Semi Radradra signed off his time in England with a spellbinding man-of-the-match display for the World XV in a 42-48 loss to the Barbarians at Twickenham.
World XV assistant coach Brad Mooar summed it up best when he said, 'Semi has got excited hasn't he?’ The Fijian, who will swap Bristol for Top 14 side Lyon this summer - leaving English domestic rugby the poorer - repeatedly carried the ball in one hand, flicking it nonchalantly to set up scores for his teammates in a magical display alongside clubmate Charles Piutau and playing opposite Steven Luatua and Harry Thacker in the famous black and white stripes.
READ MORE: Barbarians v World XV LIVE: Play-by-play updates from Twickenham Stadium
Sebastian Negri opened the scoring for the World XV with a free-flowing move started by Radradra but the Alun Wyn-Jones captained BaaBaas hit back with a driving maul try touched down by Newcastle's Adam Radwan.
Radradra issued a warning to the likes of Wales and Australia who Fiji will face in three months' time in the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup with a one-handed flick pass back inside to allow winger Sbu Nkosi to race away. Moments later the Bristol centre flicked a basketball-style pass to countryman Api Ratuniyarawa on the crash and the big lock powered over.
The BaaBaas hit back with a try from winger Tevita Li who ran onto a clever kick in behind from Quade Cooper. Gloucester fly-half Adam Hastings then turned provider as he bravely took the ball flat on the line to get walloped by Li but not before he got a kick away for World XV teammate Israel Folau to run onto and dot down.
Hastings, who was faultless from the kicking tee, found himself at the centre of the action again moments later as giant Barbarians centre Seta Tamanivalu ran over the top of him to touchdown to spark a run of scores with Harlequins skipper Stephan Lewies and Welsh full-back Gareth Anscombe crossing the whitewash to make 31-28 to the BaaBaas at the break.
The BaaBaas struck first in the second half after a sharp defence-splitting break from Tevita Li to put Seta Tamanivalu in position to pick and go to cross the tryline but he handed Francois Hougaard a gift of a try.
The World XV replied with a try from Bryn Hall following an energy-sapping high-octane couple of minutes of offloading rugby which left players sucking in the air.
Sam Johnson and Sbu Nkosi traded tries for the Barbarians and World XV respectively and a missed conversion from legendary Welsh lock Wyn-Jones for the BaaBaas and then a successful strike from Rhys Patchell made it a one-point game, 43-42.
But a late tap and drive over the line from prominent Fijian centre Tamanivalu sealed the result for the Barbarians and set up one last chance for Wyn-Jones to try and convert however the international caps record holder couldn’t split the posts despite the thunderous chorus of applause from the 32,000 inside the ground.
Barbarians: 15. Gareth Anscombe, 14. Adam Radwan, 13. Seta Tamanivalu, 12. Samu Kerevi, 11. Tevita Li, 10. Quade Cooper (vc), 9. Jack Maunder; 1. Alex Waller, 2. Nic Dolly, 3. Enrique Pieretto, 4. Alun Wyn Jones (c), 5. Stephan Lewies, 6. Aaron Wainwright, 7. Kai Yamamoto, 8. Steven Luatua
Replacements: 16. Harry Thacker, 17. Tom West, 18. Carlü Sadie, 19. Rob Simmons, 20. Sione Vailanu, 21. Francois Hougaard, 22. Aaron Cruden, 23.Sam Johnson.
World XV: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Israel Folau, 13. Semi Radradra, 12.Ngani Laumape. 11. Sbu Nkosi, 10. Adam Hastings, 9. Nick Phipps; 1. Wyn Jones, 2.Fraser Brown, 3. Oli Kebble, 4. Api Ratuniyarawa, 5. Harry Hockings, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Michele Lamaro (c), 8. Vilame Mata
Replacements: 16. Elliot Dee, 17. Allan Dell, 18. Marcus Street, 19. Niccolò Cannone, 20. Jordi Murphy, 21. Bryn Hall, 22. Rhys Patchell, 23. Kaminieli Rasaku.
