Eddie Jones has been prevented from selecting a raft of England internationals for the Barbarians on his return to Twickenham because of Steve Borthwick’s extensive World Cup preparations.
Jones will take charge of the Barbarians against a World XV on Sunday 28 May in what will be his first appearance at Rugby Football Union headquarters since he was sacked as England coach last December. A number of his former charges such as Danny Care, Dan Cole, Sam Simmonds, Jonny May and Jack Nowell had been on the invitational side’s radar but any involvement for the Barbarians would delay their availability to begin England’s World Cup preparations.
Players whose seasons finished at the end of the regular Premiership campaign are available for England’s first training camp, which begins on 12 June, while losing semi-finalists can join a week later and finalists on 30 June. It is understood that anyone involved in the Barbarians match would have also had to wait until 30 June because Premiership players are mandated five weeks off in their contracts.
With Borthwick casting the net wide and alerting as many as 70 players of their potential involvement at different stages of the summer camps – he will whittle that down to 33 for the World Cup – the only Englishmen in Jones’s Barbarians squad are Alex Waller, Tom West, Adam Radwan, Jack Maunder and Harry Thacker. Nic Dolly, the Australian-born hooker capped for England by Jones, is also selected.
Jones does, however, have considerable firepower in a star-studded squad with Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi – two of his Wallabies players – selected alongside Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau and Aaron Cruden.
“It’s an incredible honour to be asked to coach the Barbarians for a second time,” said Jones. “I am very much looking forward to returning to Twickenham Stadium – a venue I have so many fond memories of – as head coach of the Barbarians, and I’m more motivated than ever to put on a show.”
Lining up for the World XV are Semi Radradra, Charles Piutau, Marika Koroibete and Israel Folau, with Steve Hansen as their coach. Folau sparked controversy when remarking on social media that “hell awaits” homosexuals in 2019 and was subsequently sacked by Rugby Australia. He has since switched allegiances to Tonga and plays in Japan but his appearance at Twickenham is a return to the spotlight. The RFU is set to fly a version of the pride flag and print a message of support for the LGBTQ+ community in the match-day programme.
The RFU said in a statement: “We strive to be a sport that is inclusive to all players, staff and fans, regardless of identity or background. This ethos sits at the very heart of all the work we do, as set out in the RFU’s inclusion and diversity action plan.
“The Barbarians hire Twickenham Stadium for their fixture and while the RFU does not have a role in player selection, we have worked with the organisers to have a foreword in the match-day programme, to express support for the LGBTQ+ community, and we will fly the Pride Progress flag over Twickenham during the Barbarians v World XV fixture and throughout June. As we enter Pride month, it is important to acknowledge that people from the LGBTQ+ community continue to face discrimination and exclusion in all walks of life, sport included.”
