Brumbies to play Australian Barbarians

The match will signify the first of a pair of trial matches for the Brumbies with a trip to Mudgee on February 4 to play the Waratahs their other scheduled hit-out before the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens (February 11-12).

Having been in training since mid-November, the match will give a number of players the chance to show their talents and give head coach Stephen Larkham a selection headache of the good kind come Round One.

"After several weeks on the training fields it will be nice for the team to get out and play a proper match in the form of this friendly," Larkham told brumbies.com.au.

"We only have two trial matches before the start of the season, as well as the Global Rugby Tens, and it's important for the team to get the opportunity to play XV-a-side rugby in a competitive environment.

"Matches against the Australian Barbarians are usually exciting affairs and, with players putting their hands up for a starting spot in the first round of Super Rugby, it’s an important part of our preparation.

"We have a number of new recruits for the 2017 Super Rugby season and this game will enable them to put into practice what they have been learning during pre-season."

The Australian Barbarians, nicknamed the 'BaaBaas', is an invitational Rugby Union team which has been a major part of Australian rugby since the team was founded in 1957. It is made up of the best non-contracted Super Rugby players in the country and is famed for its open approach to matches.

Over the course of their existence the Australian Barbarians have scored famous wins over France (26-24, 1997), Scotland (39-34, 1998), Fiji (31-25, 1999) and most recently a Canada XV (38-14, 2011)

Source: brumbies.com.au