Transformation, transparency and a focus on performance defined the Springboks’ opening week of the 2025 international season, writes MARK KEOHANE.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane says Saturday’s non-cap fixture against the Barbarians in Cape Town had all the intensity of a Test match — from Bok selections and preparation to the quality of the opposition.

The Barbarians, coached by Robbie Deans and captained by Sam Whitelock, only assembled in full on Tuesday but fielded a match 23 loaded with international pedigree, including 13 New Zealanders — none of whom are in the current All Blacks squad.

Keohane highlights the unique challenge of the Barbarians, recalling famous victories over South Africa and New Zealand under Nick Mallett, noting that the Springboks had not beaten the Barbarians since 2000, when Breyton Paulse scored a hat-trick in a 41-31 win in Cardiff.

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Erasmus, who coached the Barbarians to victory over Argentina in 2018, fully understood the threat of an unknown invitational side. Now back at the helm of the Springboks, he used this fixture to test combinations, reward form, and introduce four new faces to the national setup.

“Rugby performance is all that matters to Erasmus,” Keohane writes, adding that the coach avoids personal relationships with players to ensure clear, objective selections. This sentiment echoes Handré Pollard’s recent podcast comments about Erasmus’s singular focus on performance.

Keohane credits Erasmus with building the most transformed Bok squads in history, while leading South Africa to two World Cup titles, a British & Irish Lions series win and the Rugby Championship.

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