GQEBERHA – After speculation over the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium potentially playing host to the reigning Rugby World Cup winners, SA Rugby confirmed that the Springboks will indeed take to the field at the iconic venue for their 2026 clash against the Barbarians.
Tickets which will be priced from R250 per person, go on sale from tomorrow, Wednesday, 25 February at 10:00, exclusively via the official website.
This encounter set for Saturday, 20 June in Gqeberha opens the Springboks’ 2026 campaign and carries added significance with the introduction of two new international competitions, namely the Nations Championship and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. The match will provide valuable preparation against high‑calibre opposition ahead of the season.
The statement added that leading the Barbarians coaching quartet are former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi, supported by Patrice Collazo of Racing‑92 and Argentina assistant coach Kenny Lynn.
“Last season in Cape Town, the Springboks recorded a dominant 54‑7 victory over the Barbarians, the first encounter between the sides since a 31‑31 draw at Wembley Stadium, London, in 2016,” it stated.
The Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), operator of the stadium, welcomed the confirmation.
“The exposure alone is invaluable,” said MBDA Acting CEO Unathi Peter. “The potential economic injection is substantial. The tourism revenue and exposure generated by hosting the Springboks could translate into millions of rands in direct spending in Nelson Mandela Bay. This is, of course, an exciting prospect.”
Peter added that the fixture places Nelson Mandela Bay firmly on the international stage and provides an opportunity to showcase the city to millions of viewers.
Stadium Executive Raaziq Poole echoed the sentiment, highlighting the sustained efforts behind securing marquee fixtures.
“The Stadium team works closely with national and provincial rugby structures on an ongoing basis to lobby for fixtures. We are always in a state of operational readiness, and we’re very pleased to see these efforts pay off in the exciting confirmation of a Springbok return to Nelson Mandela Bay,” he said.
Poole emphasised that the stadium is maintained to world-class standards to remain an attractive hosting venue, supported by the MBDA’s broader urban regeneration strategy aimed at strengthening and sustaining the surrounding precinct.
“Our excitement is double for the fans; being able to bring a match of this calibre to our communities is something we’re incredibly proud of,” he added.
“It’s always exciting to face the BaaBaas, and we are looking forward to hosting them in South Africa for the second successive year; this time at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where we have traditionally enjoyed fantastic support,” said Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus.
“With our opening Nations Championship match against England just two weeks later, this fixture offers an ideal opportunity to get the players match‑ready against a side that always boasts top players from around the world. The key for us will be to focus on our structures and what we want to achieve on the field. With two new competitions ahead, the sooner we get into a Test‑match mindset, the better.”
Barbarians head coach Felipe Contepomi added, “It was a tremendous honour to play for the Barbarians, and to now be invited to coach them against the back‑to‑back world champions in their own country is very special. It recognises the performance of Los Pumas in recent years, and we’re relishing the challenge of assembling a competitive side in a short period.”
Scott Robertson said, “The Barbarians bring the rugby world together. It’s special to be part of that tradition and to honour the jersey.”
The Barbarians fixture precedes the Springboks’ Nations Championship home Tests against England (4 July, Johannesburg), Scotland (11 July, Pretoria) and Wales (18 July, Durban). They then face the All Blacks in four Tests during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (August–September), followed by an away Test against the Wallabies in Australia on 27 September.
The second leg of the Nations Championship resumes in Europe with matches against Italy (7 November), France (13 November) and Ireland (21 November), culminating in Finals Weekend in London (27–29 November).
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