Barbarian F.C.

Barbarian F.C.

The Barbarian Football Club is a British invitational rugby union team. Membership is by invitation; as of 2011, players from 31 countries have played for them. Traditionally at least one uncapped player is selected for each match. The Barbarians usually play six annual matches: Penarth, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport at Easter; a game with Leicester on 27 December and the Mobbs Memorial Match against East Midlands in the spring.

About Barbarian F.C. in brief

Summary Barbarian F.C.The Barbarian Football Club is a British invitational rugby union team. Membership is by invitation; as of 2011, players from 31 countries have played for them. Traditionally at least one uncapped player is selected for each match. The Barbarians usually play six annual matches: Penarth, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport at Easter; a game with Leicester on 27 December and the Mobbs Memorial Match against East Midlands in the spring. In 1948, the Barbarians were invited to face Australia as part of the Wallabies’ tour of Britain, Ireland and France. The ‘Final Challenge’ match with the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park is celebrated as one of the best rugby games of all time. The team was given the motto by Walter Julius Carey, former Bishop of Bloemfontein: Rugby Football is a game for gentlemen in all classes, but for no bad sportsman in any class. A women’s team was established in 2017. The Barbarian Club was formed by William Percy Carpmael, who had played rugby for Cambridge University. In 1890 he took the Southern Nomads – mainly composed of players from Blackheath – on a tour of some northern counties of England.

The first match took place in 1901, and over the next 75 encounters, Penarth won eleven games, drew four and lost 60. The final Penarth v Barbarians game was played in 1986, by which time the Penarth club had slipped from its prominent position in Welsh rugby. However, a special commemorative game, recognising the 100 years since the first Good Friday match, took place the day before the Millennium Stadium was opened. The match was played at the Athletic clubhouse before the next day’s Barbarians played Wales at the Stadium. After the Second World War in 1948 the Barbarian were asked by the British and Irish unions to raise a side to play the touring Australia, to raise funds for the home team. This started the tradition of the last match in Britain and Ireland by Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, played on January 27, 1973 – the last time the last tour of Ireland and New Zealand was played.