George Gregan to line-up for Barbarians against Qantas Wallabies
October 08, 2008 - 5:23pm
Story by: ARU
Record-breaking former Test captain George Gregan has accepted an invitation to play for the Barbarians against the Qantas Wallabies in an historic match at Wembley on 3 December.
The Barbarian Football Club announced today Gregan is the latest international star to confirm his availability for a match that will mark the Centenary of the 1908 London Olympics where the first ever Wallabies touring squad won the Games gold medal for Rugby.
Gregan, now with the Suntory club in Japan, is the world’s most capped player with 139 Test caps and the longest-serving Australian captain with 59 internationals at the helm.
Barbarian president Mickey Steele-Bodger said: “We have known from the outset that this Olympic celebration match would be another landmark occasion in the club’s proud history.
“Fittingly, we are assembling a group of players and coaches which is as strong as any squad to have represented us in recent times.”
The Barbarians have also confirmed former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones will work alongside head coach Jake White with the invitational team.
“The Barbarians are putting together a powerful squad of all the talents for this very special match,” said White.
“I have been impressed by the positive response from so many players worldwide and to have Eddie to assist me in the build up is definitely an added bonus.”
The Barbarians side will be led by All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw and includes New Zealand stars Carl Hayman, Jerry Collins and Joe Rokocoko; South African World Cup winners John Smit, Percy Montgomery, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger; and England’s recent captain Steve Borthwick.
The Qantas Wallabies play the Barbarians in their midweek tour finale after five successive Tests against the All Blacks (in Hong Kong on 1 November), Italy (in Padova on 8 November), England (in London on 15 November), France (in Paris on 22 November) and Wales (in Cardiff on 29 November).
The game will be the first rugby union match to be played at the new Wembley Stadium.
