Successful Baa-Baas Outing For O’Connor

Wasps and Ireland flanker Johnny O’Connor played a full part in the Barbarians’ impressive 52-39 defeat of England at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

TIBCO Challenge Match: Saturday, May 28
England 39 Barbarians 52, Twickenham
Scorers: England: Tries: Sanderson, Erinle, Sackey 2, Forrester; Cons: Goode 2, Vesty 2; Pens: Goode 2
Barbarians: Tries: Halstead, Spencer, Russell 2, Sailor 2, Reihana 2; Cons: Reihana 6

O’Connor’s first outing since fracturing a hand last month was a successful one as he foraged well up front against England’s shadow squad.

David Humphreys, Ireland’s captain on their forthcoming tour to Japan, also came on at the death to help the Baa-Baas see out their comfortable eight-try win.

Of other note was the contribution of Munster’s recent acquisition, South African Trevor Halstead.

The Natal Sharks centre got in on the end of a Brent Russell break to touch down in the second half, and although some of his tackling was suspect, his display was an encouraging one.

ENGLAND: Tom Voyce (Wasps); Paul Sackey (Wasps), Ayoola Erinle (Wasps), Jamie Noon (Wasps), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester); Andy Goode (Leicester), Andy Gomarsall (Gloucester); Mike Worsley (Harlequins), George Chuter (Leicester), Micky Ward (Newcastle), Louis Deacon (Leicester), Tom Palmer (Leeds), Chris Jones (Sale), Pat Sanderson (Worcester) (Capt), Hugh Vyvyan (Saracens).

Replacements used: Robbie Morris (Northampton) for Ward (16 mins), Lee Mears (Bath) for Worseley (54), Peter Richards (Wasps) for Gomarsall (57), Sam Vesty (Leicester) for Goode (61), James Forrester (Gloucester) for Jones (66), Stuart Hooper (Leeds) for Palmer (71), Mathew Tait (Newcastle) for Sackey (75).

BARBARIANS:

(15) Brent Russell (South Africa)
(14) Wendell Sailor (Australia)
(13) Thomas Castaignede (France)
(12) Trevor Halstead (South Africa)
(11) Bruce Reihana (New Zealand)
(10) Carlos Spencer (New Zealand)
(9) Mark Robinson (New Zealand)
(1) Tom Smith (Scotland)
(2) Mark Regan (England)
(3) Cobus Visagie (South Africa)
(4) Simon Shaw (England)
(5) Selborne Boome (South Africa)
(6) Corne Krige (South Africa)
(7) Johnny O’Connor (Wasps/Ireland)
(8) Sebastien Chabal (France)

Replacements used: Andrea Lo Cicero (Italy) for Visagie, AJ Venter (South Africa) for Boome (both half-time), Bryan Redpath (Scotland) for Robinson (57-70 mins), Raphael Ibanez (France) for Regan (60), Matt Burke (Newcastle) for Castaignede (63), Semo Sititi (Samoa) for Chabal (66), David Humphreys (Ulster/Ireland) for Russell (75).

HT: England 13 Barbarians 17; Attendance: 31,253
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)