Potgieter adds muscle to BaaBaas
The invitation club will face Samoa on Saturday in a historic fixture – the first rugby match to be staged at London's Olympic Stadium.
Saturday's match will both act as a warm-up for Samoa ahead of their involvement in the 2015 World Cup in England and allow officials a 'dry run' for when the Olympic Stadium stages five matches during the showpiece tournament – including the third place play-off.
Before the squad was finalised on Monday the BaaBaas had already confirmed that four World Cup winners will feature in the game – All Blacks Ali Williams and Adam Thomson, 2011 winners with New Zealand, as well as Springboks Bakkies Botha and Wynand Olivier, who won the Web Ellis Cup with South frica in 2007.
Potgieter, who spent the last two seasons with the 2014 Super Rugby champion Waratahs, played three Tests for the Boks in 2012.
The 29-year-old loose forward will join the Sharks in Durban in 2016 – when Super Rugby expands to an 18-team competition.
Monday's additions include several other high-profile and international players.
Discarded Wallaby prop Benn Robinson, who has 72 Tests to his name since his debut in 2006, will add further muscle to the pac.
Behind the scrum, there are four Wallabies – scrumhalf Luke Burgess, flyhalf Mike Harris, as well as centres Christian Lealiifano and Ben Tapuai.
Discarded Samoan fullback Paul Williams, now with Paris-based Stade Francais, will get a chance to impress against is compatriots in a squad totalling 545 international caps.
Williams's father, New Zealand wing great Bryan, played against the Barbarians in what is considered to be the invitational side's greatest match when a star-studded team beat the All Blacks 23-11 in Cardiff – a match that featured a try by legendary Wales scrum-half Gareth Edwards often acclaimed as the best in rugby history.
Samoa begin their World Cup Pool B campaign against the United States in Brighton, on England's south coast, with the Pacific Islanders facing South Africa, Scotland and Japan in their remaining group matches.
Barbarians squad:
Backs: Luke Burgess (Zebre/Australia), Tom English (Melbourne Rebels), Nic Groom (Stormers), Mike Harris (Melbourne Rebels/Australia), Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies/Australia), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Glasgow), Wynand Olivier (Montpellier/South Africa), Dom Shipperley (Melbourne Rebels), Dwayne Sweeney (Munakata Sanix Blues), Ben Tapuai (Western Force/Australia), Paul Williams (Stade Francais/Samoa).
Forwards: Bakkies Botha (South Africa), Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds/Australia), Liam Gill (Queensland Reds/Australia), Carl Hayman (New Zealand), Joshua Hohneck (Highlanders), Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels), Tolu Latu (Waratahs), Jacques Potgieter (Munakata Sanix Blues/South Africa), Benn Robinson (Waratahs/Australia), Pierre Spies (Montpellier/South Africa), Adam Thomson (Queensland Reds/New Zealand), Kyle Traynor (Bristol/SCO), Nicolaas van Dyk (Cheetahs), Ali Williams (New Zealand).
Date: Saturday, August 29
Venue: Olympic Stadium, London
Kick-off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT; 03.00, Sunday, August 30 Samoan time)
Referee: Johnny Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Gregory Garner (England), Paul Dix (England)
TMO: Sean Davey (England)
Who is about to join them..? A few hail from land of Karl Kennedy David Warner&Crocodile Dundee #rugby #rugbyunited pic.twitter.com/i56fXQRvPW
— Barbarian FC (@Barbarian_FC) August 24, 2015
