New-look England to tackle SA Barbarians
11 Jun 2012
England will field a fresh starting line-up for the clash against the South African Southern Barbarians on Wednesday.
Most of the match 22 that faced the Springboks in Durban last Saturday will be rested. Tighthead prop Paul Doran Jones, lock Tom Palmer and scrumhalf Lee Dickson are the only players retained for the midweek match in Kimberley.
Lock George Robson has been given the captaincy.
‘Every one of the 22 is desperate to play,’ said England head coach Stuart Lancaster. ‘They have trained superbly and their attitude while waiting for their chance has been first class. There is a lot of competition for places across the board and Wednesday gives these players a chance to lay down a marker and for the whole squad to build some momentum towards Saturday’s Test.’
Meanwhile, there is one change to the SA Southern Barbarians team. Reserve lock Ben Venter is injured and was replaced in the squad by Border team-mate Samora Fihlani.
England – 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Anthony Allen, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Christian Wade, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Danny Care, 6 James Haskell, 7 Carl Fearns, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 5 George Robson (c), 4 Graham Kitchener, 3 Paul Doran Jones, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Matt Mullan.
Subs: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Rupert Harden, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Jamie Gibson, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 George Lowe, 22 Nick Abendanon.
SA Southern Barbarians – 15 Jacquin Jansen (Boland), 14-Cornal Hendricks (Boland), 13 Kempie Rautenbach (SWD), 12 Wayne Stevens (EP Kings, c), 11 Norman Nelson (EP Kings), 10 Elgar Watts (Boland), 9 Boela Abrahams (EP Kings), 8 Jacques Engelbrecht (EP Kings), 7 Shaun Raubenheimer (SWD), 6 Mpho Mbiyozo (EP Kings), 5 David Bulbring (EP Kings), 4 Nolan Clark (Boland), 3 Ross Geldenhuys (Boland), 2 Hannes Franklin (EP Kings), 1 Corne Fourie (Pumas).
Subs: 16 Clemen Lewis (Boland), 17 Dean Hopp (SWD), 18 Samora Fihlani (Border), 19 Zandre Jordaan (Boland), 20 Ntando Kebe (Border), 21 Ricardo Croy (Boland), 22 Ntabeni Dukisa (Border).
24 Comments
11 Jun 2012, 17:36 pm
Looking at that England a very small front row but a very powerful 2nd and back row
George Robson has been probably the best lock in England this year and Graham Kitchener is a young up and coming lock
Carl Fearns and James Haskell are 2 big big physical blokes and THomas Waldrom is a very good footballer
Disappointed to see Allen at 13 hes a 12 and George Lowe whos probably been the biggest surprise this season is on the bench should have started at 13.
Great to see Goode at full back a very classy player has a great quick feet and sees space
11 Jun 2012, 17:47 pm
Hardly recognize a single Barbarian. Good to see these players get a look-in.
11 Jun 2012, 17:49 pm
@john123(john123)-1:
To be honest, including Waldron is a slap in the face for the other England hopefulls. Sure, he’s a good player who couldn’t make the ABs, but grabbing these newbie ex Kiwis and Saffasis a bit much. Isn’t the IRB changing the rules about eligibility?
11 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm
I’ve never heard of any of the SA barbarians – what a joke team, we might as well play a Varsity Cup team or the EP Klingons … I can’t see the SA Babas troubling Eng
11 Jun 2012, 20:32 pm
There are a couple of very decent hard grafters in that Barbarians side. That Elgar Watts never got a chance at S15 rugby is a joke and Mpho Mbiyozo terrorised a very surprised BILions side back in 2009. Cornal Hendricks and Norman Nelson are two more than adequate finishers. If Watts can get his backline going, could be a fun game to watch.
I really doubt that they will trouble the Poms, but I think they’re stiffer opposition than a Vasity Cup side, a bit older and tougher, and none of the bigger unions were going to release players when they know the rest of the S15 is around the corner.
I hope one or two of our Barbarian guys put up their hand and get a shot at Super rugby. Look at how well Jacques Potgieter has done since being spotted at the Kings.
11 Jun 2012, 21:49 pm
@David(David)-3: Its just very annoying England have alot of talent but we have **** selectors. If you look at our U20 teams we always do well in the junior world cup, play well in the aviva premiership but dont get called up! Instead we call up foreigners like Barritt, Botha,
11 Jun 2012, 22:02 pm
I agree with the policy to give ‘B’ section players a run against international Teams. Great to bring everybody in during this 3 test series. I would have put maybe one 0r two really prommissing players from the Varsity cup in the team though.
Clearly the Kings are also given a lot of attention here by Sarfu. These are their key players.
Where is Lookie, he is mos a well paid B section player, or is he too good for this. ?
11 Jun 2012, 22:19 pm
where is luke watson?
he hasnt featured in any games of note recently?
he didnt play pre-season warm ups vs s15 squads even did he?
11 Jun 2012, 22:19 pm
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/boks-show-england-the-scale-of-task-ahead-20120611-20554.html
Thank You Mr. Ackford. If this gets posted in the Springboks locker room, your team of imports will no doubt send you condolences card.
11 Jun 2012, 22:21 pm
Wasted opportunity.
This should have been a game between the limeys and a team of South African exports, to give the foreign based players a chance to show what they’ve been up to.
The other game should have been against the “South African Mambas”. Our very own Maori style team.
12 Jun 2012, 06:25 am
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-4: Do you understand what this barbarians team is about? It is a chance for B section players to play against international quality opponents on a bigger stage. This game will showcase talent from the South and the next one will be a chance for the players from the northern provinces.
Personally, I am happy to see the tour concept revived and midweek games are a huge part of that. With the super rugby players taking a break, I think this arrangement is excellent. Go the baabaaboks.
12 Jun 2012, 06:33 am
@YoMama(YoMama)-10: Maori style? A team made up from the racial minority group only? Whites only?
12 Jun 2012, 07:27 am
@ 5 lepel 6 hensopper
I Share your sentiments.Mbiyozo,Nelson – ex Blitzbokke,Hendricks – current Blitzbok.Abrahams – Maties scrummie,Watts – Stormers training squad 2011..Also nice opportunity for a guy like Hannes Franklin – ex SWD,Pumas captain
12 Jun 2012, 07:44 am
What a k ak Barbarian team.
12 Jun 2012, 08:32 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-8: Exactly, where is Luke? Something fishy happening there in Kings’ Country. He hasn’t played for ages, and I bet he’s still drawing a fat salary. Surely he would have been the ideal poster boy to lead this motley crew of barbarians?
Speaking of which… boy, am I excited at the prospect of seeing these Kings – the pride and joy of SA rugby – take on England’s dirt trackers. Should be a great way for them to assess their readiness to enter Super Rugby. I take it they fancy their chances here?
12 Jun 2012, 08:39 am
I think the problem is in using the name Barbarians. The traditional Barbarians teams were made up of ex test players with only one spot reserved for a non capped player.
This is as far away from this ethos as you can possibly get.
I don’t have any problem playing this team against the English, but don’t call them the Barbarians. It cheapens the brand.
Call them the mambas if you like, anything else.
12 Jun 2012, 08:41 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-12: Yes, but they would be known as the Black Mambas to keep igovernment happy.
12 Jun 2012, 08:42 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-16: Ja, the Barbarians name is not really appropriate.
12 Jun 2012, 09:33 am
I think they should call the team from the south the Lannisters and the team from the north the Starks.
12 Jun 2012, 09:53 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-19: LOL you Game of Thrones freak.
12 Jun 2012, 10:51 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-11:
bru you clearly don’t know what the barbarians are all about – FYI they are usually made up out of internationals from all over the world with at least 1 uncapped player.
Are the SA Barbarians even permitted to call themselves Barbarians – we used to call it a “Presidents 15″ or an “Invitation 15″ – but the name Barbarians seems wrong – read below:
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the “Baa-Baas”, is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain. The Barbarians play in traditional black and white hoops, though players retain the socks from their “home” club strip.
Membership is by invitation and the only qualifications considered when issuing an invitation are that the player’s rugby is of a high enough standard and secondly that he should behave himself on and off the field. Being asked to become a Barbarian is an honour and not one restricted to British players; in addition to all four of the Home Nations, players from 27 other countries have worn Barbarian colours.
Traditionally at least one uncapped player is selected for each match.
The Barbarians traditionally played six annual encounters, Penarth, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport during their Easter Tour; a Boxing Day game with Leicester and the Mobbs Memorial Match against East Midlands in the spring. In 1948, the Barbarians were invited to face Australia as part of that team’s tour of Britain, Ireland and France. Although initially designed as a fund raiser towards the end of the tour, the encounter became a popular fixture for most touring nations to Britain, and a Barbarian tradition.
12 Jun 2012, 11:45 am
South African Barbarians Club was formed in the 1960′s – although not as old as the Baa-Baas there is still some history there….
12 Jun 2012, 12:34 pm
@doc.(doc.)-22: thanks did not know this…
12 Jun 2012, 12:59 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-8:
Where is LUke?
good question.
@john123(john123)-1:
very small front row – where is Nick Wood??. Imorts issue is doing England no justice at all.
I would have Tom Payne in there for experience
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.