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Four Toulon stars named in Barbarians squad to face England XV

Toulon centre Malakai Fekitoa

Four Toulon stars have been named in the Barbarians squad that will face an England XV in Twickenham this June.

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Two of the four who accepted invitations to play in the Quilter Cup starred at Twickenham last season.

Wing Josua Tuisova and centre Malakai Fekitoa return to face an England XV after their devastating display in 2018 when they helped the famous invitation side to a record 63-45 win.

They will be joined by Wales and British & Irish Lions scrumhalf Rhys Webb and Fijian wing Filipo Nakosi — Tuisova’s brother — for the match on June 2.

The game is part of a historic double-header with the Barbarians’ women’s side taking on the Red Roses for the first time at 12.45pm.

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Fiji wing Tuisova — a sevens gold medallist at the 2016 Olympics — was the stand-out performer against England last season.

He made 214 metres, seven clean breaks, beat eight defenders and offloaded four times as well as providing try assists for Chris Ashton, Greig Laidlaw and Victor Vito.

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Fekitoa came off the bench that day while Webb and Nakosi will be making their first appearances in the famous black and white jersey.

Webb has first-hand experience of Barbarians games having featured for Wales in their 30-21 win over the Baa-baas in 2012.

“We’re delighted to have players of such high quality available for what promises to be another extremely competitive game,” said Barbarians chairman John Spencer.

“Last year’s side produced a record-breaking attacking display and with the Barbarians women’s side also in action against the Red Roses June 2 promises to be another historic day for the club.”

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Source England Rugby/Barbarians FC website

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GrahamVF 1 hour ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.


"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"


After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

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