Ulster fullback Jared Payne and Munster centre Casey Laulala have both been named in the Barbarians team to plat against the British and Irish Lions in Hong Kong on Saturday (12.30pm Irish time).
New Zealand-born Payne signed a new three-year deal with Ulster recently and will become Irish qualified through residency next year.
The 27-year-old, who signed for Ulster from the Auckland Blues in 2001, has enjoyed a fantastic season at the province and will form a dynamic back three with All Black Joe Rokocoko on the right wing and American speedster Takudzwa Ngwenya on the left.
Laulala will play at inside centre beside Wasps’ utility back Elliot Daly, while Harlequins outhalf Nick Evans and and French scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili make up the halfback pairing.
Italy’s Sergio Parisse will captain the side from number eight in a pack where Wasps’ South Africa lock Marco Wentzel, who is joined in the secondrow by Australia’s Dean Mumm, is the only forward retained in the starting line-up from the 40-12 defeat to England at Twickenham last weekend.
Northampton’s Samu Manoa and Wasps’ Sam Jones flank Parisse in the backrow, with Wales’ Paul James and Italy’s Martin Castrogiovanni the props either side of Schalk Brits.
BARBARIANS (v British and Irish Lions, Hong Kong, Saturday June 1st, 12.30pm Irish time): J Payne (Ulster); J Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand), E Daly (Wasps), C Laulala (Munster & New Zealand), T Ngwenya (Biarritz & USA); N Evans (Harlequins & New Zealand), D Yachvili (Biarritz & France); P James (Bath & Wales), S Brits (Saracens & South Africa), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester & Italy); M Wentzel (Wasps & South Africa), D Mumm (Exeter & Australia); S Manoa (Northampton & USA), S Jones (London Wasps), S Parisse (Stade Francais & Italy, capt).
Replacements: L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso & Italy), D Jones (Ospreys & Wales), A Lo Cicero (Racing Metro & Italy), J Hamilton (Gloucester & Scotland), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz & France), K Fotuali'i (Ospreys & Samoa), J Hook (Perpignan & Wales), M Tindall (Gloucester & England).
