Jones happy to have 'winners' in his team
PREVIEW – BAABAAS V FIJI: In the wake of the serious and intense nature of the World Cup, the focus switches to some fun this week.
The famous Barbarians club hosts a Fijian selection at Twickenham on Saturday – the first of three matches for the invitation side.
It is followed by matches against Brazil in Sao Paulo next Wednesday, November 20, before the BaaBaas conclude their festivities against Wales in Cardiff on November 30.
England coach Eddie Jones will take charge of the Barbarians at Twickenham this week.
His assistant with England, former All Black coach John Mitchell, will work with Jones for the Fiji game and he then takes charge for the second match against Brazil.
Warren Gatland will say farewell to Wales when he coaches the BaaBaas in Cardiff.
However, for Jones it is an opportunity to work with some of the players he faced in the World Cup Final – when the Springboks destroyed England 32-12 in Yokohama last weekend.
South African World Cup winners Tendai Mtawarira, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi are in Jones’ Barbarians squad for this Cup match.
The England coach said he was looking forward to working with ‘winners’.
* Watch as Eddie Jones talks about coaching the BaaBaas …
“I think Bobby Robson had that great saying: ‘There is one happy dressing room and one sad dressing room and you want to be in the happy dressing room as much as you can, but if you are in the sad dressing room you appreciate the happiness the other team has’,” Jones told a media briefing in London.
“It is wonderful those guys want to come and play for the Barbarians.
“We have three of them and it’s nice to see they want to give something back to the game.
“These Barbarians games are about giving something back to the rugby community.
“We have already got 50,000 people coming on Saturday, which is terrific, and we want to play well and put on a really good performance.”
Jones said he has a great mix of experience in the team, as well as some of the younger ones coming through.
“I’m excited to see how the guys are building this team.
“We’ve had a great week so far and now I’m looking forward to getting out there and having a good game of rugby against an exciting Fiji side.”
John Mitchell, who is also England’s defence coach, was also reluctant to talk about the events in Japan.
“It’s the past,” Mitchell said.
“Naturally people are disappointed and that is life. You feel for the boys because they put so much into it, but you’ve got to find a way to move forward,” Mitchell added.
“You always have to find a way to move forward in life so we’re very fortunate to come into an environment like this where it’s all about why you love the game.”
For Fiji it is an opportunity to test some of their young talented players in an ‘international’ atmosphere.
Almost three-quarter of the squad are all locally based and made up the bulk of the Fijian Drua squad that played in Australia’s National Rugby Championship last month.
There are also a few from New Zealand provinces.
Eroni Mawi, Frank Lomani, Veremalua Vugakoto and Mosese Voka are the only World Cup players who’ll be part of the team, as the rest have to return to their European clubs.
Fijian scrumhalf Frank Lomani explained how this match will be effective for the players saying that it’s an opportunity to be exposed to high level of competition.
“Its good that we have our boys from Drua to be part of this team and to experience high intense game at another level where we’ll develop from,” Lomani said, adding that they are a high-paced outing.
“We know what they’ll bring, this is going to be a fast pace game, they will run this game at a fast pace and we will have to keep up at this pace, we will try and counter their pace and play our style of rugby.”
Lomani highlighted that the main focus is on their play and executing it on the field, also on the Fijian style of chaotic play which might be an entertaining spectacle to this game.
“They have some World Cup winners in their squad, It just what we’re known for, fast pace and running game with offloads.”
The two teams last met in November 2016, when the Barbarians beat Fiji 40-7 at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.
Teams:
Barbarians: 15 David Havili, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Pete Samu, 5 Tyler Ardon, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 Campese Ma’afu, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Angus Cottrell, 20 Matt Philip, 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Lukhanyo Am, 23 Morné Steyn.
Fiji squad:
Forwards: Eroni Mawi, Joeli Veitayaki, Ratu Veremalua Vugakoto, Tevita Ikanivere, Samuela Tawake, Mosese Ducivaki, Temo Mayanavanua, Tevita Naqali, Sikeli Nabou, Viliame Rarasea, Mosese Voka, Johnny Dyer, Saimoni Uluinakauvadra, Eremasi Radrodro.
Backs: Frank Lomani, Peni Matawalu, Teti Tela, Jone Manu, Caleb Muntz, Juita Wainiqolo, Tira Patterson, Eroni Sau, Patrick Osbourne, Cyril Reece, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Apisalome Vota, Enele Malele, Osea Waqa, Serupepeli Vularika.
Date: Saturday, November 16
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 14.30 (14.30 GMT; 03.30, Sunday, November 17 Fiji time)
Referee: Tom Foley (England)
Assistant referees: Simon Harding (England), Dean Richards (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
