Bowe Added To Barbarians Squad
Ulster, Ireland and Lions winger Tommy Bowe is the latest Ulster player to be named in the Barbarians squad for their upcoming November tour.
Tommy Bowe will join up with his fellow Ulster team-mates Ruan Pienaar and Dan Tuohy for the eagerly-anticipated showdown with Fiji at the home of Ulster Rugby, Kingspan Stadium, on Friday week (November 11) (kick-off 7.35pm).
The top try scorer in PRO12 history, Bowe boasts an impressive CV that has seen him capped 139 times for Ulster and 67 times for Ireland.
At international level, the Monaghan man has won three RBS 6 Nations titles with Ireland, including the famous Grand Slam in 2009, and was also awarded the Player of the Championship honour in 2010. Bowe has represented the British & Irish Lions on two tours, making a indelible scoring impression in South Africa in 2009 and again in Australia four years later.
Barbarians coaches Robbie Deans and Will Greenwood have announced a 28-man squad for their three-game series, which will begin this Saturday against South Africa at Wembley. The Baa Baas will then travel to Prague to play the Czech Republic on Tuesday, November 8, before completing their tour against Fiji at Kingspan Stadium three days later.
The impressive looking squad features Test players from four nations, including New Zealand World Cup winners Ben Franks and Andy Ellis, as well as fellow All Blacks Seta Tamanivalu and Luke Whitelock.
They will be joined by Australian internationals Sam Carter, Luke Morahan, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Paddy Ryan and Toby Smith. Ulster supporters will have plenty to cheer for with Pienaar, Tuohy and Bowe lining out for the famous invitational side on their province’s home ground.
The flying Fijians will be captained by Montpellier back rower Akapusi Qera and their roster also includes Olympic Sevens gold medalists Josua Tuisova, Leone Nakarawa and Vatemo Ravouvou. Tuisova, who has been starring on the wing for Toulon, is set to make his international debut at Kingspan Stadium.
There are also a number of other big names among the squad including scrum half Nikola Matawalu, who joined Bath in 2015 following four seasons at Glasgow Warriors, and Montpellier’s try-scoring sensation Nemani Nodolo.
Tickets to the Barbarians v Fiji match at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, are priced from just £20 for adults and £12 for juniors, and are available to purchase online at www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets or by calling the Ulster Rugby Ticket Office on (028) 9049 3222.
Supporters can save up to 25% on Student & Family Tickets. Group bookings and hospitality packages are also available.
BARBARIANS SQUAD BIOGRAPHIES:
Ruan Ackermann (Lions) Flanker, 20, 1.93m, 108kg
Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs) Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Tommy Bowe (Ulster & Ireland) Winger, 32, 1.90m, 100kg
Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia) Lock, 27, 2.01m, 116kg
Robert du Preez (Stormers) Out-half, 23, 1.92m, 96kg
Andy Ellis (Crusaders/Kobelco & New Zealand), Scrum half, 32, 1.76m, 86kg
Matt Faddes (Highlanders) Centre, 24, 1.85m, 93kg
Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes) Lock, 24, 1.99m, 106kg
Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand) Prop, 32, 1.85m, 130kg
Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes) Prop, 24, 1.84m, 112kg
Richard Mo’unga (Crusaders) Out-half, 22, 1.76m, 83kg
Luke Morahan (Force & Australia) Winger, 27, 1.88m, 95kg
Martin Muller (Lions), Lock, 28, 1.98m, 110kg
Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs/Panasonic & Australia) Winger, 24, 1.94m, 123kg
Melani Nanai (Blues) Winger/Full-back, 23, 1.94m, 90kg
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa) Scrum half, 31, 1.87m, 92kg
Andrew Ready (Reds) Hooker, 23, 1.80m, 107kg
Paddy Ryan (Waratahs & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.89m, 120kg
Brad Shields (Hurricanes) Flanker, 25, 1.93m, 111kg
Toby Smith (Rebels & Australia) Prop, 28, 1.90m, 115kg
Kwagga Smith (Lions) Flanker, 23, 1.80m, 90kg
Nic Stirzaker (Rebels) Scrum half, 25, 1.79m, 83kg
Seta Tamanivalu (Crusaders & New Zealand) Centre, 24, 1.89m, 104kg
Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) Flanker, 24, 1.89m, 108kg
Dan Tuohy (Ulster & Ireland) Lock, 31, 1.96m, 119kg
Akker van der Merwe (Lions) Hooker, 25, 1.78m, 108kg
Schalk van der Merwe (Montpellier) Prop, 25, 1.84m, 105kg
Luke Whitelock (Highlanders & New Zealand) Number 8, 25, 1.90m, 104kg