'Retired' Collins on Twickenham duty
Thu, 29 May 2008 16:39
Jerry Collins, who this week retired from All Black duty, will start for the Barbarians when they tackle England at Twickenham on Sunday.
Collins will form an impressive back row with Springbok Pedrie Wannenburg and either Tongan Maama Molitika or Wallaby David Croft - depending on Molitika passing a fitness test on a troublesome shoulder injury.
The star-studded Barbarians have also bracketed veteran Wallaby flyhalf Steve Larkham, who took part in training on Thursday despite still struggling with a knee strain. Saracens' New Zealand No.10 Glen Jackson is standby should Larkham fail to make a full recovery before Sunday.
Mark Regan, omitted from England's summer tour to New Zealand, will captain the Baa-baas against his compatriots.
Other England internationals on show in the Baa-baas selection include wing Iain Balshaw and scrumhalf Andy Gomarsall.
Balshaw will also have a chance to prove new England manager Martin Johnson that it was a mistake to overlooked him for the tour.
Balshaw is joined in the threequarter line by former Wales and Lions captain Gareth Thomas, with Australian Morgan Turinui and Samoan Seilala Mapusua forming the midfield combination.
Barbarians: 15 Thinus Delport (Worcester), 14 Gareth Thomas (Cardiff Blues), 13 Morgan Turinui (Queensland Reds), 12 Seilala Mapusua (London Irish), 11 Iain Balshaw (Gloucester), 10 Stephen Larkham (unattached)/Glen Jackson (Saracens), 9 Andy Gomarsall (Harlequins), 8 Pedrie Wannenburg (Blue Bulls), 7 Maama Molitika (Cardiff Blues)/David Croft (Queensland Reds), 6 Jerry Collins (unattached), 5 Justin Harrison (Bath), 4 Kris Chesney (Saracens), 3 Cobus Visagie (Saracens), 2 Mark Regan (Bristol, captain), 1 Fédérico Pucciariello (Munster).
Replacements: 16 Sebastian Bruno (Sale Sharks), 17 Patricio Collazo (Gloucester), 18 Santiago Dellape (Biarritz), 19 David Croft/Mitchell Chapman,
20 Michael Claassens (Bath), 21 Stephen Larkham/Glen Jackson, 22 Jaco Pretorius (Lions).
Date: Sunday, June 1
Kick-off: 15.00 (16.00 GMT)
Venue: Twickenham
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Touch judges: Alan Lewis. (Ireland), Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
TMO: John Burtenshaw (England)
