Household names of recent vintage like Wallaby scrumhalf George Gregan and All Blacks fullback Christian Cullen are included in a star-studded side to represent the inaugural Asia Pacific Barbarians at the GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens this month.
Coached by David Campese, the 15-strong squad named yesterday includes a covey of New Zealand and Fiji sevens stars, as well as a player each from Japan, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka, countries in the Top Five competition at the HSBC Asian Five Nations.
'It is a great squad we have managed to pull together,' Campese said. 'It is a good blend of experience and youth combined with natural attacking instincts, which will hopefully give us the opportunity to entertain but also be competitive.'
The Asia Pacific Barbarians, sponsored by BGC Partners, is a new invitational side set up to follow in the footsteps of the British Barbarians. Former All Blacks captain and legend Sean Fitzpatrick will be the club's first president.
As a Wallaby winger, Campese epitomised attacking rugby, and the Barbarians will be focused on playing an expansive and open game at the March 23-24 Hong Kong Tens.
Campese will have enough talent to work with, including Fijian cousins Apolosi Satala and Viliame Satala and New Zealanders Cullen, Orene Ai'i, Rico Gear and Roy Kinikinilau.
Gregan and Dustin Cooper will represent Australia while Semo Sititi and Hale T'Pole are the lone Samoan and Tongan in the powerful line-up. Sri Lanka's current scrumhalf Fazil Marija has been included, as well as Kazakhstan captain and backrower Timur Mashurov. Japan will be repesented by up-and-coming winger Takuro Miuchi.