Barbarians add two former England stars for their upcoming Killik Cup clash against Fiji

Few teams celebrate rugby like the Barbarians and Fiji do when it comes to its purest form. When they both enter the pitch on Saturday, June 22, there will be plenty to celebrate thanks to their colourful and thrilling playing styles.in their traditional stripes of black and white. Both sides represent how easy it is to play the game. The oppressive pressure that might accompany contemporary professionalism never seems to get to either side.

In the summer, the two teams will square off at Twickenham, the site of a great deal of the Baa-Baas encounters. The match will take place in the “Killik Cup” bracket, of which Barbarian F.C. is the current holder after defeating the World XV 48-42 in the thrilling match from last summer.

Ben Youngs, the current England cap holder, has been added to the Barbarians’ squad for the match. This will be the record holder’s first-ever participation for the team. For the charming “Lenny,” who is nearing the end of his career, this will be a momentous occasion.
Zach Mercer, a fan favourite in England, will also be playing for the invitational team in black and white, but this will only be his second appearance in the uniform after winning Player of the Match in their 2022 matchup against the New Zealand All Blacks XV at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In their four encounters with Fiji in their history, the Barbarians have emerged victorious three times: once in 2016 and twice in 2013. In their most recent match, which took place at Twickenham in 2019, Fiji emerged victorious over an Eddie Jones-led BaaBaas team, 33–31.

“We’re thrilled to be returning to Twickenham and facing Fiji, a fixture that always brings huge enjoyment to players and fans alike,” stated John Spencer, President of the Barbarians.

“As the men’s Rugby World Cup 2023 so eloquently illustrated, Fiji plays rugby with an incredible amount of passion and inventiveness on display – very much in the Barbarian manner. The Killik Cup 2024 promises to be an amazing display of both teams’ flair, passion, and fast-paced rugby. We are eager.
Fiji Rugby’s General Manager of High Performance, BJ Mather, continued, saying, “These games are crucial to our players’ growth as global athletes.”Our match versus the Barbarians in 2019 served as a fantastic foundation and ultimately led to a successful Rugby World Cup campaign in 2023.
“That four-year process will begin again with this match, and we look forward to an exciting day full of tries and entertaining rugby for the Twickenham fans.”

It was recently confirmed that South Africa and Wales would play on the same day in the stadium, making the event a double header.

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