Cornish Pirates

31st October 2008

On Tuesday 4th November the best of Combined Services rugby will take on the famous Barbarians in the Remembrance Day Rugby Match to be played at Plymouth Albion RFC's Brickfields ground.

Selected in the Barbarians starting XV are Cornish Pirates winger Rhodri McAtee and fly-half Rhys Jones.

Rhodri played in the equivalent match last year, as did Matt Evans, whilst this year's selection of Rhys sees him follow in the footsteps of his father, Kingsley Jones, who has played in the past for the famous invitational side, and is head coach at Sale.

Monies raised from the evening will again go towards the Royal British Legion's 'Poppy Appeal', and tickets are available from Plymouth Albion RFC - telephone 0870 350 0402.

The main match kicks-off at 7pm, but there is also a curtain-raiser starting at 5pm between Combined Services Women and an England Women's Development XV.

The Barbarians squad to face the Combined Services is as follows:-

* Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs), Arthur Brenton (Plymouth Albion),
* Joao Correia (GD Direito & Portugal), * Chris Czekaj (Cardiff Blues & Wales)
Mark Davies (Lydney), * Dougie Flockhart (Esher & Scotland A), * Chris Gittins (Aberavon)
* Matt Hocken (Brussels Barbarians & Belgium), * Rhys Jones (Cornish Pirates)
* Kyle Marriott (Plymouth Albion), Diogo Mateus (CF Os Belenenses & Portugal)
Rhodri McAtee (Cornish Pirates & Wales 7s), * Jamie Miller (Coventry)
Chris Ritchie (Rosslyn Park), * Will Runciman (Worcester Warriors),
Tai Selley (Newport Gwent Dragons & Wales), * Brett Sturgess (Exeter Chiefs)
Danny Thomas (Plymouth Albion), * Vasco Uva (GD Direito & Portugal)
Rhys Williams (Cardiff Blues & Wales), * Tony Windo (Worcester Warriors), * John Yapp (Cardiff Blues & Wales).

* indicates new Barbarian

Founded at Bradford in 1890 by the famous Blackheath forward W.P. Carpmael, the Barbarians is a unique organisation which plays in a unique style, it a world famous touring club with no ground. Its club motto reads "Rugby football is a game for gentlemen in all classes, but never for a bad sportsmen in any class."

Many of the games greatest players have represented the club since its inception, and membership is an honour which is ranked in the eyes of many as being second only to playing for one's country. It is a team that plays to win, and hopefully with style, there not the inhibitions inevitably involved with an international match. If they are beaten, nobody goes into sackcloth.

Pirates who have worn the famous black and white Barbarians FC jersey, but who have still traditionally worn their own club's socks, are John MacG. K. Kendall-Carpenter, John 'Ginger' Williams, Jimmy Glover, 'Stack' Stevens and Mike Luke, plus of course Rhodri McAtee and Matt Evans.

Barrie Bennetts (Penzance), an England international who played in the 1908 County Championship side, was also a Barbarian.