Barbarians’ Matt Giteau scores the first try against South Africa – AP Photo/Tom Hevezi
I see that the latest Barbarian money spinner fixture against the All Blacks has been announced for Twickenham on December 5th. But what is the point?
In the past, most teams were content to play in a ‘festival’ manner and give the ball some air to entertain the crowds.
The players were enthused to socialise and play a game with players from opposing teams.
All in all, it was a feel good spectacle for fans and players alike.
No longer.
There is far too much at stake to consider a loss by playing high risk rugby against effectively a scratch side.
Sure, they will get the odd win. But it is getting more and more unlikely against well-drilled professional sides who, quite rightly, treat the game as Test match.
In which case, why pay good money to watch a predictable game that’s against the core of what the Barbarians are about?
It’s like rolling out the LA Lakers or the Boston Celtics to play the Harlem Globetrotters and being disappointed when the Globetrotters are completely outclassed.
I would be more inclined to watch two composite teams, like he North Vs South tsunami game, play running rugby than one side get strangled out of the match because they will not kick for territory.
This puts the Barbarians between a rock and a hard place: they need to play top tier nations for the cash flow, but need to play lesser nations to be competitive.
The other option is that, as a composite team, they play another composite team who will also abide by the ‘festival’ rugby ethos.
I am a great lover of rugby traditions, but for the Barbarians, I think it’s time to evolve or face consignment to the dustbin of history.
Adam Gee
Guest
What I think Rugby should do is a Hemisphere match, where the best players in the northern Hemisphere play against the best players in the Southern Hemisphere, maybe once every two years, I think that would attract big crowds
Even looser
Guest
Maybe so. But would any of our guys make the team? Rocky maybe and then...............
SJ
Roar Rookie
I would love to see Aus and NZ (ANZAC) vs the world.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Funny thing is that I believe it has heaps to offer Rugby League. A Barbarians team comprising of every person who doesn't qualify for NSW or QLD would go a long way to make the series have a little more life for many years. Not to mention opening up different locations to stage the match like NZ.
Ian Noble
Guest
There was always a danger that the Baa-baas in the professional era would fail as the top players would be too committed elsewhere to play. However the converse seems to be the case, they seem to relish the opportunity to play with other top players in a festival environment. Judging from the comments post the Wembley game v Wallabies, the players enjoyed the whole experience of meeting and rooming with players whom previously they had only knocked lumps out of. The simple fact is that if the top players stopped accepting the invitations then it would die at the top level but it hasn't and the games are still popular particularly in the UK. We enjoy seeing these stars obviously enjoying playing together regardless of the result.
True Tah
Guest
I think the Barbarians have helped out rugby in non-traditional areas by touring there. Apart from that they have little to contribute to todays game.
mtngry
Guest
I am a big fan of the Ba - Ba concept. And if the matches have to be at the start of a tour/season instead of the end so be it. This discussion about the Ba-Bas to my mind, is not a failure of the Barbarians, but of profesionalism in Rugby.
AndyS
Guest
I don't know, but I'll certainly watch the match to find out (but probably in the morning rather than live - tours and timezones suck for watching). I can't imagine Matfield, Habana, Mortlock et al would be too keen on losing, even for an honours match.
Katipo
Guest
After this years Wallaby barbarian game many of my mates agreed it would have made more sense for the Barbarians to play the Australian Barbarians (essentially the Wallabies by a different name). Maybe the AB's should play as the NZ barabarians on the end of season tour? Entertain us. And I do not think inbound tours have lost there lustre. I would love to see the inbound teams play mid week games like the amateur days. Why couldn't France & Italy could have played a few games while they were in Australia and NZ this year? Why can't the tri-nations teams play mid week and weekend games while they are on tour? I thought it was funny when the AB coaches complained that their fringe players couldn't get a run with Welllington in the NPC. I was like... ummm, organise your own game, why not? ...and these matches would generate extra dollars too, so why not?)
ohtani's jacket
Guest
To be honest, I usually skip Barbarians games since they're not worth getting up in the middle of the night for, but if they can draw a crowd at Twickenham, good on 'em. As I recall, the Aussies were quite thrilled by their victory over the Barbarians at the end of last season. It all depends who's on the Barbarians team.
Rusty
Roar Guru
As mentioned - they get the odd win but that’s not the point. The point is that it’s supposed to be entertaining running ruby but its turning into a grind. Test teams can’t afford a loss to the Barbarians any more, so that chance your arm spirit is no longer prevalent. The win against SA I put down to complacency and absurd post world cup tour. The win against England because at the time they were in complete disarray and arguably no longer a top tier nation. You have to ask yourself - what are their chances this December against an AB side that will want to demonstrate resurgence to the world?
AndyS
Guest
Hmmm, doesn't this kind of ignore that the BaaBaas touched up both England and South Africa at their last meetings?
Rusty
Roar Guru
I dont think the game against the Wallabies really helped their cause. The Wallabies had to put down an early season marker and did. While the Barbarians in true form from rumours were more interested in SBW's boxing warmup to the game and getting on the grog. The 7-55 scoreline was about entertaining as a car crash - very ugly but you couldnt stop watching as the Barbarians were obliterated
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
I agree. And anyway, it's perfectly obvious that most of the Baa Baas representatives are there solely for the wonga, teary-eyed protestations of fidelity to the black and white hoops notwithstanding.
Rusty
Roar Guru
I like this idea - imagine a sort of North v South game made up of the players playing in each hemisphere. A sort of Super 14 versus Heineken cup players game. So the best from each comp playing each other under one of the coaches from the franchises involved. This would allow for some variation in the players as you could have say Jerry Collins playing for the North and Michalak (last season) playing for the South.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
The Baa Baas would be better off playing their games at the start of oppositions seasons, as they did with the Wallabies this year. the AB's will be hardened, if not a it tired when they come up against the Baa Baas. but, lets not allow this wonderful tradition to fall by the wayside.
Klestical
Guest
id definetely be a big fan of seeing two composite teams going head to head..maybe every year, some sort of lottery of the best players from around the world.
GaryGnu
Guest
Rusty, Too right. Especially if the parctice, established this year by Australia, of using the Barbarians as an International season opener continues. Obviously the Inbound tours have lost their lustre and interest needs to be generated by the "names" in a Barbarian side. This just shows yet another structural flaw in the way Rugby is, particularly here in Oz that needs to be addressed. Maybe the attraction is in seeing the clearly superior Test teams playing attacking flowing rugby against the cobbled together scratch team.