Departing Glasgow Warriors player named in Eddie Jones’ squad for Twickenham clash

Sam Johnson, the Scotland centre, has been added to the Barbarians squad for Sunday’s Killik Cup match against a World XV.

Scotland centre Sam Johnson will play for the Barbarians against a World XV. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Johnson, whose departure from Glasgow Warriors after eight years was announced earlier this month, has been called up along with Japan wing Taichi Takahashi for the game at Twickenham. The initial squads were announced last week and there is a strong Glasgow presence running through both. Johnson will be joined by Warriors forwards Enrique Pieretto and Sione Vailanu in Eddie Jones’ Barbarians side, while Fraser Brown, Allan Dell, Oli Kebble are all in the World XV squad which will be led by Steve Hansen, the former All Blacks coach. Adam Hastings, the Scotland international stand-off and former Glasgow player, is also part of the World XV group along with Edinburgh forward Bill Mata.

Johnson, 29, is leaving Glasgow after making 104 appearances for the club, including 11 this season. The 27-times capped centre was not part of the match-day 23 for last Friday’s European Challenge Cup final against Toulon which the French side won 43-19.

Other notable names in the Barbarians squad include Alun Wyn Jones, the Wales and Lions great who announced his international retirement last week, and Quade Cooper, the Australia legend. Israel Folau is in the World XV squad. The former Wallaby was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 following homophobic social media posts. Folau now plays in Japan for Urayasu D-Rocks and has switched international allegiance to Tonga and could face Scotland at the Rugby World Cup in the autumn.

BARBARIAN FC

Forwards: Nic Dolly (Leicester Tigers and England), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff, Wales, British & Irish Lions), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales, British & Irish Lions), Stephan Lewies (Harlequins and South Africa), Steven Luatua (Bristol Bears and New Zealand), Enrique Pieretto (Glasgow Warriors and Argentina), Carlü Sadie (Cell C Sharks), Rob Simmons (London Irish and Australia), Harry Thacker (Bristol Bears), Sione Vailanu (Glasgow Warriors and Tonga), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons and Wales), Alex Waller (Northampton Saints), Tom West (Leicester Tigers), Kai Yamamoto (Tokyo Sungoliath).

Backs: Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys and Wales), Quade Cooper (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners and Australia), Aaron Cruden (Tokyo Sungoliath and New Zealand), Francois Hougaard (Saracens and South Africa), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors and Scotland), Samu Kerevi (Tokyo Sungoliath and Australia), Tevita Li (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs and England), Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons and England), Taichi Takahashi (Toyota Verblitz and Japan), Seta Tamanivalu (Toshiba Brave Lupus and Fiji).

WORLD XV

Forwards: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors and Scotland), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton and Italy), Elliot Dee (Dragons and Wales), Allan Dell (Glasgow Warriors and Scotland), Harry Hockings (Tokyo Sungoliath), Wyn Jones (Scarlets Rugby, Wales, British & Irish Lions), Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors and Scotland), Michele Lamaro (Benetton and Italy), Viliame Mata (Edinburgh and Fiji), Jordi Murphy (Ulster and Ireland), Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby and Italy), Api Ratuniyarawa (London Irish and Fiji), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs).

Backs: Bryn Hall (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby and Scotland), Israel Folau (Urayasu D-Rocks and Tonga), Ngani Laumape (Kobelco Kobe Steelers and New Zealand), Sbu Nkosi (Vodacom Bulls and South Africa), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets and Wales), Nick Phipps (Green Rockets Tokatsu and Australia), Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears and Tonga), Semi Radradra (Bristol Bears and Fiji), Kaminieli Rasaku (Aviron Bayonnais and Fiji 7s).