Barbarians squad

Forwards: Duncan Jones (Ospreys and Wales), B J Botha (Munster and South Africa), Paul James (Bath Rugby and Wales), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester and Italy), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro 92 and Italy), Matthew Rees (Scarlets and Wales), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso and Italy), Schalk Brits (Saracens and South Africa), Marco Wentzel (London Wasps and South Africa), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby and Scotland), Dean Mumm (Exeter Chiefs and Australia), Samu Manoa (Northampton and USA), Francois Louw (Bath Rugby and South Africa), Sam Jones (London Wasps), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso and Italy), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais and Italy), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique and France).

Backs: Jared Payne (Ulster), Rowan Varty (DeA Tigers and Hong Kong), Takudzwa Ngwenya (Biarritz Olympique and USA), Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier and Fiji), Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne and New Zealand), Elliot Daly (London Wasps), James Hook (Perpignan and Wales), Nick Evans (Harlequins and New Zealand), Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys and Samoa), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks and Wales), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz Olympique and France).


.........................


Should be a bit of spice added to the Lions first game with Paul James, Matthew Rees, Jim Hamilton and James Hook all playing for the Baabaas

Paul James was a bit unlucky - if it was SA or NZ he would be going as they would need his scrummaging ability. Gatland clearly believes Vunipola's scrummaging is good enough for the Aussies coming off the bench (don't see him starting)

Matthew Rees was never in contention (Best, Owens, Ford are probably all ahead of him)

Jim Hamilton was never likely to go once O'Connell was fit

James Hook - has never been in favour with Gatland so no surprise there at all. If he has a blinder it could make things interesting if someone gets hurt.

wanderingdragon wrote:Maybe Hook could have a blinder and Farrell could get injured - that would be good for the Lions!

Classy comment

Agree with wandering, James is the main one who will feel hard done by IMO.

Rees was out of favour and never in contention, Hook hasn't done nowhere near enough to warrant a slot and Hamiltion was unlucky in that it was a very heavily contested positon.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

wanderingdragon wrote:Maybe Hook could have a blinder and Farrell could get injured - that would be good for the Lions!

Classy comment

Agree with you Cyril its posters like wanderingdragon and their disgusting comments that are creating all the inter-national hostilities and dragging this forum site down. Anyone wishing another player injured so that another goes instead has no place on this site

there is no rules to state that Gatland can't add to his squad if he thinks the person could add serious value.... i.e. Paul James or Hook having a storming match in HK.

15 - Payne
14 - Nagusa
13- Daly
12- Hook
11- Rokocoko
10 - Evans
9- Fotuali'i
8- Parisse
7- Zanni
6- Louw
5- Wentzel
4- Manoa
3- Castrogiovanni
2- Brits
1- James


16- Rees/Ghiraldhini 17 -Botha 18- Lo Cicero 19 - Hamilton/Mumm 20- Jones 21- Harinordiquy 22- Yachvilli/Peel 23- Ngwenya

Excellent team, frankly not much weaker than Australia

crikey... What a bench to have! Imagine if they add any more... Jaque Fourie was originally listed in March. Not sure why he hasn't be listed yet or perhaps dropped out?

ChequeredJersey wrote:15 - Payne
14 - Nagusa
13- Daly
12- Hook
11- Rokocoko
10 - Evans
9- Fotuali'i
8- Parisse
7- Zanni
6- Louw
5- Wentzel
4- Manoa
3- Castrogiovanni
2- Brits
1- James


16- Rees/Ghiraldhini 17 -Botha 18- Lo Cicero 19 - Hamilton/Mumm 20- Jones 21- Harinordiquy 22- Yachvilli/Peel 23- Ngwenya

Excellent team, frankly not much weaker than Australia

Eh? They've never played together before and they're not much weaker than Australia?

Rugby Union used to be touted as the best team game in the world, but no it's really just a collection of individuals... why do Test teams bother with coaches at all?

whens this match?

cyril, flyhalf

I didn't mean to cause offense so I have removed that line

fa0019 wrote:there is no rules to state that Gatland can't add to his squad if he thinks the person could add serious value.... i.e. Paul James or Hook having a storming match in HK.

fa,

I doubt though if he will add to the squad other than for injury reasons.

bloody hell posted on the wrong forum deleted it now . go go barbarians

The Great Aukster wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:15 - Payne
14 - Nagusa
13- Daly
12- Hook
11- Rokocoko
10 - Evans
9- Fotuali'i
8- Parisse
7- Zanni
6- Louw
5- Wentzel
4- Manoa
3- Castrogiovanni
2- Brits
1- James


16- Rees/Ghiraldhini 17 -Botha 18- Lo Cicero 19 - Hamilton/Mumm 20- Jones 21- Harinordiquy 22- Yachvilli/Peel 23- Ngwenya

Excellent team, frankly not much weaker than Australia

Eh? They've never played together before and they're not much weaker than Australia?

Rugby Union used to be touted as the best team game in the world, but no it's really just a collection of individuals... why do Test teams bother with coaches at all?

The players are just as good as Australia's in most positions, better in a few, and though they haven't trained much together they will have trained not much less than the Lions!

I admit it was a bit of hyperbole but I don't think the Lions will find this an easy match at all, and I don't know why you got so randomly oversensitive

The evidence for success points to a settled team being far more important than assembling a collection of galacticos.

I agree that Barbarians' teams are often impressive when considering player by player. However each of those individuals made their reputation playing in settled teams and settled units within teams. Take them out of that environment and they may be nowhere near as effective. A Toyota engine is effective on a Toyota chassis but not necessarily in a BMW.

The Barbarians may be a stiff enough test for the Lions because the Lions are also an eclectic mish-mash of a side. OTOH comparing the Baabaas to a settled Test side, ignores the years of experience and familiarity that makes by far the biggest difference between success and failure. That isn't being over-sensitive just sensitive to the reality that simply selecting the best 15 players on the planet isn't close to making their team competitive.