By David Williams
Warren Gatland’s Wales side to face the Barbarians on Saturday will come face to face with at least seven players they met at the World Cup in France.
Scrum half Lautaro Bazan Velez came off the bench in the 29-17 quarter-final victory for Argentina over Wales in Marseille earlier this month, and half the Australian pack that met Wales in Lyon are also coming back for more.
They will want to put in a performance after their 40-6 defeat in Pool C against Jac Morgan’s men.
Head coach Eddie Jones, is marshalling the Baa-Baas troops, along with new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson are supported by Jamie Roberts, Mark Jones (Wales) and Will Greenwood (England).
Barbarians squad to face Wales on Saturday pic.twitter.com/JcTGM647oZ
— Mike Pearce Rugby (@MPsportsdragon) October 31, 2023
Prop Angus Bell and back row trio Rob Leota, Rob Valentini and Tom Hooper will have a point to prove.
They will be joined in the matchday squad in Cardiff on Saturday, 4 November by full back Andrew Kellaway and outside half Ben Donaldson.
Two more Wallabies have also been confirmed in the Baa-Baas line-up to play alongside their former skipper, Michael Hooper, and world rugby’s most capped player, Alun Wyn Jones.
Blockbusting cente Len Ikitau missed the World Cup due to a shoulder injury, while tight head prop Taniela Tupou was injured in France and missed the game against Wales.
There are three New Zealand caps heading to the Welsh capital – loose head prop Joe Moody, who played against Wales in the 2019 World Cup Bronze Final, the six-cap Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua and winger Shaun Stevenson.
The latest Scrum V Podcast is out! 🎧@laurenemmaj and @rhys_patch catch up with @LeighHalfpenny1 before his final Wales game against the Barbarians on Saturday 🏉
Listen on @BBCSounds 📲#BBCRugby
— BBC ScrumV (@BBCScrumV) October 31, 2023
Also joining the party will be Ospreys skipper Justin Tipuric.
The match is an opportunity for supporters to say ‘diolch a hawl fawr’ to a string of Welsh legends retiring from international rugby from Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny who announced his retirement last week.
https://twitter.com/JaunNews/status/1719547224785391845?s=20
Barbarians squad:
FORWARDS: ASAFO AUMUA (NEW ZEALAND), JOE MOODY (NEW ZEALAND), PENI RAVAI (FIJI), ANGUS BELL (AUSTRALIA), TANIELA TUPOU (AUSTRALIA), ROB LEOTA (AUSTRALIA), ALUN WYN JONES (WALES), TOM HOOPER (AUSTRALIA), JUSTIN TIPURIC (WALES), MICHAEL HOOPER (AUSTRALIA), API RATUNIYARAWA (FIJI), ROB VALETINI (AUSTRALIA), TEVITA IKANIVERE (FIJI)
BACKS: Simione Kuruvoli (Fiji), Lautaro Bazan Velez (Argentina), Nicolas Sanchez (Argentina), Izaia Perese (Australia), Selestino Ravutaumada (Fiji), Len Ikitau (Australia), Ilaisa Droasese (Fiji), Ben Donaldson (Australia), Andrew Kellaway (Australia), Shaun Stevenson (New Zealand)
Tickets for the Barbarians game are available now from wru.wales/tickets
Priced at £60, £40 and £20 with a 50% discount available across all categories for children under 17-years-old.