Simon Shaw marked his Barbarians debut with a win over South Africa at Lansdowne Road 17 years ago and this weekend he is hoping for a repeat performance against the Australians at Twickenham Stadium.
The veteran British & Irish Lions and England lock launched his Baa-Baas career in sensational style with a 23-15 triumph over the Springboks at Lansdowne Road on 3 December, 1994, and in his first appearance for the club in six years he is chasing another major scalp.
Joining him in the Baa-Baas boiler-house will be Springbok legend Victor Matfield, the man he went toe-to-toe in the second and third Tests for the Lions in South Africa in 2009, in one of the most experienced second row pairings the game has ever seen.
At 38, Shaw will be the senior partner in terms of age – Matfield is a mere 34 – but the Springbok great, who will be playing his final game at the home of English rugby, has 110 caps to Shaw’s 73 for England and the Lions.
Matfield will lead the invitation side in a game in which he hopes to match the achievement of leading them to victory over New Zealand in 2009. Joining him in that quest will be former Australian skipper Stirling Mortlock and Kiwi World Cup winners Kevin Mealamu and Jerome Kaino.
The game will also give English champions Saracens’ new signing Sam Tompkins his first taste of rugby union action. The Wigan rugby league star will figure on the right wing in a back line that will see former England outside half Danny Cipriani looking to show he has lost none of his spark since moving to Melbourne rebels.
World Cup winning coaches Graham Henry and Steve Hansen will be looking to blend together players from 10 different nations. Barbarians (v Australia) 15 Isaia Toeva 14 Sam Tomkins 13 Robbie Fruean 12 Stirling Mortlock 11 Bryan Habana 10 Danny Cipriani 9 Peter Stringer 1 Eusebio Guinazu 2 Keven Mealamu 3 Sylvain Marconnet 4 Simon Shaw 5 Victor Matfield (captain) 6 Jerome Kaino 7 Mauro Bergamasco 8 Adam Thomson
Replacements 16 Adriaan Strauss 17 Salvatore Perugini 18 Jason White 19 Marco Bortolami 20 Nemia Kenatale 21 Richard Kahui 22 Seru Rabeni
