Barbarians v New Zealand

[MunsterMan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Roberts handed start for Baa-Baas
Jamie Roberts
Wales centre Jamie Roberts will get to grapple the All Blacks once again

Cardiff Blues centre Jamie Roberts has been given a chance to avenge Wales' defeat by New Zealand last month after being selected by the Barbarians.

The Baa-Baas face the All Blacks at Twickenham on Saturday in their now traditional end of autumn fixture.

Lions star Roberts is picked alongside fellow Welsh internationals Andy Powell and Leigh Halfpenny, who feature among the replacements.

Springbok lock Victor Matfield will captain a side containing 925 caps.

Matfield heads a seven-strong South African contingent that includes also the uncapped WP Nel.

Bryan Habana starts on the left wing while All Black Joe Rokocoko has been handed the number 14 jersey against his national team-mates.

Australia supply four players to the starting line-up, including skipper Rocky Elsom and fly-half Matt Giteau.

Blues wing Halfpenny has been declared fit for the clash after recovering a dead leg suffered in Wales' 33-12 defeat to Australia.

Barbarians coach Nick Mallett said: "We have the benefit of a full week together ahead of the match.

606: DEBATE
Have your say on Barbarians v New Zealand

"Knowing the talent that has been assembled among the 22 players, we expect to be very competitive and give the All Blacks and the Twickenham crowd a real taste of Barbarian rugby at its best."

Barbarian president Micky Steele-Bodger said: "Matches between the Barbarians and the All Blacks have always had a special resonance.

"The classic game in 1973 remains an obvious memory for everyone and next month's match will be the 10th fixture between us since we first met at Cardiff Arms Park in 1954.

"We are particularly pleased that several stars who have played for us before are returning to represent the club.

"And we also appreciate the gesture by Cardiff Blues in allowing three of their Lions to accept invitations to play in what promises to be yet another mouth-watering match."[/b]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8374059.stm


Barbarians: Drew Mitchell (Australia); Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand), Jaque Fourie (South Africa), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Bryan Habana (South Africa); Matt Giteau (Australia), Fourie du Preez (South Africa); Salvatore Perugini (Italy), Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), W P Nel (uncapped), Carlo del Fava (Italy), Victor Matfield (South Africa, captain), Rocky Elsom (Australia), Schalk Burger (South Africa), George Smith (Australia).

Replacements: Stephen Moore (Australia), Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa), Quintin Geldenhuys (Italy), Andy Powell (Wales), Will Genia (Australia), Morne Steyn (South Africa), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales).


New Zealand: Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison, Luke McAlister, Zac Guildford, Stephen Donald, Brendon Leonard; Wyatt Crockett, Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Anthony Boric, Liam Messam, Richie McCaw, Rodney So'oialo.

Replacements: Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Adam Thomson, Tanerau Latimer, Jimmy Cowan, Mike Delany, Sitiveni Sivivatu.

 

[MunsterMan]

Tough one to call, the Baas are better man for man, and that backline and backrow has the potential to play some unbelievable rugby, but unlike New Zealand they are a thrown together side with a lot of guys having holidays in the back of their mind.

All Blacks without Carter are a very different outfit based on the games I saw them play with th average man at 10 in the summer.

Hopefully New Zealand don't go out with a win at all costs attitude and play ultra negative rugby, but then again don't see them winning if they play an open game.

Good to see Cardiff Blues release first choice players (and Powell) to play.

Nice subplot too with Josevata on the wing for the Baa Baas!

 

[Olyy]

Looks like a very strong Baabaas team,
Am tempted to say they'll take it, but depends how well they flow on the day

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I'll go with the BaaBaas. I would have liked to see Halfpenny start alongside Habana, but besides that it's a fantastic team.

 

[Juggernaut]

I just cant see a team thrown together in one week to come out victorious this weekend. Yes, they maybe better man for man but the combination & fluidity will not be there...

 

[gingergenius]

If the All Blacks play like last week and the Baa Baas click then we could see a beaut. Jamie Roberts should jism at the prospect of playing outside Giteau, the lines he'll be able to run should really worry the ABs.

 

[Juggernaut]

Then again, Giteau is **** at 10 and will be trying all the drop-goals & cross-field kicks all day...

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Dec 3 2009, 08:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I just cant see a team thrown together in one week to come out victorious this weekend. Yes, they maybe better man for man but the combination & fluidity will not be there...[/b]

Have to agree 100% - people really underestimate the importance of combinations in rugby. While man for man the Barbarians team looks much stronger they will only have had 1 or 2 training sessions together so probably are still learning each others names, while in contrast the AB's team have been training together for the past month or more. In addition the motivation for the AB's team to win is much greater - while I'm sure the Barbarians players will want to win the result really doesn't matter to them, while the AB's players will be desperate to prove they are up to this level of rugby.

The betting odds strongly favour the AB's (Betfair has the AB's at $1.41 and the Babas at $2.84, while the NZ tab has the AB's at $1.16 and the Babas at $4.75 )

 

[alexrugby]

hohohohooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu that will be the match

I bet NZ will do everything to win this match

 

[candybum]

Yeap definitely staying up for this match, should be a cracker. That is a really awesome team for the Baabaa's.

 

[C A Iversen]

The baa-baa's may not have much of a combination, but a lot of those NZ players haven't played together either. I think it's going to be a hell of a match, but the Barbarians should take it out. It's not too many players from a World XV.

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Dec 3 2009, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The baa-baa's may not have much of a combination, but a lot of those NZ players haven't played together either. I think it's going to be a hell of a match, but the Barbarians should take it out. It's not too many players from a World XV.[/b]

You should go down to the TAB then and make some cash then This is a very similar AB's side that played against Italy so the majority of players have all played together, with a number of these players having played a lot provincial rugby together. They have also been training together for the last month or so - if they don't know each others play well by now they are never going to. While teams that haven't played a lot together can still case trouble on attack through individual brilliance they are usually very suspect in defense, as defense is about team work - knowing what your teammates are capable and trusting them to do there job. Personally I don't believe this sort of defense can be organized in just a couple of training sessions, but I have been wrong before.....
If the game remains structured I think the AB's side should win, however if the game gets very loose (as occasionally these Barbarians games can get) it could go either way.

 

[jawmalawm24]

There's so many players from different countries in the Baabaas who celebrates when they win? I've always liked the coming together of all the stars into a single team but it's pretty much just a exhibition match that really the outcome doesn't matter. I guess it should be a Rugby match just because of that.

 

[Nickdnz]

My money is on the Baabaa's. If the All Blacks had the same team as last week I'd choose AB's but only 2 players are starting that started last week from the AB's. AB team is a second string team with only McCaw and Jane proven starters, though good bench with Hore and Sivivatu.

I think the Baa's have too much word class talent to lose to THIS AB team. This match to a fair extent is NOT a AB vs Baabaa's game, we are putting out a disapointing second string team. The only positive is that this game will test new players to see if they are up to the level, but if they do poorly, they should be cut off, as this the game they need to prove themselves....

Habana vs Ben Smith...Habana will kill. i'd rate Rokocoko over Guildford even with Guildford's saftey.





By the way, apparently the AB's are throwing causion to the wind, with the AB coaches saying they have a responcibility to throw caution to the wind, and Smith went as far to say "there will be no defence". This game should be hugley entertaining, but a pitty AB's team isn't what it should be. In forn a entertaining running rugby match...or AB coaches are liars...

 

[Ozzay]

Powell doesn't deserve to have a welsh cap, tour with the lions or be a baa-baa
friggin joke

 

[LydiatesGirl]

shame Jamie Roberts is starting

 

[bates]

Looks like a nice upcoming rugby weekend.
Why is Tialata starting on the bench?

 

[Juggernaut]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (amobokobokoboko @ Dec 3 2009, 06:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Looks like a nice upcoming rugby weekend.
Why is Tialata starting on the bench?[/b]

So as to give the other guys in the squad a run, see how they perform and go on from there.

 

[shtove]

Interesting test for NZ.

They've done well on this tour, and showed great timing in their revenge against France. If they deliver with a weakened team it's a good indicator of squad cohesion. The pack is not full of stars, but still many good players in there.

Can't believe Henry will play loose with this, especially when he should be froth-at-mouth paranoid over the weakness at backup 10 from 2007. Donald and McAlister are there, so good chance to push them against each other.

The ABs are about to shag some sheep they're not actually related to. Score!

 

[Juggernaut]

IMO, i think this could be the make or break game for some of the fringe guys.

Messam, Afoa, Eaton, Donald and to some extent McAlister as well. With some top players coming back from injury & OE next season, this could be the ideal time for this guys to put one foot in the door and the other foot when the S14 completes next year.