Barbarians arrive in Cape with heavy duty experience for Bok clash

The Barbarians have arrived on our shores but there is nothing primitive about the men coach Robbie Deans has assembled for the task of taking down the double Rugby World Cup-holding Springboks.

The 23-man squad features 18 players with Test experience but as tradition dictates they also have some rookies for Saturday’s clash at Cape Town Stadium.

All Blacks Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell, plus Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy are here, but fellow advance party member Conor Murray is no longer in the squad. 

The Baabaas, however, still boast the vastly experienced former All Blacks scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow.

Kerr-Barlow, who made his Test debut in 2012, would have been an All Blacks regular had he not opted to play his rugby in France from 2017. To be fair, Aaron Smith was in the process of laying claim to the No 9 position across 124 internationals.

Kerr-Barlow, however, who is endowed with soft and combative skills in equal measure, has met great success with La Rochelle. He helped them to two Champions Cup titles. Santiago Arata Perrone will likely  be his backup. Kerr-Barlow is likely to give direction to a backline that can sizzle.

All Blacks’ wing Mark Talea is one of the slipperiest outside backs in the game. He wriggles out of tackles and may be particularly hard to pin down on a wet Cape Town Stadium surface.

Peter Umaga-Jensen is a destructive runner in out wide and at times in midfield, while Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a wing with wheels, or if you prefer, gas. Toulon’s Leicester Fainga’anuku carries similar peril for defences.

In Melvyn Jaminet they have a “Deadeye Dick” goal kicker who’d be happy to oblige when conversions are on offer. Jaminet was destined to be a regular in the France team until injury and the emergence of Thomas Ramos ruled otherwise.

Of course the The Baabaas can only live up to their cavalier reputation if they get a steady supply of front foot ball.

Healy and the broad-necked Camille Chat are experienced hands in the front row, while the Stormers' and Junior Bok lock Ruben van Heerden may form a second row partnership with Somerset West-born Toulon captain David Ribbans. The latter, a former Western Province player, is an England international with more than 100 caps for Northampton Saints before moving to the Cote d’Azur.

The back row will be hotly contested for a place in the starting XV with Cane, O'Mahony and Hoskins Sotutu the likely starters. Frizell, however, is a player who can inject much impetus to proceedings, whether he starts or comes off the bench.

Given their experience and talent, the Baabaas can pose the Boks some uncomfortable questions but whether Deans can knit them into a tight unit while in the Mother City's welcoming embrace is another matter.

The Boks though, will take what is often a festival affair seriously.

“The Barbarians have knocked over many good teams over the years,” Boks assistant coach Tony Brown reminded. “It is huge for the first test of the year and we are preparing the players as if it is a Test match.

“This is not Barbarians against the Barbarians. We are going about our preparations as we would normally prepare for a Test match.”

Barbarians squad

Forwards: Cian Healy (Leinster), Will Collier (Castres), Hassane Kolingar (Racing 92), Paul Alo-Emile (Stade Francais), Camille Chat (Lyon), John Ricky Riccitelli (Auckland Blues), David Ribbans (Toulon), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers), Josh Beehre (Auckland Blues), Hoskins Sotutu (Auckland Blues), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Sam Cane (Tokyo Sungoliath), Shannon Frizell (Toshiba), Lachlan Boshier (Wild Knights)

Backs: Tawera Kerr-Barlow (La Rochelle), Santiago Arata Perrone (Castres), Melvyn Jaminet (Toulon), Josh Jacomb (Waikato Chiefs), Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wellington Hurricanes), Leicester Faingaʻanuku (Toulon), Mark Telea (Auckland Blues), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders), Joe Marchant (Stade Francais)