TEST RUGBY: Wales Take on Barbarians

02.06.2012
Barbarians (UK)RFC v Wales in Cardiff

Venue: Millennium Stadium

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Preview
Wales has paid a high honour to the Barbarians Rugby Club by awarding its players a test cap for this match. It is a rather strange move as neither England (last Saturday) nor Ireland (Tuesday) awarded test caps for their games against the famous club. What is more, this Welsh side bares little resemblance to that that defeated France in March taking the Six Nations Championship and Grand Slam.

What is perhaps more important is that Wales will say farewell to one of its own and possibly another. Shane Williams will bow out of all rugby with his appearance for the Barbarians. It could also be Martyn William’s final test for Wales if he comes off the bench. It would be his 100th test for Wales if he does.

As far as the actual games goes it is expected to be a typical Barbarians match with free flowing back moves and open play. Well, hopefully.

A number of the Barbarians team has been drafted in due to injuries so combinations will be awkward and sluggish at best so I’m expecting Wales to win comfortably.

Prediction: Wales by 25 points

Teams

Wales

15		Liam Williams	Llanelly Scarlets
14		Harold Robinson	Cardiff Blues
13		Andrew Bishop	Neath Swansea Ospreys
12		James Hook	Perpignan, France
11		Aled Brew	Newport Gwent Dragons
10		Daniel Biggar	Neath Swansea Ospreys
9		Lloyd Williams	Cardiff Blues
8		Ryan Jones	Neath Swansea Ospreys
7		Justin Tipuric	Neath Swansea Ospreys
6		Joshua Turnbull	Llanelly Scarlets
5		Ian Evans	Neath Swansea Ospreys
4		Alyn-Wyn Jones	Neath Swansea Ospreys
3		Rodri Jones	Llanelly Scarlets
2		Matthew Rees (Capt.)	Llanelly Scarlets
1		Rhys Gill	Saracens, England
16		Richard Hibbard	Neath Swansea Ospreys
17		Paul James	Neath Swansea Ospreys
18		Aaron Shingler	Llanelly Scarlets
19		Martyn Williams	Cardiff Blues
20		Rhys Webb	Neath Swansea Ospreys
21		Adam Warren	Llanelly Scarlets
22		William Harries	Newport Gwent Dragons
		COACH: Warren Gatland

Barbarians

15		Mils Muliaina	Biarritz, New Zealand
14		Isa Nacewa	Lienster, Fiji
13		Michael Tindall	Gloucester, England
12		Casey Laulala	Cardiff Blues, New Zealand
11		Shane Williams	Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales
10		Stephan Donald	Bath, New Zealand
9		Richard Rees	Cardiff Blues, Wales
8		Mamuka Gorgodze	Montpellier, Georgia
7		John Beattie	Glasgow Warriors, Scotland
6		Francois Louw	Bath, South Africa
5		Mark Chisholm	Aviron Bayonnais, Australia
4		Michael O'Driscoll	Munster, Ireland
3		John Smit (Capt.)	Saracens, South Africa
2		Benoit August	Biarritz, France
1		Duncan Jones	Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales
16		Aled de Malmanche	Stade Francais, New Zealand
17		Neemia Tialata	Aviron Bayonnais, New Zealand
18		Anton van Zyl	Stade Francais
19		Akupusi Qera	Gloucester, Fiji
20		Rory Lawson	Gloucester, Scotland
21		Sailosi Tagicakibau	London Irish, Samoa
22		Cedric Heymans	Aviron Bayonnais, France
		HEAD COACH: John Kirwan