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England vs Barbarians, preview and prediction

26th May, 2018
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Eddie Jones' golden run appears over. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Roar Guru
26th May, 2018
19
1610 Reads

England will look to regain some credibility lost during the Six Nations, but the Barbarians will be out to spoil their party on Sunday.

Eddie Jones’ men come off a disastrous Six Nations campaign, where they not only lost three games to rivals – some of whom were far below themselves – but they also crashed to finish fifth, one place above perennial wooden-spooners Italy.

The Barbarians, on the other hand come off the form of their lives. That is because they simply can’t have a bad game, as their main purpose (unless Alan Jones is in charge), is not to win. Rather it’s about entertaining the people.

In a win-loss sense though, they are doing reasonably well, winning games against Ulster and Tonga last year, and competing with second-string Wallabies’ and All Blacks’ teams.

In the corresponding fixture last year, the Baa-Baas went down to the home team, as they meekly submitted 28-14, but expect better from this Harlem Globetrotter-like club.

England’s never-changing game plan is simple: to play their own structured way – forcing other teams to conform to that – but the Barbarians often don’t fall into that trap, the reason being that most, if not all, of their players are picked for their skill, and not for their workload.

Eddie Jones and Dylan Hartley pose with the cup

Eddie Jones (Photo by Tim Anger)

A couple of internationally big names have been added to the Baabaa’s squad, Tatafu Polota Nau, Finn Russell, Malakai Fekitoa and Greig Laidlaw, with 239 international caps between them, Pat Lam drawing players from nine different countries.

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Bundee Ahki was expected to captain the side, but he, Charlie Piutau, and AJ MacGinty have all been ruled out, at the same time Loni Uhila enters as the traditional uncapped player.

Former NRL star, Semi Radradra will get his first taste of international rugby at centre, ahead of Fiji’s June Tests against Samoa, Georgia and Tonga.

Eddie Jones has named eight uncapped players for the friendly, while Mike Brown, Jonny May, George Ford, Ben Youngs, Joe Launchbury and Joe Marler anchor the squad with 330 games under their belts

Kyle Sinckler, Joe Launchbury, Chris Robshaw and Joe Marler are really the experience in the England forwards, coming up against a BaaBaa’s pack with a point to prove.

Keep an eye on the back rowers throughout the game, as Robshaw, Tom Curry and the uncapped Zach Mercer take on Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Justin Tipuric and former Hurricane, Victor Vito.

It’s hard to see the Barbarians winning this game, however, expect them to push England all the way.

England by 12.

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