Jump to content

Australian Barbarians

Australian Barbarians Rugby Club
Logo of the Australian Barbarians
Founded1957
Coach(es)Michael Magriplis
Scott Podmore

The Australian Barbarians, nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team that has been a major part of Australian rugby since the team was founded in 1957. The club is based in Australia.[1] The idea came from the concept of the Barbarian F.C. formed in Britain in 1890.[2]

History

Founded in 1957, the Australian Barbarians was envisioned as an invitational side built off the original concept of the Barbarian F.C. side - adding opportunity for players to play against international touring sides - similar to other corresponding sides in other nations like the New Zealand Barbarians, South African Barbarians and French Barbarians, with all programs continuing into the era of professionalism.

Following their inception, the Australian Barbarians featured in several tours, with fixtures against the All Blacks, Western Samoa, France, Scotland and Fiji, plus fixtures against development sides from England and Canada.

Outside international clashes, the side regularly takes part in domestic fixtures against Super Rugby development sides and the Junior Wallabies - with their most recent clash taking place in 2023.

Several junior Barbarians sides have also been produced for both domestic and international fixtures. An Australian Barbarians Under 20s side has also been produced, with their most recent clash taking place in 2015 defeating Tonga U20s 40-36.

The program was revived in 2015 following the completion of the second season of the National Rugby Championship, with players from the competition who were not contracted for Super Rugby embarking on a two-match tour of New Zealand against a side chosen from the Heartland Championship, named the New Zealand Heartland XV. The Barbarians won both fixtures.

After several years playing domestic fixtures, 2022 marked the first ever female Australian Barbarians clash, with the side playing an international fixture against Japan as part of their tour against the Australia women's national rugby union team. Japan won the fixture, 10-24. [3]

The team is set to be revived in 2025 to play their first-ever fixture against the Japan Development XV, the secondary feeder team to the Japan national rugby union team as part of the Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby.[4]

International Results

Matches against international teams only.a The listing may be incomplete.


Men

Date Tournament Location Venue Opponent Result Score Ref
17 June 1957 New Zealand tour of Australia Sydney North Sydney Oval  New Zealand Loss 6–23
25 July 1991 Manu Samoa tour of Australia Sydney Manly Oval  Western Samoa Loss 24–36 [5]
25 June 1997 France tour of Australia Newcastle Topper Stadium  France Win 26–24 [6]
9 June 1998 Scotland tour of Oceania Penrith Penrith Stadium  Scotland Win 39–34
28 August 1999 Fiji tour of Australia Sydney North Sydney Oval  Fiji Win 31–25 [7]
8 June 2010 England tour of Australasia Perth Subiaco Oval  England XV Draw 28–28 b
19 June 2010 England tour of Australasia Gosford Central Coast Stadium  England XV Loss 9–15 b
26 August 2011 Pre-RWC international match Gold Coast Skilled Park  Canada XV Win 38–14 b
10 November 2015 2015 tour to New Zealand Levin Levin Domain NZ Heartland XV Win 38–32 c
13 November 2015 2015 tour to New Zealand Wanganui Cooks Gardens NZ Heartland XV Win 40–24 c
5 April 2025 Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour International Stadium Japan Development XV

|} Notes:

^a Trial matches against the Australian Under-20 side,[8] and other age-group teams, to assist in their preparation for international tournaments have also been played by the Australian Barbarians Rugby Club,[9] but these results are not listed here.

^b The Australian Barbarians team was nominated by the ARU as the second national team to play two matches against England in 2010.[10] As such, it was essentially Australia A by another name for the 2010 England tour. The Australian Barbarians also played a pre-World Cup friendly against Canada in 2011.[11]

^c Players from the National Rugby Championship that were not contracted for Super Rugby were selected to play against a New Zealand side chosen from the Heartland Championship.

Overall

Against Played Won Lost Drawn Win %
 Canada XV 1 1 0 0 100.00%
 England Saxons 2 0 1 1 00.00%
 Fiji 1 1 0 0 100.00%
 France 1 1 0 0 100.00%
 New Zealand 1 0 1 0 00.00%
NZ Heartland XV 2 2 0 0 100.00%
 Scotland 1 1 0 0 100.00%
 Western Samoa 1 1 0 0 100.00%
Total 10 7 2 1 70.00%

Updated: 21st November 2024

Women

Date Tournament Location Venue Opponent Result Score Ref
6 May 2022 2022 Australian Tour Brisbane Wests Rugby Club  Japan Loss 10–24 [12]

Current squad

Former players

See also

References

  1. ^ "Brumbies 20s dominate Australian Barbarians selections – Brumbies Rugby". brumbies.com.au. 27 February 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  2. ^ McCormack, Ian (21 August 1969). "RU Barbarians to re-form next year". The Canberra Times. p. 28. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Japan hold on for victory over Barbarians". rugby.com.au. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby to Showcase a Spectacular Celebration of the Game". nsw.rugby. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Sport results and detail". The Canberra Times. 27 July 1991. p. 44. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Warner sticking with Wicks". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 June 1997. p. 32. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Larkham and Eales eager to play for Bledisloe Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 August 1999. p. 49. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Australia U20s vs Australian Barbarians: Highlights, result". theroar.com.au. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Australian U20s defeat Australian Barbarians in pre World Championship hit out". aru.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  10. ^ "England to play Australian Barbarians". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Wallabies power Barbarians' victory". ESPNscrum. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Japan hold on for victory over Barbarians". rugby.com.au. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

See what we do next...

OR

By submitting your email or phone number, you're giving mschf permission to send you email and/or recurring marketing texts. Data rates may apply. Text stop to cancel, help for help.

Success: You're subscribed now !