Barbarians Name Star-Studded Squad for Clash Against Wales at Twickenham
The Barbarians have unveiled a powerful squad of 20 internationals from 12 different nations ahead of their scheduled encounter with Wales. The match is set to take place this Saturday, June 27, at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with kick-off scheduled for 2:00 PM GMT.
South African influence is prominent in the starting lineup, with World Cup winners Faf de Klerk and Vincent Koch named at scrumhalf and tighthead prop, respectively. De Klerk, who was overlooked for the Springboks' Nations Championship squad, will captain the side. Former Sharks midfielder Jeremy Ward also starts at number 12.
Coach Scott Robertson praised de Klerk's leadership and competitive nature, stating that the scrumhalf knows how to run a week and balances his drive with the traditional Barbarian spirit. The squad also includes Wallabies player Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who was snubbed by Australia's Joe Schmidt for the Nations Championship.
The team features a strong French contingent, including Romain Taofifénua, Jordan Joseph, Tom Spring, and Yoan Tanga. Other international additions include Georgia's Gia Kharaishvili, USA's Jack Iscaro, and Samoa's Paul Alo-Emile. Former England number eight Nathan Hughes also returns to Twickenham as part of the squad.
Wales legend George North has been named on the bench for what will be his final appearance before retirement. The Barbarians' squad comes off a recent exhibition match in Gqeberha, where they suffered an 80-31 defeat to the Springboks, despite scoring five tries.
The full starting lineup includes Tom Spring, Virimi Vakatawa, Alex Nankivell, Jeremy Ward, Andrew Kellaway, Harry Plummer, Faf de Klerk, Nathan Hughes, Lachlan Boshier, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Romain Taofifénua, Izack Rodda, Vincent Koch, Elliot Dee, and Giorgi Kharaishvili.
