England’s Ugo Monye, former All Black Brad Thorn and Ulster and South Africa ace Ruan Pienaar were yesterday added to a 30-strong Barbarians squad to face Ireland and England.
Barbarians head coach Robbie Deans has called up players from 10 different countries with 786 international caps between them as the famous invitation club prepares to face Ireland at Thomond Park on Thursday, May 28 and an England XV at Twickenham on Sunday, May 31.
Harlequins winger Ugo Monye and Leicester Tigers lock Brad Thorn will be bringing down the curtain on their professional careers with the Barbarians who are celebrating their 125th anniversary this year.
Monye said: “It’s always a real honour to play for the Barbarians and to be able to do so at the end of my career will be something very special. I want to go out on a high and my goal is to help this great club add to its list of victories against Ireland and England.”
Veteran lock Thorn (59 caps) and Ruan Pienaar (80 caps) add significant experience to the group that already includes British & Irish Lions Adam Jones and Alex Cuthbert, New Zealand great Joe Rokocoko, Australia’s most-capped forward George Smith and leading Aviva Premiership try scorer, Thomas Waldrom.
There is strong South African contingent in the back-line resources where Pienaar is joined by Zane Kirchner (Leinster), Gio Aplon (Grenoble) and Wynand Olivier (Montpellier).
Former Australia coach Deans also calls on Argentina forwards Matias Diaz, Pablo Matera and Rodrigo Tejerizo, while New Zealand prop Saimone Taumoepeau and Georgian lock Konstnatin Mikautadze are drafted in from three-time European champions Toulon.
Tickets for the Ireland v Barbarians match are priced from €;30 and family (1 adult & 1 junior) terrace packs from €;25 at www.ticketmaster.ie or 0818 719 300.
BARBARIANS Squad (v Ireland XV, Thomond Park, Thursday, May 28, kick-off 7.45pm):
Backs (13) –
Gio Aplon (Grenoble/South Africa)
Stephen Brett (Lyon)
Tomas Cubelli (Belgrano Ath/Argentina)
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
Yoshi Fujita (Panasonic Wild Knights/Japan)
Jimmy Gopperth (Leinster)
Zane Kirchner (Leinster/South Africa)
Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
Wynand Olivier (Montpellier/South Africa)
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster/South Africa)
Tusi Pisi (Suntory Sungoliath/Samoa)
Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne/New Zealand)
David Smith (Toulon)
Forwards (18) –
Matias Diaz (Pampas/Argentina)
Jason Eaton (La Rochelle/New Zealand)
Deon Fourie (Lyon)
Shane Jennings (Leinster/Ireland)
Pablo Matera (Pampas/Argentina)
Konstantin Mikautadze (Toulon/Georgia)
Ryu Koliniasi Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights/Japan)
Adam Jones (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
Rodrigo Capo Ortega (Castres Olympique/Uruguay)
George Smith (Lyon/Australia)
Saimone Taumoepeau (Castres Olympique/New Zealand)
Rodrigo Tejerizo (Tucuman/Argentina)
Brad Thorn (Leicester Tigers/New Zealand)
Gerhard Vosloo (Toulon)
David Ward (Harlequins)
Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs/England)
George Whitelock (Panasonic Wild Knights/New Zealand)
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