12 Aussies to face Samoa in rugby clash

Twelve Australians have been selected in the Barbarians team to give Samoa a Rugby World Cup warm up match in London on Saturday.

Having missed the cut for Australia’s World Cup squad, recent Wallabies squad members Christian Leali’ifano and Taqele Naiyaravoro head the list for the first rugby match to be played in London’s Olympic Stadium – which will host five World Cup matches including the third place playoff.

They’re joined by Australian backs Luke Burgess, Tom English, Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley and Ben Tapuai plus forwards Saia Fainga’a, Liam Gill, Luke Jones, Benn Robinson and Tolu Latu.

The Barbarians team has four World Cup winners in New Zealand’s Ali Williams and Adam Thomson and South Africa’s Bakkies Botha and Wynand Olivier.

Samoa begin their World Cup Pool B campaign against the United States in Brighton, with the Pacific Islanders facing South Africa, Scotland and Japan in their remaining group matches.

Barbarians squad to play Samoa:-

Backs

Luke Burgess (Zebre/AUS), Tom English (Melbourne Rebels), Nic Groom (Stormers), Mike Harris (Melbourne Rebels/AUS), Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies/AUS), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Glasgow), Wynand Olivier (Montpellier/RSA), Dom Shipperley (Melbourne Rebels), Dwayne Sweeney (Munakata Sanix Blues), Ben Tapuai (Western Force/AUS), Paul Williams (Stade Francais/SAM)

Forwards

Bakkies Botha (RSA), Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds/AUS), Liam Gill (Queensland Reds/AUS), Carl Hayman (NZL), Joshua Hohneck (Highlanders), Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels), Tolu Latu (Waratahs), Jacques Potgieter (Munakata Sanix Blues/RSA), Benn Robinson (Waratahs/AUS), Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls/RSA), Adam Thomson (Queensland Reds/NZL), Kyle Traynor (Bristol/SCO), Maks van Dyke (Cheetahs), Ali Williams (NZL)

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