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.
Bryn Gatland will likely play at No 10. His place was in some jeopardy until Stephen Perofeta's timely return from injury to bolster the Blues' depth there.
"It's great to see provincial players make the step-up to Super Rugby and put in some impressive performances," says coach Clayton McMillan. "While we would have loved to have them involved in our campaign, we recognise they are needed elsewhere, but our coaching group is confident we have selected a strong group of players who will relish this opportunity to take on the British and Irish Lions.
"We have put in a lot of planning to get to this point and are looking forward to spending time as a group and see it all come together. This is a huge occasion for our players and management and I know everyone is eager to get things underway and create history."
The team management assembled in Auckland on Friday, with the squad arriving on Saturday. They will dine at the Barbarian clubrooms at Eden Park on Saturday night to get a feel for the 80-year history of the club and the team they will represent, before bussing to Whangarei on Sunday. They will have a powhiri on Monday in Whangarei before several school visits in the lead-up to Saturday's tour opener.
The Barbarians will be rank underdogs, and it would surprise if the Lions do not put at least 30 points on them, but they will be a tight group and have the advantage of not flying into the country just three days before the game like their opposition.
The squad is:
Forwards:
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty)
Tolu Fahamokioa (Wellington)
Sam Anderson-Heather (Otago)
Andrew Makalio (Tasman)
Marcel Renata (Auckland)
Oliver Jager (Canterbury)
Keepa Mewett (Bay of Plenty)
Joshua Goodhue (Northland)
James Tucker (Waikato)
Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury)
Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki)
Matthew Matich (Northland)
Peter Rowe (Wanganui)
Backs:
Jack Stratton (Canterbury)
Richard Judd (Bay of Plenty)
Bryn Gatland (North Harbour)
Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato)
Kaveinga Finau (Inga) (Canterbury)
Jonah Lowe (Hawke's Bay)
Sevuloni Reece (Waikato)
Sam Vaka (Counties Manukau)
Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau)
Junior Ngaluafe (Southland)