Cheslin Kolbe excited for first taste of rugby against Barbarians in Cape Town

Having not played against the Barbarians before, Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe is excited about the prospect of facing them this Saturday in Cape Town.

There is no doubt that the flyer and his skillset would fit a Baabaas team like a glove should he play for them, but he will oppose the invitational side, known for their flair game, as part of the world champions at the DHL Stadium in the Mother City (5.10pm kick-off).

Conditions might not suit a running affair in the Cape winter, but the Boks believe they can adapt to what is asked of them to start the 2025 international season with a victory over their “unknown” opponents.

“I haven’t played against the Baabaas before, but just watching them, they are a team that chucks the ball around on the field,” Kolbe said on Monday. "But they have quite a lot of experienced heads in their squad.

"I’m sure it’s for a reason, to keep a bit of calmness amongst the chaos. By nature, we are competitive no matter the team we play for. I am sure it will be a good week for them. We must just stay focused and in our environment to prepare as well as we can for what is to come this weekend.”

According to Kolbe, the Boks vs Babaas clash looks like an exciting spectacle after he watched the two sides face each other in 2016, but he is not too bummed that they will treat it as a Test match. It means there will be little room for them to deviate from their game plan, as the Boks will look to set an early-season benchmark with their World Cup-winning blueprint.

He added that they were properly put through their paces by head coach Rassie Erasmus and the returning Felix Jones during their pre-season camp in Johannesburg over the last two weeks.

Kolbe, however, said it will aid the team looking at what awaits them for the rest of the year.

“It’s great to be back in camp. We hadn’t seen each other in six or seven months, so it was exciting to get together again. Being in Cape Town is a home away from home for me, so it’s always great playing in the Mother City.”

He’s had some matches in the Japanese League One competition against his fellow Boks but added that the domestic season primed him for what is waiting on the international scene.

The winger played against the likes of Kurt-Lee Arende, Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Malcolm Marx, Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, and Franco Mostert. Arendse’s Dynaboars, Marx’s Kubota Spears, and the trio of De Allende, De Jager and Mostert playing for the Wild Knights got the better of Kolbe’s Suntory Sungoliath, the last match being a thrilling playoff game.

Kolbe, though, was instrumental in double victories over Smith’s Blue Revs. He scored 28 points, including two tries, in the most recent clash against the Blue Revs.

“Japan is amazing, everybody thinks it is just a walk in the park when you arrive there. But the league has grown and is quite competitive. Playing against Kurt-lee was good, we’ve never had the chance to face each other.

“It was a good opportunity to beat each other up a little bit. They got the better of us in the end.

“The main focus now, though, for me is the Springboks and I think it is so for everyone in the side.”