Barbarians F.C.

The Barbarians, nicknamed the Baa-Baas are an invitational rugby union team. Being asked to become a Barbarian is an honour.

The Barbarians typically play flowing running rugby, particularly in contrast to early Home Nation sides dominated by forward play.

History

The Barbarians were founded in 1890 by W.P. Carpmael in Leuchters Restaurant in Bradford, with the aim of a touring side that would play rugby through the summer off-season. The team was given the motto by Second World War in 1948 the Barbarians were asked by the Home Unions to raise a side to play the touring Australian side. This started the tradition of the Final Challenge – played as the last match in a tour of the UK by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

That game, that try

The Barbarian Final Challenge match with the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park on January 27 1973 was one of the best games of rugby football ever played. It was a game of attack and counter attack with rugby the winner.

Cliff Morgan described that try by Gareth Edwards:

Kirkpatrick to Williams. This is great stuff. Phil Bennett covering chased by Alistair Scown. Brilliant, Oh, that's brilliant. John Williams. Pullin. John Dawes, dreat dummy. To David, Tom David, the half-way line. Brilliant by Quinnell. This is Gareth Edwards. A dramatic start. What a score.

Gareth Edwards said of the match:

People tend only to remember the first four minutes of the game because of the try, but what they forgot is the great deal of good rugby played afterwards, much of which came from the All Blacks.

For us after the success of the 1971 Lions tour, which captured the imagination of the whole country, it was an opportunity to bring a lot of that side together again.

For the Record: The All Blacks lost 23 to 11 to the Barbarians, their only defeat of the tour.

Scorers: Barbarians: Tries: G.O.Edwards, J.F. Slattery, J.C. Bevan, J.P.R.Williams; Conversions: P. Bennett (2); Penalty: P. Bennett All Blacks: Tries: G.B. Batty (2); Penalty: J.F. Karam

Traditional matches

The Barbarians traditionally play several matches, including:

• Boxing day Fixture against Leicester Tigers
• Mobbs Memorial match – held for Edgar Mobbs who was killed in The Great War
• The Final Challenge – played as the last match in a tour of the UK by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. But due to the changes in the game in recent years, long tours have effectively disappeared from the game and there is less scope for this challenge.

They typically compete against teams from the home countries (England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland) and international sides touring Britain.