Best Barbarians squad in memory?

[Aedaphon]

Sweet mother of god:

The Barbarians have named a group packed with international experience with England's Steffon Armitage given the nod alongside three players from France, seven from New Zealand and three from Australia.

Ex-All Blacks Ali Williams, John Afoa, Carl Hayman, Hosea Gear, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rene Ranger and Jimmy Cowan have all got the nod alongside former Wallabies Matt Giteau, James O'Connor and Drew Mitchell. And they have also called up Julien Bonnaire, Francois Trinh-Duc and Aurelien Rougerie from France.


Read more at http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/219711.html#OvyzCk0zpj6rjcgt.99

 

[Big Ewis]

yep, was just about to post this on the England thread but here it is (in brackets: club then citizenship):

James O'Connor (London Irish, Australie), Drew Mitchell (Toulon, Australie), Hosea Gear (Toulouse, Nouvelle-Zélande), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Clermont, Nouvelle-Zélande), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont, France), Rene Ranger (Montpelier, Nouvelle-Zélande), Matt Giteau (Toulon, Australie), François Trinh Duc
(Montpelier, France), Jimmy Cowan (Gloucester, Nouvelle-Zélande), Steffon Armitage (Toulon, Angleterre), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont, France), Ali Williams (Toulon, Nouvelle-Zélande), Carl Hayman (Toulon, Nouvelle-Zélande), John Afoa (Ulster, Nouvelle-Zélande).

Hopefully Mr. Trinh Duc doesn't disappoint, because few people watch the Top 14 in Great Britain and if he stinks they'll keep that bad image until further notice when they see him play like 2 years later...
the backline is almost all SH, with the exception of Rougerie and FTD at 10. Looking at those names on paper, there's a chance this team might work (for once). 11 of em are in the Top 14 and quite a few teammates...this gig could be really really cool !!

 

[ratsapprentice]

The "England" team hey are going to play is going to be roughly a third team.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The "England" team hey are going to play is going to be roughly a third team.

Yup, what with the injuries and the premiership final I'd be surprised if there was more than a couple of test players in the side (maybe a few on the bench).

Should, hopefully, be a good spectacle though. BaaBaas have been pretty terrible recently - hopefully this lot can gel and play some nice rugby.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Even more than that... I don't think any of the players for the first test can take part because of IRB rest protocols.
So this will be a really, really unusual team.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i think the best ever barbarians team is that one that beat the all blacks cant remember which year it was

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

That's a better backline than near enough any international side could field.

 

[TheSaffycen]

9.Cowan 10.Giteau 11.Gear 12.O'Connor 13.Ranger 14.Sivivatu 15.Mitchell 22.Trinh-Duc 23.Rougerie
meh not too bad I suppose ......

 

[ruggabee]

Crazy backline. Could rip a weak England side to shreds if they gel. Also wonder what the rest of the pack will be like.

 

[ratsapprentice]

England's summer fixtures seem to have been organized by a complete dullard.

 

[TheSaffycen]

What team can we put out for this test ? If we can't have players involved in the final or in the first test then
1.Mullan? 2.Ward 3.Sinkler 4.Slater 5.Stooke? 6.Johnson 7.Seymour 8.Haskell 9.Robson 10.Cipriani 11.Rokoduguni 12.Daly( I think he could be like a Giteau) 13.Joseph 14.Watson 15.Tait
Also are the Barbarians playing anybody else because they can give The All Blacks and South Africa a run for their money

 

[Big Ewis]

The "England" team hey are going to play is going to be roughly a third team.

so funny ! First comment made by an Englishman What's wrong, feel a bit threatened by that lineup there ?
Interesting first reply...

But England looked good last year in the Baabaa game. In fact, they looked sorta...not "better" but...with qualities they didn't usually have with the first team.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

so funny ! First comment made by an Englishman What's wrong, feel a bit threatened by that lineup there ?
Interesting first reply...

Yes, obviously not stating fact or anything....ahem...

This anti-English thing is getting very tiresome.

 

[ratsapprentice]

so funny ! First comment made by an Englishman What's wrong, feel a bit threatened by that lineup there ?
Interesting first reply...

We won't have our first team players for the first test vs NZ because they are in the Prem final - we won't have our first test team because the leave several days before this BaBaas game.
This team will be a scratch team made up of Saxons players and players who have never been in an England environment before.

I genuinely have no idea what the team is going to look like.

 

[Big Ewis]

Yes, obviously not stating fact or anything....ahem...

This anti-English thing is getting very tiresome.

yeah, you know what else is getting reaaaaaally tiresome buddy ??

We won't have our first team players for the first test vs NZ because they are in the Prem final - we won't have our first test team because the leave several days before this BaBaas game.
This team will be a scratch team made up of Saxons players and players who have never been in an England environment before.

I genuinely have no idea what the team is going to look like.

well hopefully a good enough side. I want to see an at least mildly competitive game. England is deep enough, that's the point. They host a fairly loaded Baabaas side and have the benefit of being a true national side, and being at home. The Baabaas have lots of good players, but aren't anything identity/chemistry wise. I see 4 wingers in that starting lineup there ! Should be even enough in theory...

Either the Baabaas click and win, or England prove sports are all about team and cohesiveness once again and that's that. I just hope England field some of their more athletic guys. They had Yarde and Wade last time...nice flow on attack with that Burns kid leading the way.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Either the Baabaas click and win, or England prove sports are all about team and cohesiveness once again and that's that.

Realistically, though, this won't be a "team" we put out, certainly not a cohesive one - they'll have about as much time together as the Barbarians will, but will have much less international experience than the likes of Giteau, Afoa et al.

Some positions are likely to be 4th-5th choices.
Loosehead, for example:
1. Corbs (with saints)
2. Marler (in NZ)
3. Mako (in NZ)
4. Mullan (in NZ)
5. Waller (with Saints)
6. God only knows (Starting vs Barbarians)

There'll be a few players in the side with experience (I expect Haskell will be there, maybe Croft, depending on whether he goes to NZ or not) but realistically most players will be uncapped, or have a handful of caps at most.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Best one I can remember is the one that beat NZ a few years back. It was basically all Saffers and Ozzies.

 

[Peat]

Realistically, though, this won't be a "team" we put out, certainly not a cohesive one - they'll have about as much time together as the Barbarians will, but will have much less international experience than the likes of Giteau, Afoa et al.

Some positions are likely to be 4th-5th choices.
Loosehead, for example:
1. Corbs (with saints)
2. Marler (in NZ)
3. Mako (in NZ)
4. Mullan (in NZ)
5. Waller (with Saints)
6. God only knows (Starting vs Barbarians)

There'll be a few players in the side with experience (I expect Haskell will be there, maybe Croft, depending on whether he goes to NZ or not) but realistically most players will be uncapped, or have a handful of caps at most.

Nathan Catt would be 6th choice based on the Saxons game. The only experienced alternative open is Nick Wood - no international caps but plenty of time around the block - no idea what his form is like. Ross Harrison or Ben Moon would probably be the other alternatives, both on the young side.

This is of course assuming no injuries. Likelihood is at least one of our six best looseheads will be injured (particularly when one is Corbs...) so there's a reasonable chance that, assuming four looseheads in the touring squad, Catt is in NZ when this fixture is going down. Or injured.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Best one I can remember is the one that beat NZ a few years back. It was basically all Saffers and Ozzies.

Yeah, I remember Habana got a hattrick of tries and it made me think; so that's what the guy can do in a team that actually fed him.

I'd love to some some SA forwards in there. I know Schalk Brits and other SAracens forwrads are likely to be playing PL still but what about Louw, J Smith, Botha, Steenkamp, Mujati etc.. bring some of our boys in, please! I am certainly gonna watch the match and it'd be nice to have 1 token ex-Bok in there. Maybe Kockott at 9 instead of Cowan or Habana for 1 back.. I am being parochial here I know, sorry.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah, I remember Habana got a hattrick of tries and it made me think; so that's what the guy can do in a team that actually fed him.

I'd love to some some SA forwards in there. I know Schalk Brits and other SAracens forwrads are likely to be playing PL still but what about Louw, J Smith, Botha, Steenkamp, Mujati etc.. bring some of our boys in, please! I am certainly gonna watch the match and it'd be nice to have 1 token ex-Bok in there. Maybe Kockott at 9 instead of Cowan or Habana for 1 back.. I am being parochial here I know, sorry.

Squad in question:

Backs – Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Bryan Habana (South Africa), Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand), Drew Mitchell (Australia), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Jaque Fourie (South Africa), Morne Steyn (South Africa), Matt Giteau (Australia), Fourie du Preez (South Africa), Will Genia (Australia)

Forwards – Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), Stephen Moore (Australia), Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa), W P Nel (Free State Cheetahs), Salvatore Perugini (Italy), Victor Matfield (South Africa), Danie Rossouw (South Africa), Carlo del Fava (Italy), Rocky Elsom (Australia), Schalk Burger (South Africa), George Smith (Australia), Andy Powell (Wales)

Crazy strong! A lot of the guys were in their primes, compared to the current team where some of the guys are easily past their best (Cowan, Williams, Sivivatu for starters).