Baabaas Squad v. England

[Blue]

http://www.keo.co.za/2011/05/24/baabaas-call-up-ruan-big-joe/#more-79492

BaaBaas call up Ruan, Big Joe

24 May 2011

Ruan Pienaar and Joe van Niekerk have been included in the Barbarians 26-man squad to face England and Wales over the next fortnight.

The Barbarians squad is only made up of European-based players, with most of them coming from the French Top 14.

Utility back Pienaar and No 8 Van Niekerk are the only South Africans in the squad, while SA-born Italian international lock Quintin Geldenhuys is also included. Other big names in the group are Italy captain Sergio Parisse, former Wallabies flank George Smith and Toulon’s rugby league convert Willie Mason.

The Barbarians face England this Sunday (29 May) and then tackle Wales the following weekend on Saturday (4 June).

Barbarians squad:

Backs – Benoit Baby (Clermont), Mathieu Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Doug Howlett (Munster), Brock James (Clermont), Nicolas Jeanjean (Brive), Willie Mason (Toulon), Frederic Michalak (Toulouse), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), Seru Rabini (La Rochelle), Paul Sackey (Toulon), Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres), Tim Visser (Edinburgh).

Forwards – Sebastien Bruno (Toulon), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Carl Hayman (Toulon), Davit Kubriashvili (Toulon), Erik Lund (Biarritz), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), George Smith (Toulon), Iosefa Tekori (Castres), Iestyn Thomas (Scarlets), Paul Tito (Cardiff Blues), Joe van Niekerk (Toulon), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues).

Willie Mason. This is going to be entertaining, unless of course they figure out in the first 30 seconds of training that he is fucking clueless and tell him to fook off.

Nice squad otherwise.

 

[Sully]

What on earth does Mason think he is doing claiming to be a centre.

 

[#1 Tah]

ahhh remember this?


[video=youtube;qvwIGvfdsVs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvwIGvfdsVs[/video]

 

[Cat_A]

He has no change of pace, no ability to change direction, he's shown little to no awareness of running lines...

He played alongside rugby league's best halfback at the Bulldogs and the Cowboys. He got by as a strong runner at the Bulldogs (although certainly not a noted ball-player), he cocked around at the Cowboys doing sweet F-all, and now he's a centre?

I believe he's comparing himself to SBW. SBW has a notoriously good training ethic. Mason does not. SBW has always been known as a gifted athlete. Mason has always been simply "Big Willie". I could go on and on...

 

[qwerty51]

It's a brilliant move to include Mason. It's now a comedy, not just entertainment.

 

[Gnostic]

Brock James, I will be intersted to see how he goes. I always thought it a pity he had no real chance in Oz. How ironic that Barnes is now the prefered 10 in NSW and they play a conservative game plan. A 10 like Malone, Parks or James would have been perfect with a running distributing 12.

 

[tigerland12]

Strong BaaBaa's side when you look at it. Parisse, Smith,Howlett, Pienaar, Bastareud. But Mason? What the hell does that bone head think he could possibly achieve in union, he will get turned inside out by quicker players

 

[Piglet]

Willie Mason? Has he even played a game of rugby yet? He is one of the most one-dimensional league players I have ever watched; his only attribute in the NRL was his size.

Who is responsible for picking the Baa Baas team? They must have rocks in their heads.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

He has no change of pace, no ability to change direction, he's shown little to no awareness of running lines...
.

Settle down, he's not Tom Carter

 

[bryce]

I think I've said this before about Mason, but I remember him being clumsy and fairly slow for a league prop. Williams is on a different planet in terms of athleticism and skill.

 

[Epi]

ahhh remember this?

Mate - ever heard of drawing a long bow?

 

[Bowside]

I hope the reds do that to sonny bill on the weekend. Hit him as he touches the ball.

Even then you could see his potential though.

 

[Viking]

haha fuck didnt even know Willie left league to play union. Its not the smartest rugby move by the baa baa's but geeezzzz i want to see this game now just to see Willie get owned! So must be a marketing move!

 

[Larno]

Good Baabaa forward pack. Not so sure about the backs, especially Mason (ostensibly as an inside centre I think?).

The England squad is quite interesting and full of younger blokes:

England Squad v Barbarians:

Forwards: Dave Attwood (Gloucester Rugby), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester Rugby), Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks), James Gaskell (Sale Sharks), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matthew Mullan (Worcester Warriors), Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby), David Paice (London Irish)

Backs: Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Rory Clegg (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)

A good chance to scope some of the potential Pom ogres of the furture this one.

 

[Lee Grant]

Brock James, I will be intersted to see how he goes. I always thought it a pity he had no real chance in Oz. How ironic that Barnes is now the prefered 10 in NSW and they play a conservative game plan. A 10 like Malone, Parks or James would have been perfect with a running distributing 12.

James has had a terrific season for Clermont. Since his goal kicking yips a year ago Parra has been taking the kicks for the club and I think it's no coincidence that James running with ball in hand and defence has improved out of recognition. If he were French he would have been picked ahead of Skrela on Top14 form in the RWC squad if one didn't take Skrela's test experience into account.

He would be better than Parks on a similar measure (ignoring the test record of Compass) and Malone wouldn't enter into it.

James can play a conservative game but he knows how to launch a backline; just ask any Clermont fan.

That is an interesting England A team. Joe Marler is a good young LHP with one of the best long binds in the business and the worst hairdos.

 

[Lee Grant]

The Baas team looked a bit funny at first: mostly folks playing in Europe of course, but there was something else.

They're nearly all players who won't be playing in the RWC. Parisse will be there and Pienaar may be, plus players from minor nations like Kubriashvili of Georgia, but in the main there are not as many contenders for a starting game with their nation as would usually be the case.

A pity that Schalk Brits was not chosen. He has been in cracking form for Sarries and will be missed by them next year. Huia Edmonds won't quite answer as a replacement though he likes an expansive game also.

 

[daz]

He has no change of pace, no ability to change direction, he's shown little to no awareness of running lines...

He played alongside rugby league's best halfback at the Bulldogs and the Cowboys. He got by as a strong runner at the Bulldogs (although certainly not a noted ball-player), he cocked around at the Cowboys doing sweet F-all, and now he's a centre?

I believe he's comparing himself to SBW. SBW has a notoriously good training ethic. Mason does not. SBW has always been known as a gifted athlete. Mason has always been simply "Big Willie". I could go on and on...

Way to go, CAT A. Firing on all cylinders with your recent posts. I like the way you think, sir.

 

[Lee Grant]

The Baas should do well. There's nothing better than having a Big Willie.

 

[Toby Lerone]

Schalk's not chosen because Saracens play in the Premiership final the day before, otherwise he would have been brilliant to watch in this game.
I'm pretty sure Brits is staying with Sarries next year, he signed a contract extension with them about 6 months ago.

Huia Edmonds isn't joining them anymore, the deal fell through: Saracens have instead secured the services of John Smit on an 18 month contract, which will be officially confirmed by him once the Sharks season is over, but it's a done deal that he's coming to join them.

 

[dobduff11]

The squad versus the Baa Baas has the form players in England in it, without the regulars of course but I look forward to seeing them play.

Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints) Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks), James Gaskell (Sale Sharks),Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Rory Clegg (Quins) and Henry Trinder (Glos).

These guys have all come through the U20's/21's since 2008 I think along with Ben Youngs, Joe Simpson, Freddie Burns and a few other standouts.

Played against Gaskell in a sevens tourny two years ago and for a 4/6 the guy is rapid. Promising future.

The best back i think is Trinder,13, has had a quality year and has got everything you want in a 13. Our version of Rob Horne you could say "ish".