All Blacks finisher Mark Telea and back-row brute Hoskins Sotutu headline a group of Barbarians players that have touched down in Cape Town for a historic clash against the Springboks.
Telea and Sotutu were spotted in a social media post arriving in the Mother City, along with fellow All Blacks Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Test centurion Sam Whitelock, and Uruguayan scrumhalf Santiago Arata and France hooker Camille Chat.
MORE: The power of Rassie Erasmus & his world champion Springboks
Whitelock, 36, holds the record for the most World Cup appearances (26) and has played in three finals during a 153-Test career. He last featured in the Barbarians’ 45-32 victory over Fiji a year ago and rejoins the team as an assistant coach.
MORE: Baa Baas won’t be bossed by Boks
Telea and Sotutu combined for 21 tries as the Blues powered to the 2024 Super Rugby title, and the winger has scored 13 tries in 19 appearances for the All Blacks to date.
Coach Robbie Deans’ team already includes Ireland legends Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray, and Kiwi loose forwards Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell.
The Boks will host the famed invitational outfit at Cape Town Stadium for the first time in the Republic. It’s the ninth meeting between the teams, and the first since a 31-31 draw at Wembley in 2016.
Landed 🛬
Cape Town 📍#Baabaas #QatarAirwaysCup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0UMR9cgQ3M
— Barbarian FC (@Barbarian_FC) June 23, 2025
Photo: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
