Alun Wyn Jones, having recently announced his retirement from international rugby, will lead the Barbarians as their captain in a match against the World XV at Twickenham.
Israel Folau will feature on the wing for the World XV, captained by Italy’s Michele Lamaro. Steve Hansen will be coaching the World XV, while former England coach Eddie Jones will take charge of the Barbarians.
This will mark Alun Wyn Jones’ return to Twickenham since his departure in December, following his sacking. The Rugby Football Union has decided to fly a Pride flag at Twickenham during the game, set to kick off at 14:00 BST on Sunday.
Hansen has welcomed this decision, viewing it as a positive outcome resulting from Folau’s selection. Israel Folau, aged 34, was terminated by Rugby Australia in 2019 due to his anti-gay remarks on social media.
The Barbarians and World XV teams are invitational, allowing the coaches to select players from any country to participate. Although the match is played at Test level, it does not award international caps.
Here are the confirmed line-ups for both teams:
Barbarians
Anscombe, Radwan, Tamanivalu, Kerevi, Li, Cooper,Maunder, Waller, Dolly, Pieretto, AW Jones (captain), Lewies, Wainwright, Yamamoto, Luatua.
Replacements:
Thacker, West, Sadie, Simmons, Vailanu, Hougaard,Cruden, Johnson.
World XV:
Piutau. Folau, Radradra, Laumape, Nkosi, Hastings, Phipps, W Jones, Brown, Kebble, Ratuniyarawa, Hockings, Negri, Lamaro (captain), Mata.
Replacements:
Dee, Dell, Street, N Cannone, Murphy, Hall, Patchell, Rasaku.
While not a Test match, this encounter promises an exciting display of talent from players selected by the esteemed coaches. Twickenham will witness a captivating clash between the Barbarians and the World XV on Sunday.
