The Barbarians will be led by Warren Gatland for their clash against Wales, who will coach the visitors for the first time at the Principality Stadium, with new head coach Wayne Pivac in charge of the home side.
Wales lost out to the eventual Champion Springboks in the RWC semi-finals in Japan, but Gatland will no doubt receive a hero’s send-off in Cardiff before he returns to New Zealand for a coaching role with Super Rugby team the Chiefs after 12 successful years in charge of Wales.
Fans can secure tickets for what will be a sensational afternoon of rugby at Principality Stadium on Saturday 30 November, in a double-header event which also sees Wales Women take their Barbarian counterparts, from www.eticketing.co.uk/principalitystadium/
While Jantjies, Am and Mapimpi will all be making their Barbarians debuts after appearing in all six of South Africa’s matches at the Rugby World Cup, South Africa’s most capped prop and third most capped player ever Mtawarira will be making appearance number three for the invitational side.
With a RWC medal to add to his 117 caps, Mtwarira will be looking to bring the same skill in the scrum which helped his side overcome England in the final in Japan to the Barbarians’ matches.
Meanwhile, Mapimpi will hope to add to his 2019 haul of tries, including the six during the Tournament, one less than tournament top try-scorer Welsh wing Josh Adams.
Jantjies, the exciting new scrum-half, only made his debut for the Springboks in July of this year, scoring four tries in his first four internationals. His stunning opening form as an international led to his nomination for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.
For centre Am, making his debut for the Barbarians will cap off an incredible year in which he has gone from strength-to-strength, becoming the undisputed form 13 in Super Rugby and his country’s first-choice outside centre.
These four newly-crowned Champions are the latest names in an all-star squad also featuring Irish legend Rory Best, who will play all three matches to conclude his international career, and French star Mathieu Bastereaud.
Fellow Springbok legend and Barbarians veteran Morne Steyn will also join up with the squad, teaming up again with Mtawarira whom he made his Barbarians debut with in 2009 against New Zealand in a famous 25-19 win, which included a Bryan Habana try hat-trick.
The South African contingent bring an enviable combination of experience and talent to the Barbarians, who kick off their November tour against Fiji for the Killik Cup on Saturday 16 November.
The Barbarians will then go onto play Brazil at the Estadio do Morumbi, home of Sao Paolo FC before concluding November’s action-packed tour with the double-header match against Wales.
With tickets starting from just £30, it promises to be a great value day out for all, watching two world-class matches which are guaranteed to be full of tries and non-stop action.
(*Booking fees apply)
