Two Irish legends and an All Black captain are the first three players announced by the Barbarians for their historic test against the Springboks at Cape Town Stadium on 28 June.
The match, which was requested as an extra game by the Boks in their quest to blood new players ahead of the international season, is shaping up as an intriguing battle that will see the best players from around the world that aren’t currently involved in test rugby being drawn into battle for the one-off match.
Barbarian games are unique in their own right and often pit a mixture of veterans, uncapped players and players on the fringes of national sides together in a carnival of rugby, underlining one of the best parts of the modern game.
The romance surrounding the fixture is unrivalled and it is rare to see the Barbarians have a game outside the United Kingdom, where they are based.
The three players announced have a combined tally of 352 caps and both Irish players recently signed off on spectacular careers with Munster and Ireland. Cane captained the All Blacks at the 2023 World Cup and became the first player in history to receive a red card during the World Cup final.
🇳🇿- Sam Cane
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 22, 2025
☘️- Conor Murray
☘️- Peter O'Mahony
The Barbarians mean business for their Test against the Boks 😤🔥#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/I939f4WckK
Tickets are selling fast and are available exclusively from Ticketmaster for the Boks’ 2025 season-opener against the Barbarians on Saturday, 28 June at the DHL Stadium.
SUPREMELY EXPERIENCED TRIO
O’Mahony played a whopping 114 tests for Ireland, captained them and was part of their five Six Nations victories. He also played one test for the British and Irish Lions against New Zealand in 2017.
Murray, like O’Mahony a stalwart of Irish giants Munster, made his test debut in 2011, played 125 tests for Ireland and eight for the British & Irish Lions. The experienced scrumhalf featured in all three tests against the Boks in Cape Town in 2021, and toured Australia (2013) and New Zealand (2017).
Cane, a member of New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup-winning squad in 2015, plays with Cheslin Kolbe at Tokyo Sungoliath in Japan. The flanker is a former All Blacks captain who made his test debut in 2012 and finished his international career with 104 caps.
“They’ve named the first three players who will be running out onto the pitch – Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Sam Cane – and we have no doubt they will name several more top-class players in the coming weeks, so this match will set the tone for us to switch into full-out competitive mode from the outset,” said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.
“I’ve worked with Peter and Conor before, and we know Sam very well – they are quality players with a lot of experience, which will serve as a great test at the start of a big season.
“We are very excited about the season ahead, and as a team, we are blessed to enjoy such passionate support from our fans throughout the country. We are busy putting the building blocks in place for the season, which starts in a little over a month against the Barbarians.”
'REALLY EXCITING SQUAD'
Robbie Deans, the Barbarians head coach, commented: “We are in the process of finalising a really exciting squad for the match against the Springboks in Cape Town at the end of June. It will be a blend of high-profile global international stars, and other standout performers from European clubs, Super Rugby and the Japanese league.
“Peter and Conor have been an integral part of the Irish team for nearly 15 years and both have amassed over hundred caps for their country and represented the British & Irish Lions on a number of tours. Sam is also a test centurion, played in the last three Rugby World Cups and captained the All Blacks from 2020-2023.
“All three players' experience and leadership qualities will be invaluable during the week both on and off the field and I am delighted they have agreed to play for the Barbarians in this historic game.”
More player announcements are expected in due course.