BROWN TO TAKE ON BARBARIANS
Snubbed Scotland star handed World XV place
FRASER BROWN will get the chance to show Gregor Townsend he was wrong to leave him out of Scotland’s world Cup training squad when he takes on the best in the world later this month.
The Glasgow hooker and former Scotland captain was a shock absentee when national head coach Townsend named a 41-player party ahead of the tournament in France.
Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, George Turner and Stuart McInally were all preferred as front-row options in what was a huge blow to 33-year-old Brown.
But his season is far from over, as Sportsmail can reveal he will feature for a world XV coached by Steve Hansen against the Barbarians at Twickenham on May 28.
Before that, of course, he is in the mix to play for Glasgow warriors against Toulon in the European Challenge Cup final in Dublin next Friday.
The world XV-Barbarians clash has already attracted some of the biggest names in rugby, and Brown will be joined in his team by Edinburgh’s Fijian back row Bill Mata, current Tonga internationals Israel Folau and Charles Piutau, All Black ngani Laumape and Australia’s Marika Koroibete.
Scotland fly-half Adam Hastings will hope to be their guiding light from no 10 and is in former All Blacks coach Hansen’s squad alongside nick Phipps, Danilo Fischetti, Simone Ferrari, Lorenzo Cannone, Rhys Patchell and Elliot Dee.
on the other side of the fence, ex-England coach Eddie Jones — now with Australia — is heading up the Barbarians and also has a fearsome team at his disposal.
negotiations on player release are ongoing, but Jones hopes his former England players Danny
Care, Dan Cole, Joe Marler, Jonny May, Jack nowell and Sam Simmonds can all be involved if possible. wales trio Alun wyn Jones, Rhys webb and Taulupe Faletau. Former All Blacks Aaron Cruden and Steven Luatua will also pull on the famous black and white shirt.
The only thing precluding prop Cole’s involvement would be his Leicester side potentially making the Premiership final which takes place at Twickenham the day before the world XV-Barbarians game. Leicester face a trip to Sale in the Premiership semi-finals tomorrow.
Brown’s involvement is at least some consolation for the 61-times capped star after he was left out of Townsend’s squad.
The Scotland head coach revealed that selecting the hookers had given him the biggest headache and Brown just missed out, with McInally getting the fourth spot ahead of him.
‘we have had a lot of discussions round certain positions and hooker was the position we had the most discussions round,’ said Townsend at the time.
‘There was a two-hour meet on hookers last week and we had some sort of clarity with our thinking and wanted to see how Glasgow got on at the weekend and we had another debate yesterday.
‘why Stuart over Fraser? we feel Stuart has come from his last injury looking really sharp. For us, he is the man in form and really motivated to go to this world Cup and play his best rugby.
‘In saying that, it could have easily been Fraser. He stepped up really well for us in november against new Zealand and he is experienced and very tough.’