AUSTRALIAN BARBARIANS TO TACKLE ENGLAND IN PERTH

[RugbyWA]

The seventh Rugby World Cup might still be over a year away, but Australiaâ??s progress towards that tournament will take an important step when the Australian Barbarians clash with England at ME Bank Stadium on Tuesday, 8 June.

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[AndyS]

Deans will coach the Australian Barbarians line-up, which will include a mix of established Test players and some of the country’s up-and-coming stars.

Not only will they be playing for a future role in Deans’ plans, the Barbarians players will also have the opportunity to push for places in the Qantas Wallabies Test side that faces England and Ireland through June in the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.

“Players from our Test night squad will be involved for the Barbarians,” Deans says.

“These games are critical development tools for us, on the way to the Rugby World Cup, but there is also the small matter of winning, and that’s important. The players will be representing their country – in this instance in the form of the Australian Barbarians – and they won’t be going out there to finish second! Neither, I would imagine, will England.”

Wow, doesn't that sound exactly like Australia A then, just without the inconvenient player payment issues?

[Sheikh]

Maybe we should shout 'Carn Australia A' during the match, then.