BARBARIANS AT THE GATES

QUOTE" Star names from ten countries, including three cap centurions, feature in a 33-strong Barbarians' squad for their three match summer tour.The tour opener against England on 27 May is followed by assignments against Ireland in Gloucester and Wales at the Millennium Stadium
Latest additions to the squad announced today include New Zealand's most-capped full-back Mils Muliaina, South Africa's World Cup winning captain John Smit, Argentine points' machine Felipe Contepomi and supercharged Leinster utility back Isa Nacewa.Among the Barbarian debutants behind the scrum are Samoan duo Sailosi Tagicakibau and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu and a home nations' trio of Mike Tindall, Stephen Jones and Rory Lawson.Shane Williams is set to take his final curtain on the international stage when the Barbarians face Wales on 2 June.
In an experienced pack Duncan Jones, John Afoa, John Beattie, Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Mick O'Driscoll also become Baa-Baas for the first time.
The squad, which will be coached by All Blacks' legend John Kirwan assisted by Grant Doorey, assembles in London on 22 May.

Barbarians' squad:

Backs - Isa Nacewa (Fiji), Mils Muliaina (New Zealand), Ian Balshaw (England), Cedric Heymans (France), Shane Williams (Wales), Paul Sackey (England), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Samoa), Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu (Samoa), Mike Tindall (England), Damien Traille (France), Felipe Contepomi (Argentine), Stephen Donald (New Zealand), Stephen Jones (Wales), Rory Lawson (Scotland), Jerome Fillol (France)

Forwards - Schalk Brits (South Africa), Benoit August (France), John Smit (South Africa), Aled de Malmanche (New Zealand), John Afoa (New Zealand), Duncan Jones (Wales), B J Botha (South Africa), Neemia Tialata (New Zealand), Jerome Thion (France), Mick O'Driscoll (Ireland), Anton van Zyl (South Africa), Pelu Taele (Samoa), Raphael Lakafia (France), Antoine Burban (France), Akupusi Qera (Fiji), John Beattie (Scotland), Pedrie Wannenburg (South Africa), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Argentine)

Pack something like - (prob got my positions all wrong)
Afoa
Brits
BJ Botha
Thion
O'Driscoll
Qera
Wannenburg
Beatie

Lawson
Contemponi
S.Williams
Traille
EFS
Heymans
Muliaina

Reps-
Nacewa, Tagicakibau, Donald, Smit, D.Jones, Leguizamon, Van Zyl

I dont think side looks too intimidating for the Home nations.

Why Ireland at Gloucester?

Afoa and BJ are both tightheads so I doubt they will start both of them. Afoa is The better option in my opinion, BJ is a world class scrumager but Afoa's loose play is exceptional, and he can fairly shove in the scrum aswell.

Ireland game is a Tueday night too. And why Kingsholm ? I guess so Tindall Lawson and Balshaw can play one last game in front of the faithful.
Shame for Irish fans, that it could not have been an Irish venue.

Thanks Belfast - I wasnt sure what side they both played on.
Tialata and Duncan Jones will compete for the TH spot then.

Prop,

Duncan Jones is a loose head, even when him and Gethin were competing for the Welsh shirt it was always Jenkins that shifted across to tight and not Duncan.

Bedford - do you think Duncan should still be involved with the national team - he's had injuries but for me remains a class act

I'd def like Duncan to be considered for Wales even though we seem to have more LH's than TH's at the moment

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'd def like Duncan to be considered for Wales even though we seem to have more LH's than TH's at the moment

I think that's true of all sides! Good TH's are pretty thin on the ground.

sugarNspikes wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'd def like Duncan to be considered for Wales even though we seem to have more LH's than TH's at the moment

I think that's true of all sides! Good TH's are pretty thin on the ground.

True, we really need to set up some sort of cloning facility for TH's... (or sort out the scrum)

He seems to have fallen down the pecking order at the O's which has affected his Welsh chances.

I guess it will be between him and Bevington fighting for the O's shirt now James has gone and then between them two and Gill as competition for Jenkins in the Welsh set up.

BaaBaa's team announced -

Barbarians: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Mike Tindall, 11 Iain Balshaw, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Akapusi Qera, 7 Johnnie Beattie, 6 Ernst Joubert, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 John Afoa, 2 John Smit (capt), 1 Neemia Tialata.
Replacements: 16 Benoit August, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Pelu Taele, 19 Raphael Lakafia, 20 Jerome Fillol, 21 Felipe Contepomi, 22 Sailosi Tagicakibau.

Not the most intimidating of combinations.

I know it's the Baabaas, but does the entire backrow have to be out of position?

I'm pretty sure Qera's playing at 7 while Beattie's 8.

I think they're just experimenting with a few things before the big game against Wales

That is true, they should focus on the matches they can win

Revised Baa-Baas squad:

Backs - Isa Nacewa (Fiji), Mils Muliaina (New Zealand), Ian Balshaw (England), Cedric Heymans (France), Shane Williams (Wales), Paul Sackey (England), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Samoa), Casey Laulala (New Zealand), Mike Tindall (England), Damien Traille (France), Felipe Contepomi (Argentine), Stephen Donald (New Zealand), Rory Lawson (Scotland), Jerome Fillol (France)

Forwards - Benoit August (France), John Smit (South Africa), Aled de Malmanche (New Zealand), John Afoa (New Zealand), Duncan Jones (Wales), Neemia Tialata (New Zealand), Heinke van der Merwe (South Africa), Mark Chisholm (Australia), Mick O'Driscoll (Ireland), Anton van Zyl (South Africa), Pelu Taele (Samoa), Cornelius van Zyl (Italy), Raphael Lakafia (France), Akupusi Qera (Fiji), John Beattie (Scotland), Pedrie Wannenburg (South Africa), Ernst Joubert (South Africa), Francois Louw (South Africa)

So for the Ireland game i'm guessing something like

1.van der Merwe 2.de Malmanche 3.Botha 4.Cornelius van Zyl 5.O'Driscoll 6.Lakafia 7.Louw 8.Wannenburg 9.Fillol 10.Contepomi 11.Heymans 12.Traille 13.? 14.Tagicakibau 15.Nacewa