Top-class rugby will be shown live midweek on BBC2 when the historic Barbarians v. Australia clash is shown live from Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Wednesday 28 November from 7.00-9.00pm. The game has a 7.15pm kick-off.
The invitation team will be captained by British Lion and former Wales captain Rob Howley. Other Lions in the squad include England captain Neil Back and Wales wing Dafydd James, who will face the World Champions and Lions series winners yet again.
Australian centre Pat Howard will line up for the Barbarians against his Australian team mates, along with South African Internationals Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse and Braam van Straaten. Van Straaten played for South Africa against the Barbarians last year, and kicked the final penalty to give the Springboks a two-point victory.
Australia and the Barbarians last met at Twickenham in 1996 when Australia won 39-12. The Wallabies haven’t lost to the Barbarians for 25 years. The match at the Millennium Stadium will bring down the curtain on the Wallabies’ European tour following Tests against Spain, England, France
and Wales.
Pat Younge, the BBC executive responsible for rugby, said: ‘We’re delighted to be adding the Barbarians to our portfolio of International rugby. These two games are only part of the extensive live coverage of rugby that BBC Sport will be showing this season. They add even more spark to our
portfolio and demonstrate the commitment we have to rugby as we are the only broadcaster who can deliver audiences of the size rugby deserves.’
The BBC currently delivers the following rugby: Six Nations, Heineken Cup, Celtic Nations Internationals, Barbarians, Celtic League Final and Zurich play-offs, with Rugby Special and the RFU National Cup to come.
BBC Sport continues its commitment to televising live rugby this Saturday when former rugby league star Iestyn Harris makes his rugby union debut for Wales against Argentina live on BBC1. Coverage of the game – from Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium – will begin at 1.40pm for a 2.00pm kick off.
After just two club matches, Harris has been asked to play the key position of fly-half against the Pumas. Expert BBC analyst and former rugby league team mate of Harris, Jonathan Davies said: ‘This will be a massive game for Iestyn as it is his International debut for Wales. But he is a very talented player who loves the big occasion and I’m sure he’ll settle into the role and be commanding from early on. It will be an entertaining game and I think we’ll see some good attacking moves from Wales featuring Iestyn. However, I do think that people shouldn’t expect too much from him, as he is new to the game.
The show will be presented by Steve Rider, with analysis by former International players Jonathan Davies and Jeremy Guscott. Commentary on the game will be given by Eddie Butler and Brian Moore.
For further information contact:
BBC SPORT Publicity
020 8225 9900
sport.publicity@bbc.co.uk