International rugby returns to Cape Town this weekend, with the Springboks facing the Barbarians on Saturday, 28 June 2025.
Springboks vs Barbarians: Every detail you must know about
The Springboks vs Barbarians match will take place at Cape Town Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 17:10.
This match is not officially recognised as a Test match, meaning players will not earn a “cap” — a formal appearance record.
However, the fixture still carries weight for the South African team as they build towards upcoming official games against Italy and Georgia.
South Africa will field a mix of experienced and debut players. Jesse Kriel will captain the Springboks in the absence of Siya Kolisi, who has been ruled out due to injury.
Making their first appearances in the green and gold are Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Vincent Tshituka in the starting line-up, with Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche debuting from the bench.
This marks a hometown appearance for Fouche, who is from Cape Town.
For the Barbarians — an invitational team made up of international players — Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony will lead the squad in what is expected to be his final match.
Fellow Irishman Cian Healy is also set to retire after this weekend. The Barbarians team includes players from multiple countries, including New Zealand and France.
The game is played for the Qatar Airways Cup and will be the Barbarians’ first time playing on South African soil.
Cape Town road closures to take note of
To accommodate the event, the City of Cape Town will enforce several road closures and provide free transport options for match ticket holders.
The MyCiTi bus service will offer free shuttles to the stadium from four major points: Century City, CTICC, Thibault Square, and Civic Centre. The first buses was scheduled to leave these areas at 12:00, with the final return trips scheduled for 21:30.
Commuters must show their match tickets to board.
Free Park & Ride facilities are available at Civic Centre and Century City (Steelbridge E-Parking) on a first-come, first-served basis, starting at 11:30.
Civic Centre access is via Hertzog Boulevard and Civic Road.
Century City access is through Century Boulevard. Although security is present at Century City, parking is at the owner’s risk. Paid parking is also available at Century City Mall.
For those parking in the Central Business District (CBD), on-street parking becomes free from 13:00.
Additional paid parking is available at Parkalot (Jack Craig Street) and Harbour Arch (Harbour Arch Boulevard), both within walking distance or accessible via the free shuttle.
E-hailing services such as Uber or Bolt can drop off and pick up passengers at a designated zone located at P13 on Green Point Main Road, between York Road and Wigtown Road.
Motorists are advised of the following road closures in the Green Point and Granger Bay areas:
- Fritz Sonnenberg Road (McDonalds P3 to Vlei Road): Fully closed from 06:00 on Saturday to 06:00 the next day.
- Stephan Way (Fritz Sonnenberg to Hamilton’s RFC): Fully closed from 06:00 to 22:30.
- Vlei Road (Helen Suzman Boulevard to Fritz Sonnenberg): Fully closed from 06:00 to 22:30.
- Fort Wynyard Street (Portswood Road to Granger Bay Boulevard): Fully closed from 06:00 to 22:30.
- Granger Bay Boulevard (Helen Suzman Boulevard to Beach Road): Restricted access from 06:00 to 22:30.
Spectators are encouraged to plan their travel accordingly and make use of the free shuttles and available parking to avoid delays.
