Fiji has a date with a star-studded Barbarians side as they celebrate the centenary of rugby in their country. Sadly the Fijians won’t be fielding the majority of their best.
BARBARIANS vs FIJI
Saturday, November 30, 14:30 GMT, London
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has been entrusted with the management of the Barbarians side, and he has managed to put together a very impressive outfit, with a nice balance between established household names and some future stars. Jean de Villiers captains the side that features five other Springboks and another two on the bench. Schalk Burger makes his long-awaited return to international rugby after recovering from both long-term injury and illness.
Exciting Argentine youngsters Matias Diaz and Santiago Cordero team up with one-cap All Blacks Dominic Bird and Frank Halai, while fellow tourist T.J. Perenara is the only uncapped player in the squad. Manuel Carizza slots into the second row to replace Flip van der Merwe, who himself had replaced Eben Etzebeth, and an emergency call to retired Irish lock Mick O’Driscoll seems him make an unlikely appearance on the bench. Former Samoan captain Gavin Williams is another surprise inclusion having last played international rugby in 2010.
The Fijians are, as usual, a complete mess. Why this fixture was arranged outside of the official IRB test window is anyone’s guess, but because of it they have lost almost all of their top players, including captain Akapusi Qera and star centre Nemani Nadolo. Only five players remain in the side from the team that beat Romania last Saturday.
Peni Ravai, formerly a wing but a loosehead prop for Nadroga, starts for the first time at hooker, and he is joined in the tight five by recalled Glasgow second row Leone Nakarawa. Plymouth Albion flanker Sam Matavesi starts in the back row, and Levani Botia appears again after being left out of the last two games entirely. Bristol winger Sam Speight, brother of Brumbies flyer Henry, is brought in out of the blue along with former national u19 captain Maku Koroiyadi who has been playing with the British Army for several seasons.
Despite a lack of true test class on the side of Fiji, this should be a fun game to watch, certainly a good way to warm up to the big game in Cardiff later that afternoon. Fun and competitive are two different things, however, and the star-laden Barbarians side should have little trouble finding the tryline early and often. Expect the invitational side to romp to a 30 point victory over the understrength Fijians.
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
Assistants: t.b.a. (RFU appointments)
TMO: t.b.a. (RFU appointment)
