Barbarians Name 5 for Lions on 1 June + News

[j_remos]

Its looking very exciting. I think given the short time together both teams will have it will be down to Quality. This BaaBaas team has it in spades.

Great to see too as i was starting to worry that they would loose there relevance over recent years but if even half those players turn up it will be a very strong side.
Added to that the way the BaaBaas play the game (assuming they only let Tinds coach the drinking games) they would scare almost any team.

 

[big ginger 8]

Really looking forward to this should be a great game.

Wonder who the Irish players will be.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tindall's been in the Baabaas several times before, perhaps he's going as a tourer (as in, get the lads having a good time etc.) as well as a coach (as mentioned above).

 

[Peat]

Tindall's an easy man to mock, but he's been in the game for a long time and has worked with a lot of excellent coaches, and his reading of the game as a defensive leader is excellent. I imagine his main coaching task will be to get the defence in rough working order. Although I'd like to see what an attack coached by Tindall looked like - just because his career has been spent as a crash baller, doesn't mean he can't think. He's been doing the donkey work for some very talented back lines, he should be able to remember some of the moves at least!

 

[munstermuffin]

Anyone in Ireland hear anything of the spat between IRFU and Barbarians??? Hence IRFU refusing to release any Irish players.

 

[munstermuffin]

Tindall's an easy man to mock, but he's been in the game for a long time and has worked with a lot of excellent coaches, and his reading of the game as a defensive leader is excellent. I imagine his main coaching task will be to get the defence in rough working order. Although I'd like to see what an attack coached by Tindall looked like - just because his career has been spent as a crash baller, doesn't mean he can't think. He's been doing the donkey work for some very talented back lines, he should be able to remember some of the moves at least!

I will add in while I agree sometimes a talented backline needs a Tindall to do that dirty work to look good too

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Anyone in Ireland hear anything of the spat between IRFU and Barbarians??? Hence IRFU refusing to release any Irish players.

Not heard of any spat, but did see that the Baabaas twitter said no Ireland players due to central contract issues, only Irish based players (e.g. Payne).

 

[munstermuffin]

Not heard of any spat, but did see that the Baabaas twitter said no Ireland players due to central contract issues, only Irish based players (e.g. Payne).

Yes I haven't the full info. Botha and Payne were allowed as they not IQ (Payne will be in time) But supposedly IRFU wanted big financial requirements and well been honest I don't understand it. As I said earlier Donnacha O'Callaghan was joking he was asked (not sure if he was or not). But if a player like him was asked I don't understand why he'd be refused.
It's pointless bringing him to North America, an Insult if he had to go to Georgia (Prob not even elligible) either way I think it bad form I'd love Irish to be represented in it

 

[Groundhog]

Well that's ****. I was really looking forward to seeing guys like Zebo, Best and CO play for the Ba Ba's. What a heap of shite from the IRFU, holding on to players we have no real need of at the moment. This kind of backward thinking will land them in the **** eventually.

 

[munstermuffin]

If Zebo was asked or Best I'd understand the refusal as their currently in our team and are needed on tour but players at latter end of career I think it's not just bad taste but they're missing out on PR and playing a part in something that is a great advert for the game

 

[Groundhog]

If Zebo was asked or Best I'd understand the refusal as their currently in our team and are needed on tour but players at latter end of career I think it's not just bad taste but they're missing out on PR and playing a part in something that is a great advert for the game

Being invited to play for the Barbarians is an honour, it's one game and the IRFU seem to be the only ones holding their players back. I feel already established players are not the focus of this tour. I'm still holding out for both of these guys to get the call up for The Lions if an injury occurs. Another point actually, Irish players are OK to go on a long gruelling Lions tour (obviously), but not to play a one off game?

 

[j'nuh]

Peat is right on the money. Gloucester don't do well in spite of Tindall - Tindall's defensive qualities and grunt work are important to Gloucester.

That said, I don't think Tindall was international quality two years ago, and I still don't think he's anywhere near the level of the players involved.

But I'm won round by him going as a coach. He's a player-coach for Gloucester and should be a full-time backs coach within a year. It's a great opportunity for him to get some coaching experience in a low-pressure environment.

 

[Amiga500]

Really looking forward to this game as much as the tour now!

 

[Tony Manx]

Being invited to play for the Barbarians is an honour, it's one game and the IRFU seem to be the only ones holding their players back. I feel already established players are not the focus of this tour. I'm still holding out for both of these guys to get the call up for The Lions if an injury occurs. Another point actually, Irish players are OK to go on a long gruelling Lions tour (obviously), but not to play a one off game?

It is indeed an honour but also a very lucrative and enjoyable party time for the players chosen......whatever the team looks like on paper will not be refected on the field due to short time together, lots of partying and also they have no professional motivation as it is a one off game that they are there to enjoy. Do not get me wrong, they will be trying to win in an attractive style only they will not have the edge that the lions have with test places up for grabs.

I expect it to be hard for the Lions for the first 20 but they will pull away during the latter stages.

PS Yach not first choice 9................perleaaaase!!

 

[big ginger 8]

Barbarian FC ‏<s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(187, 187, 187);">@</s>Barbarian_FC<small class="time" style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(187, 187, 187); position: relative; float: right; margin-top: 1px;">4m</small>
In case you missed it - Wednesday AM is set to be final, final <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210);">#</s>baabaas squad confirmation. Several play-off tweaks <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210);">#</s>rugby <s style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 181, 210);">#</s>rugbyunited

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Last few players announced:

Andrea Lo Cicero
Schalck Brits
Elliot Daly
Dean Mumm
Timoci Nagusa

Samu Manoa also confirmed as still involved despite the prem final.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

So, the final squad is:
Manager:
Derek Quinnell

Coach:
David Young

Player/Assistant coach:
Mike Tindall

Backs:
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Rowan Varty (DeA Tigers & Hong Kong)
Takudzwa Ngwenya (Bairritz Olympique & USA)
Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji)
Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand)
Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
James Hook (Perpignan & Wales)
Nick Evans (Harlequins & New Zealand)
Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys & Samoa)
Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks & Wales)
Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz Olympique & France)

Forwards:
Duncan Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
B J Botha (Munster & South Africa)
Paul James (Bath Rugby & Wales)
Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester & Italy)
Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro 92 & Italy)
Matthew Rees (Scarlets & Wales)
Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso & Italy)
Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa)
Marco Wentzel (London Wasps & South Africa)
Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby & Scotland)
Dean Mumm (Exeter Chiefs & Australia)
Samu Manoa (Northampton & USA)
Francois Louw (Bath Rugby & South Africa)
Sam Jones (London Wasps)
Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso & Italy)
Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais & Italy)
Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique & France)

Payne, Castrogiovanni and Manoa will be playing finals, so won't be available for the first match. Can any of Fotuali'i, Peel or Yachvili play something else than SH?

My squad for the first game would be: Daly, Ngwenya, Rokocoko, Hook, Nagusa, Evans, Fotuali'i, Parisse, Louw, Zanni, Mumm, Hamilton, Botha, Brits, Lo Cicero. Bench: Ghiraldini, Jones, James, Wentzel, Harinordoquy, Yachvili, Tindall, Varty.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fotuali'i can cover 10

 

[ratsapprentice]

This is quite easily the strongest Barbarians side I have ever seen.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

After seeing the last few names it's actually not as strong as I thought it would be. I definitely wouldn't call it stronger than the team that knocked over the All Blacks a few years ago.

Lots of the players aren't top performers at international level, especially in the backs. Evans, Fotuali'i, Yachvilli and Payne are probably close, but the others are either only decent or past their use by date.

Compare that to the likes of du Preez, Giteau, Habana, Roberts, Fourie, Rokocoko and Mitchell of 2009, who were all at the top (or close to the top) of their games.