Gregan named on bench for the Barbarians
December 02, 2008 - 5:44am
Story by: AAP
Legendary Wallabies scrumhalf George Gregan has been named on the bench in a star-studded Barbarians line-up to face the Wallabies in Wednesday night's Olympic Centenary clash at Wembley.
There is a strong South African flavour to the side, with John Smit confirmed as captain of the Jake White-coached outfit which also features fellow Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks Bryan Habana, Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger, Bakkies Botha and Johann Muller.
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw will make his first appearance for the Baa Baas, alongside current and former All Blacks teammates Joe Rokocoko, Rico Gear and Jerry Collins.
Welsh winger and newly-crowned IRB world player of the year Shane Williams has also been included on the bench alongside Gregan and former Wallabies prop Rodney Blake, who now plays in France.
White and Eddie Jones, the South African's sidekick during last year's successful Rugby World Cup campaign, have followed tradition by selecting one uncapped player, on this occasion Western Province loose forward Nick Koster.
"This is one of the better Barbarians side there has been for a while and Eddie and I are really chuffed to get this group of players together," White said.
The match has been organised as part of the British Olympic Association's celebrations of the first London Olympics in 1908 when Australia won the Rugby gold medal.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will name his team on Tuesday evening (AEDT).
Barbarians: Percy Montgomery, Joe Rokocoko, Rico Gear, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Francois Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Richie McCaw, Schalk Burger, Jerry Collins, Johann Muller, Bakkies Botha, Census Johnson, John Smit (capt), Federico Pucciarello. Res: Mark Regan, Rodney Blake, Chris Jack, Nick Koster, George Gregan, Ollie Smith, Shane Williams.
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By Darren Walton
