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Big Kiwi presence on Barbarians team sheet
By Online Editors
There will be a distinct Kiwi presence on the team sheet as the Barbarians squad to face England at Twickenham at the end of the month was revealed.
The squad features four former All Blacks and two more players that plied their trade in New Zealand before heading overseas.
Former All Blacks Charles Piutau, Victor Vito, Luke McAlister and John Afoa join former Chief and current Ireland international Bundee Aki along with former Waikato and Hurricanes prop Loni Uhila in the side.
The team will be coached by former Blues head man Pat Lam.
Lam expressed his gratitude towards Joe Schmidt for allowing the inclusion of Aki, who has been in Ireland with Connacht since 2014.
"I'd like to thank Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt for making Bundee [Aki] available to us as he'll be a big asset for the Barbarians," said Bristol head coach Lam.
"The big thing about Bundee is that he's an unbelievable competitor. A lot of the Pacific Island boys have that X-factor but he loves putting his head in the dark places and thriving in turnover and contact work.
"He's a huge leader on the field and he has a great understanding and passion for the way I like the team to play. England is a game we're going to have to work hard in and he epitomises what we need to do. We need the courage to play and move the ball and also to know when we have to tighten things up, and he'll be at the centre of that."
Aki is set to captain the side when they take on England on May 27.
BARBARIANS
Forwards: Ramiro Herrera (Argentina), John Afoa (New Zealand), Loni Uhila (Tonga), Benjamin Kayser (France), Tatafu Polota-Nau (Australia), Ultane Dillane (Ireland), Flip van der Merwe (South Africa), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Victor Vito (New Zealand), Sitaleki Timani (Australia).
Backs: Greig Laidlaw (Scotland), Rhodri Williams (Wales), AJ MacGinty (USA), Luke McAllister (New Zealand), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Charles Piutau (New Zealand), Niyi Adeolokun (Ireland).
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Latest Comments
So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
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