Sam Tomkins in Baa Baa squad!!

Flashdean

Wigan full-back Sam Tomkins will make a one-off switch of codes by playing for the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.


The 22-year-old will complete a unique double by lining up against the Wallabies just seven days after being in the England team that lost 30-8 to the Kangaroos in the Four Nations final at Elland Road.


This gonna be an interesting switch of codes for the time being just a week after signing a contract to become the highest paid rugby league player.


Any thoughts on how he will get on this Saturday???




Barbarians squad: S Tomkins (England RL), B Habana (South Africa), I Toeava (New Zealand), R Fruean (Crusaders), S Mortlock (Australia), R Kahui (New Zealand), S Rabeni (Fiji), D Cipriani (England), P Stringer (Ireland), N Kenatale (Fiji),




K Mealamu (New Zealand), A Strauss (South Africa), S Perugini (Italy), S Marconnet (France), E Guinazu (Argentina), V Matfield (South Africa), S Shaw (England), M Bortolami (Italy), J White (Scotland), J Kaino (New Zealand), A Thomson (New Zealand), M Bergamasco (Italy).

GerM

Babas to get hosed I reckon looking at that squad! Combination of has beens and lads on the lash. Jerome Kaino, a week after his wedding on a rugby trip? He'll still be locked when he plays assuming he drinks. Mealamu and Toeava were probably there too.

Fishooks12

More interesting question, will Johnsons departure mean a second chance for Cipriani?

wixfjord

Well, this is very interesting!
From my limited knowledge of Super League, Tomkins is a fantastic player, and should make a great fullback or winger.
He kicks aswell iirc.

Sarries signed his older less good bro last week, seemingly in a bid to entice him to come, so should be interesting to see how he gets on this weekend in a new code.

Strange time to have a Baa Baas fixture too isn't it?

On a related note, anyone know that the story is with Eastmond at Bath?
Is he injured or ****e?

thomond2006

Good to see Strings released by Munster. He would twiddling his thumbs this weekend otherwise.

Actually is Mauro Bergasmasco still a free agent? It's crazy if a player of his calibre is as yet without a club.

CIARAN_BOYLE

wixfjord wrote: »

Strange time to have a Baa Baas fixture too isn't it?

Australia wanted a winter tour they are playin Baa Baas and Wales afaik

Digifriendly

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Australia wanted a winter tour they are playin Baa Baas and Wales afaik

Still autumn until December 23rd! You're absolutely right re fixtures - Wales game is due to be Shane Williams farewell. This will help Leinster, Munster and Ulster who all face Welsh opposition the same weekend Wales play Australia.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Digifriendly wrote: »

Still autumn until December 23rd! You're absolutely right re fixtures - Wales game is due to be Shane Williams farewell. This will help Leinster, Munster and Ulster who all face Welsh opposition the same weekend Wales play Australia.

More important is the disruption to Scarlets build up to the HEC double

GerM

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

More important is the disruption to Scarlets build up to the HEC double

Mad that arguably the best performing region only has one forward in the national squad in Matthew Rees. They really are quite weak up front. Not one of their pack aside from Rees would get into the Munster pack. Possibly Morgan but that's debatable and only because it's an area of weakness for Munster currently. Beat them up in the forwards and lets see how good the backs are really. Can see ROG playing a very territory focussed game away to them with the corners being kicked often.

irishbucsfan

GerM wrote: »

Mad that arguably the best performing region only has one forward in the national squad in Matthew Rees. They really are quite weak up front. Not one of their pack aside from Rees would get into the Munster pack. Possibly Morgan but that's debatable and only because it's an area of weakness for Munster currently. Beat them up in the forwards and lets see how good the backs are really. Can see ROG playing a very territory focussed game away to them with the corners being kicked often.

Just because they're not big names doesn't mean they're weak.

Shingler and Edwards both look like great players, and the front row will achieve parity with Munster. I think Munster will definitely edge the forwards, but I feel like you're underrating the Scarlets pack, especially after the way they played on Friday night.

GerM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Just because they're not big names doesn't mean they're weak.

Shingler and Edwards both look like great players, and the front row will achieve parity with Munster. I think Munster will definitely edge the forwards, but I feel like you're underrating the Scarlets pack, especially after the way they played on Friday night.

I didn't really think the Scarlets pack were that brilliant on Friday to be honest. The backs lived off scraps and Nothampton's mistakes. They lost a load of their own line outs and conceded a glut of penalties. A more intelligent and experienced side would have punished them harshly. They didn't force a single kickable penalty in the 80 minutes which is very unusual. Northampton don't exactly have a terrifying back row themselves (Wood aside), their power is in the front five. I think they're just a very average pack. To put it in context, 5 of the pack that started on Friday night, lost 15-10 at home to a Leinster side that had a back row of Leo Auva'a, Rhys Ruddock and Jordi Murphy. McCusker also played that day for the Scarlets and he would be in their first choice side if fit too. If Munster bring a decent level of intensity, avoid any howlers and ROG has an above average game, they really should be winning in Llanelli I think.

wixfjord

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Just because they're not big names doesn't mean they're weak.

Shingler and Edwards both look like great players, and the front row will achieve parity with Munster. I think Munster will definitely edge the forwards, but I feel like you're underrating the Scarlets pack, especially after the way they played on Friday night.

Morgan is a future Wales international too, was immense at 8 on Fri.

irishbucsfan

wixfjord wrote: »

Morgan is a future Wales international too, was immense at 8 on Fri.

I didn't mention him only because GerM did. He's a great talent, should really push Faletau.

In fairness I think this Llanelli pack are underrated. I agree completely that Munster should beat them and I think they should beat them twice, but I thought their pack did very well considering they were playing Northampton in FG (or was it MK?). Shingler and Morgan in particular I think were great, and I think the front row is good as well. With their backs (I think they possibly have better backs than any Irish team! Especially if they had a 9) they are quite dangerous.

porterbelly

thomond2006 wrote: »

Good to see Strings released by Munster. He would twiddling his thumbs this weekend otherwise.

Actually is Mauro Bergasmasco still a free agent? It's crazy if a player of his calibre is as yet without a club.

Thought Bergamasco signed with one of the Italian teams

corny

wixfjord wrote: »

From my limited knowledge of Super League, Tomkins is a fantastic player, and should make a great fullback or winger.
He kicks aswell iirc.

He was awful under the high ball against the Aussies. Wouldn't cut it at full back if this were a full time move but with the Baa Baas that doesn't really matter. He is an amazing broken field runner.

amacachi

corny wrote: »

He was awful under the high ball against the Aussies. Wouldn't cut it at full back if this were a full time move but with the Baa Baas that doesn't really matter. He is an amazing broken field runner.

Was just gonna say that, any kind of broken play and he'll be fun to watch. It's funny though, he's may be one of few players who would be easier to tackle with a typical RU tackle rather than an RL tackle.

cp

Happened across this article last night (dont ask how) on Tompkins in the Baa Baa's, interesting take on it.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/union_selection_of_tomkins_reflects_well_on_rugby_league_1_3990726

Kiwi_knock

Barbarians Team v Australia:
15 I Toeava; 14 S Tomkins, 13 R Fruean, 12 S Mortlock, 11 B Habana; 10 D Cipriani, 9 P Stringer; 1 E Guinazu, 2 K Mealamu, 3 S Marconnet, 4 S Shaw, 5 V Matfield (capt), 6 J Kaino, 7 M Bergamasco, 8 A Thomson.

Replacements: A Strauss, S Perugini, J White, M Bortolami, N Kenatale, R Kahui, S Rabeni.


Am a bit surprised Tomkins is starting, I thought he would come off the bench. It is a interesting Barbarians team especially the backline, hopefully they play a nice free flowing game rather than playing a tactical game that recent Barbarian teams have seemed to adopt.

Blut2

Google is telling me Tomkins is only 79KG at 5ft 11, is that accurate? That seems awfully lightweight to be playing rugby at this level. Keith Earls and Fergus McFadden are both the same height and have over 10KG of weight on him and neither of them are known for being particularly large wingers.

Brendan97

i'd say they only picked stringer because they knew he would nearly bite there hand off for some rugby due to the lack he gets at muster. they also know that his service from ruck/scrum/maul is second to none its so crisp and accurate. he still has alot to offer to rugby yet

thomond2006

Barbarians could play some nice rugby with their halfbacks. We all know about Strings' crisp service and Cipriani is a good attacking player on his day, but a turnstile in defence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMnaPR3DhLk

Kiwi_knock

It is a pretty important game for Cipriani who wants to get back into contention for England. Also he will most likely be lining out opposite his biggest challenger for the Number 10 jersey at the Rebels, James O'Connor.

thomond2006

Australia:
15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Will Genia,
8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock (c) 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 James Slipper.

Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 James Horwill, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Matt Hodgson, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Ben Tapuai.

JustinDee

Blut2 wrote: »

Google is telling me Tomkins is only 79KG at 5ft 11, is that accurate? That seems awfully lightweight to be playing rugby at this level. Keith Earls and Fergus McFadden are both the same height and have over 10KG of weight on him and neither of them are known for being particularly large wingers.

He's just over 80kg. He'll be fine.

QDog10

Half back challenge should be a good one.. Stringer and Cipriani is a nice combination. Can't believe Stringer has been cast aside domestically. Still the greatest passer of a rugby ball on the island. Any out-half would love that service. Tompkins on the wing will be fairly restricted but hopefully a decent day weather wise to allow an open and free flowing game.

EKClarke

When is the match?

Flashdean

EKClarke wrote: »

When is the match?

Saturday 2.35!

Baa Baa are 2/1 in the bookies wouldnt be a bad bet