Twelve Australians have been selected in the Barbarians team to give Samoa a Rugby World Cup warm up match in London on Saturday.
Having missed the cut for Australia’s World Cup squad, recent Wallabies squad members Christian Leali’ifano and Taqele Naiyaravoro head the list for the first rugby match to be played in London’s Olympic Stadium – which will host five World Cup matches including the third place playoff.
They’re joined joined by Australian backs Luke Burgess, Tom English, Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley and Ben Tapuai plus forwards Saia Fainga’a, Liam Gill, Luke Jones, Benn Robinson and Tolu Latu.
The Barbarians team has four World Cup winners in New Zealand’s Ali Williams and Adam Thomson and South Africa’s Bakkies Botha and Wynand Olivier.
Samoa begin their World Cup Pool B campaign against the United States in Brighton, with the Pacific Islanders facing South Africa, Scotland and Japan in their remaining group matches.
Barbarians squad to play Samoa:-
Backs
Luke Burgess (Zebre/AUS), Tom English (Melbourne Rebels), Nic Groom (Stormers), Mike Harris (Melbourne Rebels/AUS), Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies/AUS), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Glasgow), Wynand Olivier (Montpellier/RSA), Dom Shipperley (Melbourne Rebels), Dwayne Sweeney (Munakata Sanix Blues), Ben Tapuai (Western Force/AUS), Paul Williams (Stade Francais/SAM)
Forwards
Bakkies Botha (RSA), Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds/AUS), Liam Gill (Queensland Reds/AUS), Carl Hayman (NZL), Joshua Hohneck (Highlanders), Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels), Tolu Latu (Waratahs), Jacques Potgeiter (Munakata Sanix Blues/RSA), Benn Robinson (Waratahs/AUS), Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls/RSA), Adam Thomson (Queensland Reds/NZL), Kyle Traynor (Bristol/SCO), Maks van Dyke (Cheetahs), Ali Williams (NZL)
atlas
Guest
Answered Prop Josh Hohneck is on the mend from knee surgery and will test it out in a game for the Jamie Joseph-coached Barbarians against Samoa in London this weekend. He's on the bench Barbarians: Paul Williams, Taqele Naiyaraovoro, Ben Tapuai, Wynand Olivier, Dwayne Sweeney, Christian Lealiifano, Luke Burgess, Pierre Spies, Liam Gill, Adam Thomson, Luke Jones, Bakkies Botha (c), Carl Hayman, Saia Faingaa, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Tolu Latu, Josh Hohneck, Maks van Dyk, Ali Williams, Jacques Potgieter, Nic Groom, Mike Harris, Tom English.
Zuluman
Guest
@atlas IMHO ,and don't get me wrong as I am a supporter of the NRC but it's standard is low to moderate at best. It is hardly the equivalent of the ITM cup. Nz have far greater depth then we do in quality of player. For the guys that are playing in this game it certainly would be more beneficial to their development to be playing matches of test match standard like this one then an NRC game. Sure, when possible play NRC but you also have to test the fringe test players and challenge them at the higher level.
Mike Julz
Guest
Paul Williams?? He should've been in the Samoa squad.
atlas
Guest
Zuluman, is NRC rugby really that poor standard? This weekend well over 100 NZ Super contracted players will be playing in NZ's NPC ITM Cup, including several of the current All Blacks squad. Isn't NRC supposed to be the equivalent? Is it really 'a step backward' as you say?
Aaron
Guest
the Baabaas are going to win..Samoan squad lacks depth and they will be using their starters conservatively..they have four amateur players in their squad..
scrumpoacher
Guest
Good luck to them-playing for the BaaBaa's in London! The benefits of the NRC (other than match fitness for possible call up) aren't really for these guys anyway-it's so the club guys can step up and learn/train/play with them. Well that's what I think
Zuluman
Guest
@clarkeG The guys that have been selected to play in this game are , besides the big Fijian who is going to glasgow , by and large 50+ super games and fully capped test players. The benefit of playing in a game like this would far outweigh any benefit of playing NRC as these guys have already developed past this level. If there's no other rugby then yes they play NRC where they can
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Correct me if I'm wrong but is the NRC not the level of rugby immediately below Super Rugby. If a super rugby player is not in a current Wallaby squad then what rugby would he play if he is not in an NRC team. Are you saying that a super rugby player should not play in the NRC as this would be a step backwards.
Zuluman
Guest
Speaking genuinely on the matter. The NRC is a step backwards for these guys and their development as potential Future wallaby players
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Train. Let me take your last point first. Taking the test against USA which will be Australia's last match before the World Cup is hardly a valid comparison. It will be a week before they settle in England for their assault on the Cup and they will be representing their country in a significant match. Anyway before you classify me as being negative why not, as I asked 'scrum junkie' to do, address the point I have made in regard to the NRC. How does allowing contracted players to leave and play an invitation game outside of Australia benefit the standing of the NRC?
Mike Julz
Guest
GO THE MANU!!!
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
What you say may well be true but this does nothing for the standing of the NRC. If the governing body can't take the competition seriously we should not expect the fans or the media to.
RF
Guest
Gill had a blinder against Japan. Would love to see him back it up against Samoa.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Geez what about the negativity? Players have been released for a single game for a great opportunity (Playing for the Barbarians). How do you feel about the USA test then? As part of no actually competition it's taking players from the NRC too.
Smallfrog
Guest
Thanks Peter, that's pretty well how I see it. I'm sure MC would be very interested to see how CLL, Nayarovoro, Gill, Latu, Jones etc stand up to the Samoan RWC team. Very useful for him.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Well yes maybe but you didn't address my point in regard to the NRC.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Samoa is a very good team. Hard and physical. This is a chance for Oz players to enhance their prospects for the RWC if an injury occurs. A good chance to show their wares at a far higher level than NRC to cheika. So I have no issue players like Gill, Faingaa, Latu, CLL, TN, Luke Jones, Robinson being there since they would be candidates as replacements. The rest who are contracted to NRC should not be playing.
ScrumJunkie
Guest
As if it's a disgrace, they will all be lurking around the world cup in case of an injury or two or three. How can you blame them?
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Thanks for the info. It's a disgrace in that case. So the question then is the Australian Rugby Union serious about the NRC. Apparently not as serious as many might have thought. Why would they release players during the NRC to go overseas to play in such a match as this? This is of benefit to the NRC how.
nmpcart
Guest
Most of the Australians are all contracted to NRC teams with the exception of a couple like Burgess (going to Italy) and the Waratahs winger who is going to Scotland- Liam Gill is the captain of Brisbane City, Christian Leilo is with Canberra Vikings, Tom English, Luke Jones and Dom Shipperley played for the Melbourne Rising on Sunday, and Benn Robinson is with the Greater Sydney Rams but hasn't turned out for them yet. Mike Harris and Ben Tapuai haven't been named in any NRC squads that I know of but Taps is signed for the Force for next year so should be in the Perth Spirit team and Mike Harris as far as I know is still with the Rebels so should be in the Rising or another team if he is surplus. It seems to just dilute the NRC comp with no real benefit - these players are not fringe Wallabies apart maybe from CLL.