Irish Players Ruled out of BABAs

[Thequeerone]

breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=236795930&p=z36796636&t=rugby

Leinster and Munster have issued a joint statement to state their players will not be available to represent The Barbarians against South Africa in Twickenham on December 1.

"Contrary to media reports, neither Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell or any of the selected squads from the Leinster or Munster panels will be available for selection for the upcoming Barbarians match against South Africa," the joint statement read.

"The Barbarians were notified of the players' unavailability for this fixture several weeks ago.

"Leinster travel to Musgrave Park to face Munster in the Magners League on the Friday, November 30."

It follows Premier Rugby's decision to instruct English clubs not to allow their players to accept invitations to play.

Previously, O'Driscoll had been named as captain of the team in a statement released by the Barbarians club more than two months ago.

Current Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan is scheduled to coach the side.

[Burgs]

I see a train wreck a-comin'...

[Burgs]

President Welcomes Gartmore Challenge Match

www.barbarianfc.co.uk

Barbarians president Micky Steele-Bodger has welcomed the sponsorship of Gartmore for the Barbarians against South Africa match at Twickenham on Saturday 1 December.

He said, "Gartmore have been very supportive of the Barbarians in the last four years and we are delighted that they have now added to their ongoing sponsorship of the Club by coming on board for what will be the Gartmore Challenge at Twickenham. We are all looking forward to the occasion and the match tremendously."
The Barbarian Football Club is lining up the cream of world rugby to play in the match. These include Jerry Collins and Sitiveni Sivivatu from New Zealand, Chris Latham, Matt Giteau and Rocky Elsom from Australia, and Juan Martin Hernandez and Mario Ledesmo from Argentina.
Stars from nearer home who have been invited include England’s Jason Robinson and Andrew Sheridan, French powerhouse Sebastien Chabal, and Martyn Williams and Tom Shanklin from Wales.
The match at Twickenham will be the Barbarians sixth fixture with South Africa. The Baa-Baas won 6-0 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1961 and 23-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin in 1994.
Tickets for the Gartmore Challenge Match are now available from www.Ticketmaster.co.uk, starting at £25.00

ABs set to play for Baa-Baas

Duncan Johnstone | November 7, 2007 - 11:32AM

Jerry Collins and Sitiveni Sivivatu may be joined by more All Blacks in the British Barbarians as the famous club looks to bolster their team to play world champions South Africa after a predictable fallout with the leading English clubs over the December 1 match at Twickenham.

The English clubs are doing their usual refusal to release their players for the match that wraps up a monumental year of international rugby.

That means the Barbarians, to be coached by Ireland's Eddie O'Sullivan, will be forced to look elsewhere for their talent.

They will find plenty of idle players in New Zealand although there could be a question mark over their match fitness.

The All Blacks players are on leave after their shock World Cup quarter-final exit. They are not expected to hook up with Super 14 franchises until January 7.

Workaholic loose forward Collins has been keeping himself fit by playing minor club rugby in England.

The All Blacks pair of Collins and wing Sivivatu are set to be joined by Wallabies Rocky Elsom, Chris Latham and Matt Giteau in the Barbarians side.

France's Sebastien Chabal has also been used in prematch publicity in Britain along with the talented Argentina pair of Juan Martin Hernandez and Mario Ledesmo.

England players Jason Robinson and Andrew Sheridan have also been mentioned although Sheridan's place will now be in doubt following the latest stance by the English clubs.

Premier Rugby, which represents the 12 Premiership clubs, has ruled that players cannot be released as the weekend has already been allocated for EDF Energy Cup fixtures, something they claim was communicated to the Baa-Baas.

"Playing one-off fixtures like that in the season isn't feasible," Premier Rugby chief Mark McCafferty told the BBC.

"They have to understand that during the season it is not possible these days. We have no stake or interest in that game.

"Our message to the Barbarians has been for some time that we are very willing to work with them on post-season games during the summer, but it's very difficult, if not impossible, for us to release players during the season for those sort of representative fixtures

"It's an EDF Energy weekend, one they are committed to. As far as the clubs are concerned the communication to the Barbarians has been that we cannot and won't release players for that game.

"We've had a number of discussions with the clubs over the last few weeks and are not expecting any of the English players to be released. They have enough pressures in terms of their club commitments.

"We do recognise the great cause of the Barbarians, the brand and the charitable causes they support. And we are prepared to work with them on the end-of-season games they traditionally have and on some of the tours they do - but they have to understand that during the season it's not possible."

The Barbarians v Springboks fixture promises to be an entertaining an emotional end to the World Cup year, marking Jake White's last match in charge of South Africa.

But he could be returning to Twickenham in different colours in the not-too-distant future with White the hot tip to take charge of the English national team.

The Springboks play Wales in Cardiff the week before.

It will be interesting to see if Waikato coach Warren Gatland, about to take over the Welsh side, has any involvement in a match that will be a useful hitout ahead of next year's Six Nations.

[prop53]

well after the world cup performance suppose they wont be missed