O’Driscoll To Captain North At Rugby Aid

Rod Macqueen has named a star-studded Southern Hemisphere line-up for next month’s IRB Rugby Aid match at Twickenham. Their opposition, the North will be led by Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll.

Macqueen, who marshalled Australia to World Cup glory in 1999, has included the captains of his native land, New Zealand and Tri-Nations champions South Africa – namely George Gregan, Tana Umaga and John Smit. Scrum-half Gregan – who turns 35 in April – has been chosen as the South’s skipper, having been capped a record 106 times for the Wallabies.

Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward has gone with 26-year-old O’Driscoll to lead the North, in a move seen as possible indicator as to who is the likely favourite for the captaincy role on the Lions summer tour to New Zealand.

O’Driscoll, who is currently rehabilitating from a hamstring strain in Spala, Poland, will have to fend off competition from Paul O’Connell, after the Munster lock picked up his first win as stand-in Ireland skipper in Sunday’s 40-13 win over Scotland.

Woodward, who faces Macqueen’s South on March 5, said: “We have a fantastic group of players that are being invited to play and I am looking forward to choosing the starting XV for the game next month, and working with such an outstanding player as Brian in his role as captain.”

Ireland’s Malcolm O’Kelly, O’Connell and David Humphreys have been confirmed for the match which will aid the tsunami disaster victims, while Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter, number eight Simon Taylor and hooker Gordon Bulloch are also in the North squad.

England’s Zurich Premiership clubs will release eight players for the game and among those invited are Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Robinson and Steve Thompson, while Wales centre Gavin Henson has been asked to play along with France and Italy captains – Fabien Pelous and Marco Bortolami.

Woodward has also brought in two coaches for his squad – namely, Llanelli Director of rugby Gareth Jenkins and Brian Ashton – Ireland coach from 1996-98.

IRB RUGBY AID MATCH:
South v North, Twickenham, kick-off 2.30pm, Saturday March 5 (live BBC Sport)

SOUTH Squad:

tbc

NORTH:

(15) Chris Latham (Reds, Australia)
(14) Rupeni Caucau (Agen, Fiji)
(13) Jaque Fourie (Cats, South Africa)
(12) Tana Umaga (Hurricanes, New Zealand)
(11) Sereli Bobo (Parma, Fiji)
(10) Andrew Mehrtens (Crusaders, New Zealand)
(9) George Gregan (Brumbies, Australia) (Capt)

(1) Carl Hoeft (Highlanders, New Zealand)
(2) John Smit (Sharks, South Africa)
(3) Omar Hasan (Toulouse, Argentina)
(4) Victor Matfield (Bulls, South Africa)
(5) Ifereimi Rawaqa (World (Japan), Fiji)

(6) Schalk Burger (Stormers, South Africa)
(7) Phil Waugh (Waratahs, Australia)
(8) Jerome Kaino (Blues, New Zealand)

Replacements: tbc

Referee: tbc

* The proceeds from the match will go to the IRB’s humanitarian partner – the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) – to support their vital work in the long-term rebuilding of the regions hit by December’s tsunami.

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