Dwayne Sweeney. Photo / Getty
As expected with a side of this nature, there are several enforced changes in the NZ Barbarians Provincial XV to face the Lions in Whangarei next Saturday.
Last month just 19 were named as there were still players to confirm and the hope that injuries and Super Rugby duty would
not hit too hard. But the final 23 named, minus six of the first selection, still looks a useful combination, though the laudable desire to have a player from each of the 14 Mitre 10 Cup unions could not quite be achieved. However, just Manawatu miss out after original selection Heiden Bedwell-Curtis had to be retained by the Crusaders.
Wanganui's Peter Rowe is the sole Heartland Championship rep, not to mention the sole player in the group who is a member of the Barbarians club. The 35-year-old flanker has come out of retirement and has indicated he will also play for his union in their Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury next month before finally hanging up his boots.
Original selections now unavailable due to Super Rugby commitments are Hame Faiva (Blues), Quinten Strange (Crusaders), Mitch Brown (Chiefs), Bedwell-Curtis (Crusaders), Jonathan Taumateine (Chiefs) and Johnny Fa'auli (Chiefs).
Incoming are newly re-signed and seasoned midfielder Dwayne Sweeney, former All Blacks Sevens rep Sam Vaka, Bay of Plenty halfback Richard Judd, former New Zealand Under 20s outside back Kaveinga Finau of Canterbury, and forwards Andrew Makalio of Tasman, Oli Jager of Canterbury, Keepa Mewett of Bay of Plenty, James Tucker of Waikato, and loosies Mitch Dunshea of Canterbury and Lachlan Boshier of the Chiefs and Taranaki.
