Varty set for Barbarians bench after day of torment
Hong Kong winger put through emotional wringer as he is first left out of Barbarians squad to face Lions before being put on standby
Dropped, then reinstated as a "standby" replacement within hours. That was the amazing emotional journey Hong Kong winger Rowan Varty endured yesterday before finally discovering he would be in the frame for Saturday's game against the British & Irish Lions at Hong Kong Stadium.
In an astonishing turnaround of events, the Barbarians management first revealed Varty would play no role in front of his home fans when the two storied teams meet for the first time on Hong Kong soil.
But just hours after the team was announced, replacement winger Mike Tindall, who led the team against England last Sunday and is also a Baa-Baas coach, had a twinge in his groin and was a doubtful starter. Varty was then placed on standby.
"Rowan is 90 per cent certain to start on the bench," said Barbarians media manager Alan Evans. "Mike [Tindall] had complained of a soreness in his groin and when the physio informed us about this we decided to put Rowan on standby as a precaution. We will decide on Mike's fitness on match day, but Rowan has a very good chance of coming on off the bench now."
There was widespread shock and disappointment among the Hong Kong rugby community after Barbarians manager Derek Quinnell named the 23-strong squad. Everyone from Hong Kong Rugby Football Union chairman Trevor Gregory to national coach Dai Rees expressed disbelief that Varty, local rugby's poster boy, had not been named in the squad.
Varty's inclusion in the Barbarians - the first time a Hong Kong player had been invited - was seen as an acknowledgement in the improvement of the local game and a boost to the sport's profile. Varty had said earlier he hoped his presence on the pitch on Saturday would inspire young children.