Preview: Barbarians v Wallabies

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Rugby Union. Barbarians v Wallabies

MORE: Kiwis dominate Barbarians squad | Who do the Wallabies play on the Spring tour? Deans fears for Beale

What: Barbarians v Australia 
When: Sunday, November 2 – 1:30am (AEDT) 
Where: Twickenham Stadium. 
I can view it on: Fox Sports/Channel 10
 
What did they do last time?

The Barbarians beat a youthful England side 39-29 at Twickenham on their most recent outing on June 1 at Twickenham.

The Wallabies blew a golden chance to beat the All Blacks in Bledisloe III, blowing a 10-point lead to go down 29-28 in Ewen McKenzie's last game as national coach.


ARU President David Crombie shakes hands with Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie following The Rugby Championship match between the Australian Wallabies. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
 
Things you need to know

The Barbarians have named a 23-man squad that includes former Wallaby winger Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins. The Wallabies winger, who now plays in Japan, is joined in the starting side by no less than 10 New Zealanders. All Blacks flyhalf Colin Slade, who kicked the winning conversion after the siren in Bledisloe III, is among the Kiwi contingent that also includes Steven Luatua (Blues), Matt Todd (Crusaders) and explosive full-back Tim Nanai Williams (Chiefs). Former Scotland captain Alastair Kellock will lead the side as one of two northern-hemisphere representatives in the starting line-up – England prop Matt Stevens is the other. South African cnetre Juan de Jongh and Argentine scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli are the other non-Kiwi starters.

New Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has made 11 changes to the starting side that suffered a 29-28 loss to the All Blacks in Ewen McKenzie's last game in charge. Scott Higginbotham shifts from number eight to blindside flanker for the injured Scott Fardy (knee) in the only forced change. Israel Folau, Tevita Kuridrani, Saia Fainga'a and Sam Carter are the only survivors from the run-on side for Bledisloe III. Will Genia and Quade Cooper get their chance to impress in the halves while Fijian born winger will make his Australian debut on the wing. Force flanker Matt Hodgson will captain the side for Michael Hooper who has been rested. The Wallabies face Wales, France, Ireland and England in Tests after their tour opener against the Baa Baas.


New Australian Wallabies rugby union coach Michael Cheika speaks as Australian Rugby Union (ARU) chief executive Bill Pulver during a press conference in Sydney. Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
 
Reason to watch

This is not an official Test match but it's Cheika's first game in charge of Australia. He turned things around at Leinster and the Waratahs to become the first coach to win both a European Cup and Super Rugby title. Can he fix the Wallabies – on and off the field – in the 11 months he has before the World Cup?
 
Reason to turn away

A loss this weekend would ultimately mean nothing in the grand scheme of things but it would make Cheika's job of restoring morale within the Wallabies a whole lot tougher ahead of Tests against Wales, France, Ireland and England.


Nick Cummins will be playing for the Barbarians for the first time. Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images
 
Say what

"It'll be great to be back at Twickenham where I got my first (try) and it'll be nice to run out against the boys and I'm sure there'll be some banter and some carry on. The preparation week might be different but what a great experience to be on both sides of the pitch," – former Wallaby Nick Cummins on playing against his country for the first time.
 
"We'll see what happens ... I'm confident in the guys we've got. It's not like there's any desperation or anything like that," – Michael Cheika on Beale's chances of getting a call-up as an injury replacement over the next five months.
 
Final instructions

After all the off-field drama that has unfolded over the past month the Wallabies couldn't be happier to be on the other side of the globe for five weeks. Coach Cheika hasn't had enough time to fully put his stamp on the team but he is a master motivator and his players will be desperate to make a good first impression this weekend. There are some quality players in the Bah Bahs line-up but they shouldn't get close to the Wallabies on the scoreboard if the visitors play like they did against the All Blacks last start. Wallabies by 15.


The Barbarians celebrate after beating England in June. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images
 
Teams

Barbarians: 15 Tim Nanai Williams (NZ), 14 Frank Halai (NZ), 13 Juan de Jongh (South Africa), 12 Francis Saili (NZ), 11 Nick Cummins (Australia), 10 Colin Slade (NZ), 9 Tomas Cubellil (Argentina), 8. Stephen Luatua (NZ), 7. Matt Todd (NZ), 6. Adam Thomson (NZ), 5. Alastair Kellock (Scotland), 4. Dominic Bird (NZ), 3. Angus Ta'avao (NZ), 2. James Parsons (NZ), 1. Matt Stevens (England).

 Reserves: 16. Mahonri Schwalger (Samoa), 17. Thomas Du Toit (South Africa), 18 Lourens Adriaanse (South Africa), 19 Heinrich Brussow (South Africa), 20 Matias Alemanno (Argentina), 21 Sarel Pretorius (South Africa), 22 Joaquin Tuculet (Argentina), 23 Marnitz Boshoff (South Africa).

Wallabies: Benn Robinson, 2. Saia Fainga'a, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. Sam Carter, 5. James Horwill, 6. Scott Higginbotham, 7. Matt Hodgson, 8. Ben McCalman, 9. Will Genia, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Rob Horne, 12. Matt Toomua, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Henry Speight, 15. Israel Folau.

Reserves: James Hanson, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, Sean McMahon, Nic White, Bernard Foley, hristian Leali'ifano, Joe Tomane.

 

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