Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will start his international season by going head to head against his friend and former boss Nick Mallett at Newlands on 7 of June.

The South African Rugby Union confirmed that the Springboks will open their international season against a World XV – coached by former Springbok coach and SuperSport rugby expert Mallett before heading into tests against Wales and Scotland in the June international window.

The game will be at Newlands – and not the Cape Town Stadium – as initially reported with tickets going on sale Monday for the clash, priced at R250 and R350.

SuperSport

The Springboks are likely to use the game as a warm-up for the international season and will play a full-strength squad to open their season while the World XV have brought together a number of top international players from the major European Leagues for the game.

This will be the first match as the Springboks count down to the Rugby World Cup in England next year, playing 14 tests this year and the Castle Lager Rugby Championship before heading to England.

“It’s always a challenge for the Springbok coach to prepare a team for the first test of the year as the squad only assembles in the week of the test,” said Meyer. “There are certain goals I have set for the team this year and the match against the Samsung-sponsored World XV, is the ideal opportunity to start putting those plans in place.

“We enjoyed a relatively successful 2013 but we’ll be looking to step up a gear from the first minute of the first match of the year.”

All Black legend Carl Hayman and Springbok World Cup winner, BJ Botha, have been named as front rankers in the first release of confirmed participants named by organisers.The backline will feature outstanding Wallaby talents in James O’Connor, Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell as well as All Black Hosea Gear in a team that is so far drawn from five nations.

France will be represented in the form of stylish eighthman, Julien Bonnaire, and inside back François Trinh-Duc while Toulon-based England backrower Steffon Armitage is part of a Six Nations triumvirate so far named.

“This is an almost unique opportunity to see an international team playing in South Africa with the freedom of not needing a certain result,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of the South African Rugby Union (SARU).

“We’ve all watched on TV those festival-style games in the European winter where great players combine their talents to produce some stunning rugby and provide a real challenge to the Sanzar nations on tour. We’ve now got one of those games on our doorstep.

“We’re very excited about the players who will be turning out against the Boks at Newlands and we’ll be releasing a lot more big names in due course.”

Roux said that Western Province season ticket holders had the option of purchasing their seat for the match between today and May 7 when they will go on general sale.

More details of the squad of the World XV, sponsored by Samsung, will be released in due course.

Tickets can be bought online at ticketpros.com, or from Postnet outlets countrywide or from the Western Province ticket office at the stadium.