Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The Barbarians ran in 11 tries to beat the Czech Republic 71-0 on Tuesday as they entertained fans in the biggest game in the country’s rugby history.
The famous invitation club came to celebrate the host union’s 90th anniversary at the Marketa Stadium in Prague, the first game televised by state TV in the country.
Broadcast highlights included elusive running that brought two tries apiece for the man-of-the -match Melani Nanai (Blues), centre Matt Faddes (Highlanders), flyhalf Richard Mo’unga (Crusaders) and Kwagga Smith (Lions).
The other scores came from Toby Smith, Sam Carter and Schalk van der Merwe, while Robert du Preez (Stormers) added six conversions and Mo’unga two.
Visiting Prague was about more than the game, with the Barbarians holding an outreach session for local children and coach Robbie Deans engaging with local coaches throughout the three-day trip.
The Czech Republic have a handful of players involved professionally in France and they drove around the ruck and attacked from set pieces in the opening quarter.
So Kwagga Smith’s try following scrumhalf Nik Stirzaker’s break, Mo’unga converting, was all the Barbarians had to show for the first 24 minutes of hard work.
Then they found some fluency in the remainder of the first half with four tries in the space of 15 minutes.
Toby Smith barged over after Stirzaker’s inside ball, Faddes cruised through some static defenders from long range before Sam Carter added another close-range effort.
Nanai’s was the pick of the bunch - a 60m gliding run followed by a killer sidestep to the line - and conversions from Mo’unga and Du Preez made it 31-0 at the interval.
Kwagga Smith, Mo’unga and Faddes all struck early in the second half before the Czechs enjoyed their best spell of the game, reorganising their defence and driving for the line with second rows Miroslav Nemecek and Robert Voves their mainstays.
They were punished, though, when Mo’unga chipped ahead, regathered and dodged over 12 minutes from time and Montpellier prop Schalk van der Merwe was up in support to receive wing Luke Morahan’s assist to score the 10th try.
Nanai squeezed over in the corner for try No 11 before the Barbarians and their opponents paraded around the stadium in front of 7 000 supporters.
In their next match, the BaaBaas meet Fiji at the Kingspan Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.
Barbarians team:15 Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs), 14 Luke Morahan (Force & Australia), 13 Matt Faddes (Highlanders), 12 Robert du Preez (Stormers), 11 Melani Nanai (Blues), 10 Richard Mo'unga (Crusaders), 9 Nic Stirzaker (Rebels), 8 Ruan Ackermann (Lions), 7 Kwagga Smith (Lions), 6 Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia), 5 Martin Muller (Lions), 4 Dan Tuohy (Ulster & Ireland, captain), 3 Toby Smith (Rebels & Australia), 2 Andrew Ready (Reds), 1 Schalk van der Merwe (EP Kings)
Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe (Lions), 17 Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes), 18 Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand), 19 Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes), 20 Brad Shields (Hurricanes), 21 Andy Ellis (Crusaders & Kobelco & New Zealand), 22 Jordan Taufua (Crusaders), 23 Richard Buckman (Highlanders & Panasonic)
