Saturday sees the continuation of a 50-year-old rugby tradition - the end of tour game between the Barbarians and the All Blacks - a match which, in its heyday, had acquired Test status.
The Barbarians games in the past seemed to serve as a chance for the British Lions to play on home soil in another guise, but this outfit has been denuded of any players from the home unions due to the European Cup commitments on the same weekend. Thus Australian coach Bob Dwyer's team have taken on a decidedly gold and green - or is that green and gold - hue with no fewer than 17 of the 22 coming from Australia or South Africa.
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All Blacks coach Graham Henry has also not bowed to sentiment in naming his starting XV making sweeping changes to the team which so comprehensively outplayed France last week. Only two of that team survive in the starting line-up with many criticising Henry for devaluing the fixture by including a second XV.
The sad reality, though, is that this fixture is already part of rugby's past with the long tour of the British Isles a thing of the past and professional rugby clubs increasingly unwilling to risk players in what is a festival game.
If not for the immense pulling power of the All Blacks and the Barbarian name, which has all but guaranteed a sell-out crowd at Twickenham, this fixture would be a non-starter with it also having been tacked on to the All Blacks tour itinerary as a huge pay day for the unions concerned.
The jewel in Dwyer's crown remains the coup of securing the world Player of the Year, Schalk Burger, on the same day that the Springboks take on Argentina.
Burger was very conscious of the honour bestowed upon him of following in the shoes of rugby greats such as Gareth Edwards and turning out in the famous black and white hoops.
"It's not as intense as the Bok training obviously, but we've been having great fun. It's unbelievable to have input from a guy like Bob (Dwyer) and all the other great players here.
"We've had some nice dinners and evenings out and it's wonderful to see these guys, who I've played Super 12 and Tests against, in another environment, in a more social environment and just to interact with them."
As to whether Jake White has erred in letting his gamebreaking flanker take what in rugby terms is an early holiday as opposed to the meatgrinder of facing the Pumas tonight.
Burger was pretty cagey on this subject saying only that it was a great honour to play for his country and his aim is to win as many caps as possible for the Boks.
He goes on his "real holiday" soon and says his objective is "to play golf and keep a low profile".
With all the awards he's garnered and controversy generated about his play recently, the "Incredible Schalk" might find that extremely difficult to do.
On a purely rugby front, supporters of Gary Botha's claim to a Bok jersey will be watching for his first introduction into an international environment with interest.
Teams
New Zealand: Malili Muliaina; Doug Howlett, Casey Laulala, Ma'a Nonu, Rico Gear; Aaron Mauger (capt), Jimmy Cowan; Steven Bates, Marty Holah, Jerome Kaino; Ali Williams, Reuben Thorne; Greg Somerville, Keven Mealamu, Saimone Taumoepeau. Replacements: Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Chris Jack, Mose Tuiali'i, Piri Weepu, Joe Rokocoko, Daniel Carter
Barbarians: Mat Rogers (Aus); Chris Latham (Aus), Lote Tuqiri (Aus), Morgan Turinui (Aus), Sireli Bobo (Fij); Matt Giteau (Aus), Justin Marshall (Nzl, capt); Xavier Rush (Nzl), Phil Waugh (Aus), Schalk Burger (SA); Albert van den Berg (SA), Daniel Vickerman (Aus); Faan Rautenbach (SA), Brendan Cannon (Aus), Bill Young (Aus). Replacements: Gary Botha (SA), Andrea Lo Cicero (Ita), AJ Venter (SA), Radike Samo (Aus), Werner
Greeff (SA), Gcobani Bobo (SA), Aisea Tuilevu (Fij)
- This article was originally published on page 31 of The Star on December 04, 2004
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