O’Kelly’s chance to go out on high note

MALCOLM O’KELLY will be afforded the opportunity to round off his long professional career on a high when he lines out for the Barbarians against Ireland at Thomond Park on Friday night (7.45 p.m).

Barbarians coach Philippe Saint-Andre yesterday named the veteran Leinster, Ireland and Lions second row in a team that also includes home-based Irish international Alan Quinlan and Paul Warwick, as well as several top players from around the world, expecting them to test Ireland fully before the national squad depart on tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Following their 35-26 defeat by England at Twickenham, the Xavier Rush led Ba-Ba’s will be seeking to finish this short tour on a high and the look of class both within the team and on the bench suggests they will give it their best shot.

Barbarians forwards coach Kingsley Jones, from his experience with Sale, did not have much joy in Thomond Park. But, with a class-laden squad, the Englishman pointed to the strength of the bench as being a possible ace-card for the visitors.

Julian White, Martyn Williams, Byron Kelleher, Rodney So’oialo – the names roll easily off the tongue – are household names, though none of the final group of seven will have any difficulty slipping into the action at any stage of Friday’s game.

By way of warning to Irish coach Declan Kidney, Jones said: “I think we certainly benefited from the strength of our bench in Twickenham, although our second-half comeback came up a bit short in the end.”

At 32-7 England were coasting to victory until class shone through from the Barbarians ranks. Right at the end, they were trailing by just six points and on the verge of pulling off a smash and grab victory until England benefited from a last minute penalty goal to push the lead out to nine points.

Saint-Andre saw it as a typical Barbarians performance: “There was a short build up to the game and we needed 45 minutes to knit together but we did that in the second-half. It is hard to get teams like this together, but the spirit of 100 years of Barbarians rugby was there for all to see.

“We certainly felt the game was there for us; we were on top, we had control at that stage but left it just too late. Still, it was a good game and now we look forward to Friday night when our aim will be to switch on for 80 minutes.”

Rush is delighted to captain the Barbarians and looks forward both to playing against Ireland in Thomond Park and alongside Quinlan and Australian legend George Smith in a dynamic back row.

He is not about to start barking orders to either of them, though, particularly to Quinlan, whom he has first hand experience of as an opponent. “I guess Alan is well able to play the game on his terms, so I suppose it’s best to allow him play his own game and let the opposition worry about him,” he joked.

Rush is sure both Quinlan and Paul Warwick, who also played in Twickenham, will want to make an impact in front of the sell-out attendance at Thomond Park, many of whom will probably be cheering the duo on as Munster players against Ireland.

The New Zealander knows what it’s like to line out for the Barbarians against his own, and remembers his appearance against the All Blacks as being a fantastic occasion. “There was so much to take in – it was great to witness the guys (from the opposite side) doing the Haka and playing against your country probably brings more out of you because you’re playing against so many guys that you know and respect,” he said.

The captain is very keen to finish the short tour on a high; contrary to the perception that the Barbarians exist only to play with a free spirited approach without worrying about the result. Rush said the squad was very disappointed at the outcome in Twickenham and more focused than ever for Friday.

BARBARIANS: P. Warwick (Munster), C. Haymans (Toulouse/France), C. Laulala (Cardiff/New Zealand), S. Rabeni (Leeds/Fiji), D. Smith (Hurricanes), B. James (Clermont Auvergne), P. Mignoni (Toulouse/France), D. Barnes (Bath), S. Brits (Saracens/South Africa), C. Johnston (Toulouse/Samoa), J. Thion (Biarritz/France), M. O’Kelly (Leinster/Ireland/Lions), A. Quinlan (Munster/Ireland), X. Rush (Cardiff/New Zealand), G. Smith (Brumbies/Australia).

Replacements: B. August (Biarritz/France), J. White (Leicester/England/Lions), M. Williams (Cardiff/Wales/Lions), B. Kelleher (Toulouse/New Zealand), JP Ellisalde (Toulouse/France), R. So’oialo (Hurricanes/New Zealand), F. Estebanez (Brive)/P. Sackey (London Wasps/England)