Adam Brynes

[Buddha Handy]

I thought this was interesting. He will be coming up against the Wallabies.



Melbourne Rebels lock Adam Byrnes has been named in the Russia squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The 30-year-old qualifies for the country through his maternal grandparents, who moved to Australia from the Soviet Union following World War II.

Byrnes made himself available to play for the Bears earlier this season and impressed during a recent training camp to make the 30-man squad, reduced from an initial 50.

He is expected to play his first game in Russian colours when they take on British club Gloucester in a trial on Friday.

The World Cup adventure is sure to add to Byrnes' reputation as a journeyman, having debuted in Super Rugby at the relatively late age of 27 for Queensland in 2009.

Prior to that he enjoyed a successful stint with Irish club Leinster and played for the Reds before linking up with the Rebels for their inaugural campaign under Rod Macqueen.

Byrnes played nine matches in Melbourne colours this season and becomes the fourth Rebel to earn World Cup selection after Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor and Nick Phipps.

He is likely to come up against at least one of that triumvirate when Russia takes on Australia at Nelson on October 1.

Russia World Cup squad: Denis Anotonov, Vladimir Botvinnikov, Adam Byrnes, Artem Fatakhov, Andrey Garbuzov, Viatcheslav Grachev, Victor Gresev, Alexander Kkrokin, Vladislav Korshunov, Evgenii Matveev, Andrey Ostrikov, Sergey Popov, Ivan Prischchepenko, Mikhail Sidorov, Alexey Travkin, Valeriy Tsnobiladze, Alexander Voytov, Vasily Artemyev, Mikhail Babaev, Andrey Bykanov, Igor Galinovskiy, Igor Klyuchnikov, Yury Kushnarev, Andrey Kuzin, Alexey Makovetskiy, Vladimir Ostroushko, Konstantin Rachkov, Alexander Shakirov, Denis Simplikevich, Alexander Yanyushkin

[Ecky]

Good squad, that.

I hear Alex and Andrey are quite handy.

[brokendown gunfighter]

couple of suprises in that squad if you look carefully;though i agree' Alex and Andrey look the goods
Alexander Jerkov can consider himself unlucky

[Burgs]

Hope Adam isn't doing the lineout calls!

A good couple of Rebelmen in Beale and O'Connor in the Wallabies...
If he is now a Ruski doesn't he then have to be an OS player?

[Hansie]

Keep an eye out for Popov in the set pieces...very explosive off the mark...

I bet Fatakov is a Prop and Yanyushkin a vegetarian.

[Sheikh]

From what I've heard:

Botvinnikov likes the sauce
Ostrikov is pretty quick
Shakirov can sing
and I think I'm related to Kuzin

[travelling_gerry]

oochin harosho

[shasta]

If he is now a Ruski doesn't he then have to be an OS player?

An interesting technicality Burgs. But I'd imagine in this case and any others that might arise the country of birth and permanent residence should be ruled and exception.

[Ecky]

Alexander Jerkov can consider himself unlucky

I heard he prefers playing on his own

oochin harosho

Gesundheit

[Burgs]

An interesting technicality Burgs. But I'd imagine in this case and any others that might arise the country of birth and permanent residence should be ruled and exception.

Considering the mandate of Australian Super Rugby, thin edge of the wedge though, don't you think?

[shasta]

Considering the mandate of Australian Super Rugby, thin edge of the wedge though, don't you think?

Maybe not. Surely the ARU briefs can come up with the necessary wording. I reckon Super Rubgy's got more than just that one mandate as a stand alone entity. There should be exceptions for people born and raised here to still qualify. I'd have some problems seeing an OZ player, not good enough for the Wallabies, have to give up a RWC chance just to keep his day job.

The real answer is to get rid of the IRB grandfather clause.

[Burgs]

Yeah, I'm possibly a bit more of a purest than you there shasta (I'll put that down to the dirty mungo blood in ya ) While we retain any form of provincial pathway, my prefered position would be to see 5 x 30 Wallaby eligible players.
If that is to be watered down at all then am more than happy to see the Internationals as second and third Tier players though, so long as it is a level playing field (numbers) for each province.

[palitu]

i think it is great that he plays. Perhaps there could be aclaue that says that once you are in super rugby, then you qualify for another nations test team, you should be able to stay in aussie super rugby, but if you leave (ie france/japan), you cannot come back unless you are a marquee.