Head coach Vern Cotter has named the first group of players selected by the Barbarians for the summer tour against Ulster and England.
The Barbarians will take on Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Thursday 1st June (7.30pm), as well as facing England at Twickenham on Sunday 28th May.
Cotter has called up Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia), Will Genia (Australia), Facundo Isa (Argentina) and Census Johnston (Samoa), who bring a wealth of Test experience with them and those four France-based players will be joined by Corey Flynn (New Zealand) and Connacht’s Bundee Aki.
Wing Ashley-Cooper (116 caps) and scrum half Genia (75 caps) were World Cup finalists in London in 2015, back row forward Isa was one of the stand-out stars of last year’s Rugby Championship and prop Johnston has appeared in three World Cups for Samoa.
Veteran hooker Flynn, a World Cup winner with New Zealand, will join the tour squad from Glasgow Warriors along with Connacht centre Aki, who picked up the 2015/16 Guinness PRO12 player of the year.
"The Barbarians is all about bringing together talented players from different countries and you can see from the first group of players selected that we’ve been able to do exactly that,” said Cotter.
“We want to compete hard and to entertain in the best traditions of the club, so I’m looking forward to working towards that goal with all the players we’ll have on board when we meet up next month.”
The clash between Ulster and the Barbarians will be the first time the sides have met since 1957, but the Baabaas enjoyed a successful visit to Belfast last November when they beat Fiji 40-7 at Kingspan Stadium.
Tickets for Ulster v Barbarians, priced from £20 for adults and £12 for juniors, are on general sale now at ulsterrugby.com/buytickets
For group offers and hospitality packages call (028) 9049 3222.
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PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
Bundee Aki
Club: Connacht
Position: Centre
Born: 07.04.1990
Age: 27
Height: 6ft. Weight: 14st 7lb
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia)
Club: Bordeaux
Position: Wing
Born: 27.03.1984 in Sydney
Age: 33
Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 15st 6lb
International caps: 116. Points: 185 (37T)
Barbarians record: 2010 v SA
Corey Flynn (New Zealand)
Club: Glasgow Warriors
Position: Hooker
Born: 05.01.1981
Age: 36
Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 17st
International caps: 15. Points: 15 (3T)
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Will Genia (Australia)
Club: Stade Francais
Position: Scrum half
Born: 17.01.1988 in Port Moresby
Age: 29
Height: 6ft. Weight: 13st 5lb
International caps: 75. Points: 50 (10T)
Barbarians record: 2009 v NZ, 2010 v SA
Facundo Isa (Argentina)
Club: Lyon
Position: Back row
Born: 21.09.1993 in Santiago del Estero
Age: 23
Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 16st 9lb
International caps: 25. Points: 25 (5T)
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Census Johnston (Samoa)
Club: Toulouse
Position: Prop
Born: 06.05.1981 in Auckland
Age: 35
Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 20st 6lb
International caps: 56. Points: 20 (4T)
Barbarians record: 2008 v Aus, 2010 v Eng, Ire
The Barbarians will take on Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Thursday 1st June (7.30pm), as well as facing England at Twickenham on Sunday 28th May.
Cotter has called up Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia), Will Genia (Australia), Facundo Isa (Argentina) and Census Johnston (Samoa), who bring a wealth of Test experience with them and those four France-based players will be joined by Corey Flynn (New Zealand) and Connacht’s Bundee Aki.
Wing Ashley-Cooper (116 caps) and scrum half Genia (75 caps) were World Cup finalists in London in 2015, back row forward Isa was one of the stand-out stars of last year’s Rugby Championship and prop Johnston has appeared in three World Cups for Samoa.
Veteran hooker Flynn, a World Cup winner with New Zealand, will join the tour squad from Glasgow Warriors along with Connacht centre Aki, who picked up the 2015/16 Guinness PRO12 player of the year.
"The Barbarians is all about bringing together talented players from different countries and you can see from the first group of players selected that we’ve been able to do exactly that,” said Cotter.
“We want to compete hard and to entertain in the best traditions of the club, so I’m looking forward to working towards that goal with all the players we’ll have on board when we meet up next month.”
The clash between Ulster and the Barbarians will be the first time the sides have met since 1957, but the Baabaas enjoyed a successful visit to Belfast last November when they beat Fiji 40-7 at Kingspan Stadium.
Tickets for Ulster v Barbarians, priced from £20 for adults and £12 for juniors, are on general sale now at ulsterrugby.com/buytickets
For group offers and hospitality packages call (028) 9049 3222.
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PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
Bundee Aki
Club: Connacht
Position: Centre
Born: 07.04.1990
Age: 27
Height: 6ft. Weight: 14st 7lb
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia)
Club: Bordeaux
Position: Wing
Born: 27.03.1984 in Sydney
Age: 33
Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 15st 6lb
International caps: 116. Points: 185 (37T)
Barbarians record: 2010 v SA
Corey Flynn (New Zealand)
Club: Glasgow Warriors
Position: Hooker
Born: 05.01.1981
Age: 36
Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 17st
International caps: 15. Points: 15 (3T)
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Will Genia (Australia)
Club: Stade Francais
Position: Scrum half
Born: 17.01.1988 in Port Moresby
Age: 29
Height: 6ft. Weight: 13st 5lb
International caps: 75. Points: 50 (10T)
Barbarians record: 2009 v NZ, 2010 v SA
Facundo Isa (Argentina)
Club: Lyon
Position: Back row
Born: 21.09.1993 in Santiago del Estero
Age: 23
Height: 6ft 2in. Weight: 16st 9lb
International caps: 25. Points: 25 (5T)
Barbarians record: Uncapped
Census Johnston (Samoa)
Club: Toulouse
Position: Prop
Born: 06.05.1981 in Auckland
Age: 35
Height: 6ft 3in. Weight: 20st 6lb
International caps: 56. Points: 20 (4T)
Barbarians record: 2008 v Aus, 2010 v Eng, Ire