MIKE ROSS HAS been called into the Barbarians squad for matches against England and Ulster before the tighthead hangs up his scrum cap this summer.
The 37-year-old prop won 61 caps for Ireland and was given a rousing send-off from the RDS when he played his final game for Leinster in recent weeks.
After Bundee Aki and Charles Piutau had to withdraw from the original core group, Ross and Ruan Pienaar are joined by ex-Leinster man Ian Madigan in the 27 strong squad.
Madigan will swap Bordeaux for Pat Lam’s Bristol this summer, and will hope to help the tourists put points on the board against England (28 May) and Ulster (1 June).
Among many other additions to Vern Cotter’s group are All Black Ben Franks and Saracens hooker Schalk Brits.
Barbarians squad summer 2017
Backs: Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux Begles & Australia), Yann David (Toulouse and France), Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath Rugby & Samoa), Robbie Freuan (Bath Rugby), Rory Kockott (Castres & France), Ian Madigan (Bordeaux Begles & Ireland), Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji), Waisea Nayacalavu (Stade Francais & Fiji), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa), David Smith (Castres), Frans Steyn (Montpellier & South Africa).
Forwards: Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina), Steffon Armitage (Pau & England), Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France), Corey Flynn (Star RFC & New Zealand), Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand), Gillian Galan (Toulouse), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales), Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina), Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa), Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier & Georgia), WP Nel (Edinburgh & Scotland), Mike Ross (Leinster & Ireland), Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa), Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand).
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O Donohoe has balls of steel. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Galway seemed to have more quality but that Mayo hunger and never say die got them over the line again.
Great match to start the league
@Noel Lynn: again? Do they get over the lone a lot?
Maybe if Mayo had brought Enoch Burke in to the forward line they might have benefitted from his ability to create havoc and take a score. As it was, Galway gifted Mayo the draw by giving the ball away when in possession in the last play. We don’t mind throwing them a few crumbs now and again.
@Brendan Daniel Naughton: Galway defence is poor.Needs serious restructuring if we’re to get to an All Ireland final.
Cillian’s score was with his left foot, not fisted.
The author’s omission of the awarding of Galways last free is poor. The player slipped but good auld Joe Mc Q seen a foul. He does try God love him.
@Noel Lynn: was standing right beside it took his legs
@Noel Lynn: still blaming referees for previous defeats and current draws I see…drop that attitude and mayo might just win an all ireland in the next decade
@Noel Lynn: The free O’Donoghue won of Glynn was a pure con altogether, so I wouldn’t worry too much about any miscarriage of justice
@Colman Kelly: u see what I wanna see. Very clear on tv, no trip, he slipped
@Noel Lynn: you said it…you see what you wanna see. You didn’t want to see it was a foul
@Noel Lynn: Mayo drew?
Great game for the first round of the league. Mayo need a few more scoring forwards to reward all their great play.
@Richie Murphy: agreed and need more direct play. That over and back shite is costing the 50%more scores
@Noel Lynn: totally agree as a mayo man I would worry bout that come championship Galway were way better breaking through our defence with runners something mayo found hard to do
The black card needs to be amended to take into account the stoppages. This craic of laying on the floor for 3 minutes every free to kill time is ruining the flow of the game.
What was the point of bringing on aiden o shea on?
@itzme: to give him a run I assume?
Will never tire of seeing Mayo
putting Galway back in their box!
@James Flynn: they didn’t though and they never have put us back in our box or any box . #bottlers
@Finnster: ha knew I’d tempt you out Finnster!
Bottlers? you’d know Galway
hurlers record?
They invented the word
@James Flynn: 26062 days and counting lad
The GAA and the draw….