With two weeks to go until the showdown with Fiji at Kingspan Stadium, Barbarians coaches Robbie Deans and Will Greenwood have confirmed their finalised squad of 27.
Having previously announced an initial batch of players, seven aspiring Springboks have been added to the famous invitation club’s squad - flankers Ruan Ackermann and Kwagga Smith, lock Martin Muller and hooker Akker van der Merwe - from the Lions franchise that reached the 2016 Super Rugby final.
They are joined by Cheetahs full back Clayton Blommetjies - a try-scoring Currie Cup winner last weekend - Stormers fly half Robert du Preez and Montpellier’s former Lions prop Schalk van der Merwe.
Open side flanker Smith has returned to the 15-a-side game after an outstanding spell in the South Africa sevens side that earned him a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics. He went on to captain the Lions Currie Cup team this term.
Also included is two-time World Cup winning All Black, Ben Franks. The versatile prop is one of only twenty dual Rugby Union World Cup winners, having collected 47 caps for New Zealand in a 7-year international career.
Ireland rugby supporters will remember Franks from the incredible battle between Ireland and New Zealand in November 2013. With Ireland leading 22-10 entering the final quarter, Franks snuck the ball from the back of the ruck and crashed through the unsuspecting Irish defence to score. The All Blacks would go on to complete the the come-from-behind victory in dramatic fashion.
In preparing for the series, Deans & Greenwood have some of Super Rugby’s most exciting young talent at their disposal as well as Test players from four nations in New Zealand’s Andy Ellis, Ben Franks, Seta Tamanivalu and Luke Whitelock, Australia’s Sam Carter, Luke Morahan, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Paddy Ryan and Toby Smith, South Africa’s Ruan Pienaar and Ireland’s Dan Tuohy.
The Baa Baas will take on the Flying Fijians at the home of Ulster Rugby, Kingspan Stadium, on Friday 11th November, in what will be third and final game of their November series.
BARBARIANS SQUAD BIOGRAPHIES:
Ruan Ackermann (Lions) Flanker, 20, 1.93m, 108kg
Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs) Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia) Lock, 27, 2.01m, 116kg
Robert du Preez (Stormers) Fly half, 23, 1.92m, 96kg
Andy Ellis (Crusaders/Kobelco & New Zealand), Scrum half, 32, 1.76m, 86kg
Matt Faddes (Highlanders) Centre, 24, 1.85m, 93kg
Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes) Lock, 24, 1.99m, 106kg
Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) Prop, 32, 1.85m, 130kg
Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes) Prop, 24, 1.84m, 112kg
Richard Mo’unga (Crusaders) Fly half, 22, 1.76m, 83kg
Luke Morahan (Force & Australia) Wing, 27, 1.88m, 95kg
Martin Muller (Lions), Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs/Panasonic & Australia) Wing, 24, 1.94m, 123kg
Melani Nanai (Blues) Wing/full back, 23, 1.94m, 90kg
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) Scrum half, 31, 1.87m, 92kg
Andrew Ready (Reds) Hooker, 23, 1.80m, 107kg
Paddy Ryan (Waratahs & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.89m, 120kg
Brad Shields (Hurricanes) Flanker, 25, 1.93m, 111kg
Toby Smith (Rebels & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.90m, 115kg
Kwagga Smith (Lions) Flanker, 23, 1.80m, 90kg
Nic Stirzaker (Rebels) Scrum half, 25, 1.79m, 83kg
Seta Tamanivalu (Crusaders & New Zealand) Centre, 24, 1.89m, 104kg
Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) Flanker, 24, 1.89m, 108kg
Dan Tuohy (Ulster & Ireland) Lock, 31, 1.96m, 119kg
Akker van der Merwe (Lions) Hooker, 25, 1.78m, 108kg
Schalk van der Merwe (Montpellier) Prop, 25, 1.84m, 105kg
Luke Whitelock (Highlanders & New Zealand) No.8, 25, 1.90m, 104kg
Tickets to the Barbarians v Fiji match at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, are priced from just £20 for adults and £12 for juniors, and are available to purchase online at www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets or by calling the Ulster Rugby Ticket Office on (028) 9049 3222. Group bookings and hospitality packages are also available.
Having previously announced an initial batch of players, seven aspiring Springboks have been added to the famous invitation club’s squad - flankers Ruan Ackermann and Kwagga Smith, lock Martin Muller and hooker Akker van der Merwe - from the Lions franchise that reached the 2016 Super Rugby final.
They are joined by Cheetahs full back Clayton Blommetjies - a try-scoring Currie Cup winner last weekend - Stormers fly half Robert du Preez and Montpellier’s former Lions prop Schalk van der Merwe.
Open side flanker Smith has returned to the 15-a-side game after an outstanding spell in the South Africa sevens side that earned him a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics. He went on to captain the Lions Currie Cup team this term.
Also included is two-time World Cup winning All Black, Ben Franks. The versatile prop is one of only twenty dual Rugby Union World Cup winners, having collected 47 caps for New Zealand in a 7-year international career.
Ireland rugby supporters will remember Franks from the incredible battle between Ireland and New Zealand in November 2013. With Ireland leading 22-10 entering the final quarter, Franks snuck the ball from the back of the ruck and crashed through the unsuspecting Irish defence to score. The All Blacks would go on to complete the the come-from-behind victory in dramatic fashion.
In preparing for the series, Deans & Greenwood have some of Super Rugby’s most exciting young talent at their disposal as well as Test players from four nations in New Zealand’s Andy Ellis, Ben Franks, Seta Tamanivalu and Luke Whitelock, Australia’s Sam Carter, Luke Morahan, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Paddy Ryan and Toby Smith, South Africa’s Ruan Pienaar and Ireland’s Dan Tuohy.
The Baa Baas will take on the Flying Fijians at the home of Ulster Rugby, Kingspan Stadium, on Friday 11th November, in what will be third and final game of their November series.
BARBARIANS SQUAD BIOGRAPHIES:
Ruan Ackermann (Lions) Flanker, 20, 1.93m, 108kg
Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs) Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia) Lock, 27, 2.01m, 116kg
Robert du Preez (Stormers) Fly half, 23, 1.92m, 96kg
Andy Ellis (Crusaders/Kobelco & New Zealand), Scrum half, 32, 1.76m, 86kg
Matt Faddes (Highlanders) Centre, 24, 1.85m, 93kg
Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes) Lock, 24, 1.99m, 106kg
Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) Prop, 32, 1.85m, 130kg
Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes) Prop, 24, 1.84m, 112kg
Richard Mo’unga (Crusaders) Fly half, 22, 1.76m, 83kg
Luke Morahan (Force & Australia) Wing, 27, 1.88m, 95kg
Martin Muller (Lions), Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs/Panasonic & Australia) Wing, 24, 1.94m, 123kg
Melani Nanai (Blues) Wing/full back, 23, 1.94m, 90kg
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) Scrum half, 31, 1.87m, 92kg
Andrew Ready (Reds) Hooker, 23, 1.80m, 107kg
Paddy Ryan (Waratahs & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.89m, 120kg
Brad Shields (Hurricanes) Flanker, 25, 1.93m, 111kg
Toby Smith (Rebels & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.90m, 115kg
Kwagga Smith (Lions) Flanker, 23, 1.80m, 90kg
Nic Stirzaker (Rebels) Scrum half, 25, 1.79m, 83kg
Seta Tamanivalu (Crusaders & New Zealand) Centre, 24, 1.89m, 104kg
Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) Flanker, 24, 1.89m, 108kg
Dan Tuohy (Ulster & Ireland) Lock, 31, 1.96m, 119kg
Akker van der Merwe (Lions) Hooker, 25, 1.78m, 108kg
Schalk van der Merwe (Montpellier) Prop, 25, 1.84m, 105kg
Luke Whitelock (Highlanders & New Zealand) No.8, 25, 1.90m, 104kg
Tickets to the Barbarians v Fiji match at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, are priced from just £20 for adults and £12 for juniors, and are available to purchase online at www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets or by calling the Ulster Rugby Ticket Office on (028) 9049 3222. Group bookings and hospitality packages are also available.