The Barbarians will return to action in Australia in October when Alan Jones heads up their coaching team. The famous invitation side will face Australia at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney on October 28. A second tour match in New South Wales will be announced in due course.
Jones was a Grand Slam winning Wallabies coach in 1984 when his side set new standards of attacking rugby on their tour of the Great Britain and Ireland.
“It is an honour to be asked by such a significant rugby institution as the Barbarians to coach the team for this tour,” said Jones.
“I am looking forward to taking on the Wallabies and am hoping we can create a match that will be good for the fans, good for the players and good for the tradition of the Barbarians.”
The Barbarians will be in action the following weekend in England under Robbie Deans when they take on New Zealand in the Killik Cup match at Twickenham on November 4.
The meeting with Australia in Sydney will be the 14th time the teams have met and the last contest saw Michael Cheika’s Wallabies win 40-36 at Twickenham in 2014 in a classic encounter containing 11 tries.
“The Barbarians have a rich history and a long association with Australia, who were the first international side we played,” said Barbarians President Micky Steele-Bodger, who scored a try in the club’s 9-6 victory in 1948.
“The last time we played the Wallabies was a superb encounter and we will be scouring the globe for the best available talent for our matches in Australia this year. We will invite players who uphold our values on and off the field and look forward to being involved in two exciting and entertaining matches.”
In an Australian first, fans will be provided with the unique opportunity to vote on a number of event elements and help shape the Sydney match experience.
By heading to www.yourrugbymatch.com, supporters will be able to vote on the kick-off time, half-time entertainment, food options as well as nominating an amateur player from New South Wales who will be given the privilege of joining the Barbarians as the 24th man throughout their tour.
Voting will be open from Sunday 16 July to Saturday 22 July, with the results of the fan vote to be announced the following day.
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver expressed his excitement about the chance to go head-to-head with the Barbarians again.
“The last time the two teams met at Twickenham was a memorable clash for a number of reasons. There were 11 tries scored in the match and the Wallabies held on to win 40-36 in a heart-stopping finish in what was Michael Cheika’s first game in charge,” said Pulver.
“The Wallabies and Barbarians have a history dating back to our first ever clash in 1948 and have often delivered some incredibly entertaining, high-scoring encounters”, Pulver added.
To place your vote on the Barbarians v Wallabies match elements, head to www.yourrugbymatch.com
Tickets for the Barbarians v Wallabies will be on-sale at Ticketek from Monday, July 24.
