen and Zachary Porthen in the final quarter put the gloss on an 80-31 scoreline.