Boshoff to bolster BaaBaas

 

Boshoff joins a list of New Zelanders who were added to the squad on Monday along side a large South African contingent that were added earlier in the month.

 

All Blacks Adam Thomson, Francis Saili and Frank Halai have all been added to the squad to facing Australia and Leicester Tigers in November,

 

The 2011 World Cup winning flank Thomson – who will play for Queensland Reds in Super Rugby next year – is joined by exciting Blues centre Saili and giant Blues wing Halai in the squad for the match on November 1.

 

Head coach John Kirwan has also called up young fullback Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs) and wing Patrick Osborne (Highlanders) as well as the Highlanders’ Japanese international scrum half Fumiaki Tanaka.

 

Added to the forwards are two hookers in the shape of veteran Samoa international Mo Schwalger (Chiefs) and the Blues’ James Parsons.

 

Earlier this month the Barbarians confirmed the recruitment of Australia wing Nick Cummins and seven South Africa based players in props Matt Stevens, CJ Van der Linde, Coenie Oosthuizen and Thomas du Toit, and loose forwards Michael Rhodes, Jacques Botes and Heinrich Brussow.

 

Blues' coach Kirwan had stated his intention to add young players chasing Test call-ups and Saili and Nanai-Williams are both backs who have impressed for their respective franchises this year.

 

Halai – capped by New Zealand in 2013 – and Osborne also fit the bill as powerful wings who will take the game to the Wallabies along with Cummins, who has a cult following among Australian fans.

 

"Big Frank Halai is a real excitement machine and it’s the same with Francis Saili – the wings are bigger than the locks,” said Kirwan. 

 

“We’ve also got Nick Cummins operating in a roving role out wide. The Badge can do what he wants!"

 

More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the Barbarians v Australia match for the Killik Cup on November 1.