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Retired Western Force skipper Matt Hodgson is set to join Quade Cooper in Alan Jones' Barbarians squad to face the Wallabies in Sydney at the end of the month.
And the Barbarians side will pay homage to the Force, who have been banished from Super Rugby, by donning the doomed franchise's socks instead of the usual tradition in which players wear the colours of their individual club.
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As the Senate inquiry continues into the Australian Rugby Union's handling of Super Rugby's reduction to 15 teams, Jones told ESPN of his desire to remind Force players "they matter".
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Originally cagey in who would join Cooper in the black and white come October 28, Jones did confirm Hodgson's place and the Grand Slam-winning coach remains hopeful of securing a number of fringe Wallabies, too. ESPN understands a prominent Brumbies forward will also suit up for the Barbarians.
In an ironic twist, Hodgson captained the Wallabies when they last faced the Barbarians in 2014, a game that was Michael Cheika's first as Australia coach.
"I will tell you one thing, I want Matt Hodgson playing and he will play," Jones told ESPN. "And I'd like to think that young players like Billy Meakes, and those sorts of players, will get a Guernsey...but whether Michael [Cheika] now is going to say 'well, now I might pull him back'. So this has been a very difficult process I can assure you."
As is always the case with Barbarians sides, bringing a team together from a number of different clubs in less than a week won't be easy. But Jones plans to keep things relatively simple, which is one of the reasons he pushed hard for Cooper to play -- a move he says was cleared back as early as Bledisloe I.
Quade Cooper in action for Brisbane City in the NRC Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images"Now I know there was a lot of publicity last week about Quade and Quade mightn't be released and so on; now I would never choose a Wallaby without discussing it first with the Wallaby coach. That wouldn't be proper," Jones told ESPN.
"I discussed this with Michael on the eve of that last Bledisloe Cup Test here [in Sydney] and he indicated to me that Quade would be free and therefore I rang Quade and so on. So I don't know what all that hoopla was about. But there are other people in his [Cheika's] squad [that could play].
"Now it may well be that with his big match against the All Blacks on the Saturday previous and another match [Japan in Tokyo] which I sure think he could do without, after he plays us, that he [Cheika] may sort of rearrange things there and therefore there will be some players that we won't have. But I'm hopeful of giving young players a real chance."
The match between the Wallabies and Barbarians at Allianz Stadium has been dubbed "your match" with fans earlier this year picking the kick-off time among several other polls. Jones hoped the afternoon encounter would inspire some positivity for rugby in Australia after a turbulent year off the field, headed by the Force's dumping from Super Rugby.
Hodgo is going to play for Alan Jones and the Barbarians.
http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_...n-force-homage
Ah great news..
Wouldn't be surprised to see Pocock being named in the Barbarians as there aren't many prominent Brumbies forwards outside of the Wallabies.
Gee I don’t know Pocock, Hodgo and McCalman all played in the same back row with the Force to good effect. Good way to slow the ball down, reduce Genias effectiveness and put the wallabies centres on the back foot.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
Them three v Hooper, McMahon and Hannigan lol
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
It said PROMINENT forwards![]()
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
Well I'm gunna go back on my word for just one match and watch this one. Definitely going for baa baas.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
OK, let's think about this for a second.
Pocock, Hodgson and McCalman are a world class back row, but when you add Mick Ruru and Billy Meakes into the mix, that's five bodies who are looking to (and effective at) ripping the ball out of the ruck. They are up against seagull, nobody and a child, they're just going to get in each other's way!
C'mon the![]()
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Might have to find a bar in Honolulu to watch this...