SA Barbarians matches added to England tour

England’s three-Test summer tour of South Africa will include midweek matches in Kimblerley and Potchefstroom against SA Barbarians teams, it was confirmed yesterday.

Stuart Lancaster’s squad play their first-ever three-Test series against the Springboks in June, with matches in Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. And England will meet an SA Barbarians South team in Kimberley on the afternoon of Wednesday 13 June 13 and SA Barbarians North in Potchefstroom, the following Tuesday evening.

The SA Barbarians teams will be selected from the eight teams in the first division of the Currie Cup, South Africa’s domestic competition.

Lancaster said: “This will be a massive and exciting challenge. England have never had a three-Test series in South Africa and, with two midweek games against opponents who will be desperate to impress, these five games gives us a great opportunity for a wider group of players to put their hat in the ring and gain international experience.”