Baa-Baas set for Ballymore battle
Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:38
Former Wallaby coach Alan Jones will assemble an international team of players for a Barbarians rugby match against a Queensland side at Ballymore on Sunday, July 13.
The Australian and international Barbarians team is expected to include former All Blacks Scott Robertson and Justin Marshall, England World Cup-winning wing Dan Luger, Argentina's Gonzalo Quesada and former Wallaby and Reds star Toutai Kefu.
The Queensland XV will be led by flank David Croft and will feature current contracted Reds players not involved with the Wallabies.
Queensland Rugby chairman Peter Lewis said more player announcements will be made in coming days.
"The Barbarians will also include some emerging players from other Australian teams, as the Force, Brumbies and Waratahs have all said they'll support the match," Lewis said.
He said the Barbarians forwards coach will be Alec Evans, who partnered Jones on the historic 1984 Grand Slam Wallaby Tour.
The Sunday Ballymore event will include pre-match picnics and post-match entertainment.
"This will be a celebration of the rugby spirit and the spirit of Ballymore," Lewis said.
"So many people have said to me how much they miss the good times they used to enjoy when the big games were at Ballymore. Well, here's their big chance to enjoy that atmosphere again."
The match will be a major fund-raiser for an off-season development tour for the Reds.
"Reds coach Phil Mooney is keen to take the team away on a development tour at the end of the year but we need to find another $100,000 to make that happen," Lewis said.
The Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) Chairman said the other fund-raising objective was to lend a helping hand to the struggling Souths Rugby club in Brisbane.
"Souths is in real financial difficulty because of the crippling legal bills incurred when the club was dragged through the courts over a plan to create a second field for club games," Lewis said.
"We simply can't just stand by and do nothing while this great club faces such a serious financial threat," Lewis said.
"As well as producing some of the greatest Wallabies of recent years, Souths also performs a vital role in the local community. It's imperative that the world of rugby rallies around to help Souths survive."
