Duhan van der Merwe in school reunion for Springboks clash as three other Scotland players named

The invitational side will feature 19 internationals from 11 different nations, including Duhan van der Merwe, D’arcy Rae, Liam McConnell and Oli Kebble

Van der Merwe, who was born in South Africa and represented them at under-20 level before switching to Scotland, has been selected on the left wing and will reunite with his former schoolmate Warrick Gelant who is at full-back for the BaaBaas. Wallabies wing Andrew Kellaway completes the back three.

Rae, an Edinburgh team-mate of van der Merwe’s, is the starting tighthead prop in a front row which also features Gloucester’s Argentinian loosehead Mayco Vivas and Dragons and Wales hooker Elliot Dee. McConnell, the flanker who has enjoyed a breakthrough season with Edinburgh, is on the bench along with Oli Kebble, the Stormers prop who won 12 caps for Scotland between 2020 and 2022.

Potentially, the first of two games against South Africa

The game in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) will provide the three Edinburgh players with some valuable match practice ahead of Scotland’s Nations Championship campaign next month. Van der Merwe has not played since Edinburgh’s final game of the season, against Connacht on May 15. McConnell missed that game but featured in the win over the Dragons in the previous week. Rae’s last outing was against Leinster on April 5, with the prop missing the end of the domestic season due to a calf injury.

For the Edinburgh trio, Saturday’s game could be their first of two against world champions South Africa this summer. Scotland are scheduled to meet the world champions at Loftus Versfeld on July 11, a week after their Nations Championship opener against Argentina in Cordoba. The summer series will end against Fiji at Murrayfield on July 18.

Former All Blacks boss Scott Robertson has been appointed head coach for the Barbarians’ June programme which also includes a game against Wales at Twickenham. He said: “We are all really excited for Saturday afternoon. To play against the world champions in South Africa is an awesome opportunity.

“We have embraced the Barbarians spirit and tradition this week, coming together as a group and enjoying each other’s company in Cape Town.

All Blacks captain

“It’s a team packed with talent, guys who have come from all over the world and have a great chance to showcase their ability in Port Elizabeth. We want to express ourselves and do the famous black and white jersey proud.”

TJ Perenara, the 89-cap All Black, will captain the Barbarians who are contesting the YesPlay Cup with the Springboks.

Having represented the famous invitational club against Fiji in 2013, Perenara partners Toulon and Argentina stand-off Tomas Albornoz at half-back. Munster’s Alex Nankivell and France international Virimi Vakatawa are the centres.

Western Force and Los Pumas lock Franco Molina partners Bayonne’s Alex Moon in the second row. The back row is made up of Harlequins and Argentina stalwart Guido Petti and Panasonic Wild Knights’ Lachlan Boshier and Samoa No 8 Miracle Fai’ilagi.

Barbarians team

Barbarian FC: Warrick Gelant; Andrew Kellaway, Virimi Vakatawa, Alex Nankivell, Duhan van der Merwe; Tomás Albornoz, TJ Perenara (capt); Mayko Vivas, Elliot Dee, D’Arcy Rae, Franco Molina, Alex Moon, Lachlan Boshier, Miracle Fai’ilagi. Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Oli Kebble, Pedro Delgado, Izack Rodda, Liam McConnell, Santiago Arata, Harry Plummer, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.