Barbarian F.C. and the South Africa Rugby Union today announced the third meeting between their women’s sides will be take place on Saturday 7 September ahead of the Rugby Championship clash between the Springboks and the All Blacks at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.
The first meeting between the South Africa Women’s XV and the Barbarian Women – in front of a then-record crowd of 29,581 at Twickenham Stadium in November 2021 – resulted in a 60-5 domination by the famous Black and White.
However, two years on the Springbok Women battled valiantly to the very end in a riveting display of determination and resilience, with the Barbarian Women prevailing 38-26 in Cape Town.
It is just seven years since the Barbarian Women’s debut match, a victory against Munster in November 2017.
Since then, the world-famous club has seen the women’s side play a wide range of club and international competition, including double header fixtures alongside the men’s side against England at Twickenham Stadium and Wales at the Principality Stadium in 2019.
Returning to Cape Town for their third match against the Springbok Women, the Barbarian Women side will once again be packed with star names well-established on the world stage.
Barbarian F.C. have appointed Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern and former Barbarian Women’s captain Linda Itunu as Head Coach, with former Spain and Exeter Chiefs Women and Barbarian Women’s Patricia García Rodriguez appointed Assistant Coach.
Seven unions will be represented in the squad, including 2014 Rugby World Cup winner Rochelle “Rocky” Clarke MBE.
Flying the flag (or wearing the socks) for Wales is debutante Abi Meyrick, while Cheta Emba and Joanna Kitlinski will join from the USA and Carla Hohepa from New Zealand.
More names will be announced ahead of the fixture.
For the Springbok Women – who, it was recently announced, will be launching a professional league with up to 150 players next year – it is another step towards developing a highly competitive side with great ambitions on the world stage.
John Spencer, President of Barbarian F.C., said: “We are delighted to be playing Springbok Women in Cape Town once again. It is a privilege to be invited back to Cape Town, playing in the magnificent DHL Stadium against a team who are fast becoming great rivals and friends of the Barbarians.
“These fixtures exemplify the fiercely-held values of our club – those of flair, courage, spirit and passion, alongside integrity, friendship and enjoyment – values that have been very much on display in the last two meetings between the Springboks Women and Barbarians Women, and which we will surely see again in September.”
Fiona Stockley, Barbarian F.C. and Women’s Team Manager, added: “Barbarian Women have demonstrated time and again the wonderful values of the Barbarians. Bringing these squads together is a privilege, seeing such close friendships form between the stars of the women’s game.
“It has been a pleasure to bring the team together with Linda and Pat. Our strong rugby values help us build a year-on-year rugby friendship with the Springboks, which always results in increasingly close matches and strong bonds.
“We are looking forward to confirming more star names as the match nears, and I can promise a stellar cast to take on the Springbok Women in Cape Town.”
SA Rugby’s High-Performance Manager for Women’s Rugby, Lynne Cantwell, welcomed the return of the Baabaas to Cape Town, noting the importance of a healthy relationship between the Bok Women and the club.
“Any match against the Barbarians has a special feel to it and we are really honoured, privileged and massively thankful for their willingness to travel all the way to South Africa for this,” said Cantwell.
“Like last year, this will help us prepare for WXV and we are very pleased that they agreed to visit our shores again. To play them as a curtain-raiser to one of the biggest sporting events in Cape Town this year, when the Boks and All Blacks meet, is huge for both teams.
“We have not seen their squad, but we know it will be packed with international experience and class. Their presence will be a massive boost to the exposure of WXV 2 and DHL Stadium, where we start our campaign against Japan on 27 September.”
