South Africa captain John Smit will lead a star-studded Barbarians side against Australia in Wednesday’s Olympic centenary clash at Wembley.
Alex Lowe, PA Sport Rugby Union Reporter
There is a strong South African flavour to the side with Smit joined in the starting XV by six of his World Cup-winning colleagues, including Bryan Habana, Fourie du Preez and Schalk Burger.
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, fresh from Saturday’s 32-6 victory over England, will make his first appearance for the Barbarians.
Welsh winger and world player of the year Shane Williams has been included on the bench alongside former Australia scrum-half George Gregan.
South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White and Eddie Jones, his sidekick in that campaign, have kept with tradition by selecting Western Province loose-forward Nick Koster as the uncapped player.
White said: “This is one of the better Barbarians side there has been for a while and Eddie and I are really chuffed to get this group of players together.
“It has been nice for me to be with the (players I coached at the World Cup) but it has also been nice to coach players like Richie and Joe Rokocoko.
“Usually when I see them they are on the other side of the field! It is nice to see the players who usually smash into each other having an opportunity to play as a team and that is something unique in rugby.
“The important thing is that a number of these players haven’t played for the Baa-Baas – players like Richie, Bakkies Botha, Jean de Villiers and John Smit – and I think it is wonderful they get the opportunity to play alongside such wonderful players.
“A guy like Sean Fitzpatrick was a great captain of New Zealand but never got the chance to play for the Barbarians and I am sure he would have loved to play in a team like this.”
The match has been organised as part of the British Olympic Association’s celebrations of the first London Olympics in 1908.
Australia won the rugby gold medal at those Games with a 32-3 victory over Great Britain, who were represented by Cornwall.
Tickets will be available on the night and organisers are expecting a crowd at Wembley in excess of 50,000.
Barbarians team to play Australia at Wembley: P Montgomery; J Rokocoko, R Gear, J de Villiers, B Habana; F Steyn, F du Preez; F Pucciariello, J Smit, C Johnson, B Botha, J Muller, J Collins, R McCaw, S Burger.
Replacements: M Regan, R Blake, C Jack, N Koster, G Gregan, O Smith, S Williams.
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Barbarion Dragons
That team right? Looks like someones missing?
yes! Richie is not there!
I’ll fix it later
Great honour, well deserved.
@Salmonoid (Comment 5) : agree
Aussies to get a klap of note IMO.
The match will be an example of HOW to play expansive rugby.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) : aussies are going to be without 3/4 of their regular team… reckon Jake and Eddie are going to love giving the Ausmob a LEKKER pk…
but the team will have to gel first-lots of new combinations eg-rico and jean
@Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 9) :
All that means is they will score the 6 tries in the last 20minutes instead of spread over the the whole 80minutes 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 10) : teehee
@robdylan (Comment 11) :
i have been given a bottle of Spiced gold as an Xmas pressie. may have to open it early. Maybe Wednesday evening will be good. 😉
nice early christmas,wen u done with the spiced gold u wont know if its the 3rd or 25th december
@Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 13) :
or whether the Baabaas won by 3 or by 25. 😉
john-smit-is-baabaaa-skipper… Like they had any other choice 🙄
This Frans Steyn at 10 thing…what is it supposed to mean???
Is it a subtle suggestion towards PdV?
Aussies to get pasted!
@blckshrk – BUCS (Comment 15) :
I see there are a few headline about JW helping PDV by playing Steyn at 10. If PdV even thinks about taking Ruan out of the #10 spot I will have a heart attack
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : Me too… 👿
Guys look at the squad..really who can play 10 other than Frans.Its been well documented that both Eddie and Jake saw Ruan as a possible future 10.But that honour is PDV’s.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : where did you see these headlines?
@robdylan (Comment 19) :
Rob Im sure a few journalists jumped on it for a ‘story’ but they all fail to mention who else can play there..I’m speculating ofcourse 😉
@robdylan (Comment 19) :
gimme asec to go and find it.
@robdylan (Comment 19) :
here you go.
http://www.supersport.co.za/rugby/article.aspx?headline=Jake%20helps%20out%20Div%20with%20Frans&id=280171
Gavin Rich..should have known.Our very own Steven Jones 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : thanks. It is all hogwash.
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 20) : Ruan Pienaar can play there.
“If Springbok coach Peter de Villiers wants to get an extended opportunity to see how Frans Steyn fairs as a flyhalf in a top international match, he now has it courtesy of his predecessor Jake White” writes Gavin Rich.
Since when was one game “an extended opportunity”?
Also, the culture and playing style of Barbarians rugby is very far off regular rugby in terms of spirit and attacking style that would probably be a lot more conservative inother forms.
Questionable rugby knowledge….
@blckshrk – BUCS (Comment 25) :
I don’t doubt it..but he is not in the squad…
Gavin Rich 👿 👿
Aarrrrgggghhhh!!!
Why do you all think i didn’t post it as an article. 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) : good call
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 27) : He shoulda been… Anyway-its all in the name of fun…