By Canadian Press

Canada rugby captain Tyler Ardron to play for famed Barbarians all-stars

Nov 14, 2019 | 2:43 PM

TORONTO — Canada rugby captain Tyler Ardron will start for the famed Barbarians against Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Barbarians, an invitational all-star side known for its free-flowing style of rugby, date back to 1890.

Ardron will line up at lock with Australian Luke Jones alongside the likes of Ireland’s Rory Best, France’s Mathieu Bastereaud and South Africans Tendai Mtawarira, Makazole Mapimpi and Morne Steyn. England coach Eddie Jones will lead the Barbarians.

The Barbarians’ starting 15 also features players from Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa. Saturday’s game is for the Killik Cup.

The Barbarians ran in six tries en route to a 40-7 win over Fiji the last time they met in November 2016, in Belfast. In 2013, the Baa-Baas beat Fiji 43-19 at Twickenham.

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Other Canadians to have played for the Barbarians include World Rugby Hall of Famers Al Charron and Gareth Rees as well as Mark Wyatt, David Lougheed, Glen Ennis, Rod Snow, James Pritchard, Jason Marshall, Sean Duke and Kevin Tkachuk.

Once invited, a player becomes a life member of the famous club.

In the early 1960s, the Barbarians asked B.C.’s Douglas (Buzz) Moore to play against Canada while on tour in Britain. He declined, leading the Canadians to a 3-3 tie against the all-stars. The Barbarians made him an “honorary Barbarian.”

Former Canada women’s captain Kelly Russell took part in the inaugural match for the women’s Barbarians in November 2017.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2019.

The Canadian Press