Glasgow forwards in World XV line-up

GLASGOW front-row forwards Fraser Brown and Oli Kebble have both been selected in the World XV’s starting line-up to take on the Barbarians in the Killik Cup clash at Twickenham on Sunday. Hooker Brown and tighthead prop Kebble are joined in the invitational side by Edinburgh No 8 Bill Mata and Gloucester standoff Adam Hastings, while Warriors loosehead Allan Dell is on the bench.

Another Glasgow tighthead, Enrique Pieretto, starts for the Barbarians, who have Warriors centre Sam Johnson and back-row Sione Vailanu among their replacements. The Barbarians will be captained by Wales and British & Irish Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones, while Italy captain Michele Lamarro will skipper the World XV.

Jones announced he is retiring from the international game on Friday having amassed 170 caps, including 12 for the British and Irish Lions, in a decision that means he will miss this autumn’s World Cup.

The RFU will raise the pride flag at Twickenham for the game after Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 because of a series of anti-gay posts on social media.

Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan has been voted the BKT URC Players’ Player of the Season for 2022/23. The award is voted for by the captains and vice-captains of the league’s 16 teams. Sheehan, 24, had already been recognised in the URC’s end-of-season awards by winning a place in the Elite XV, the team of the season that is voted on position by position by the media.

A prolific try-scorer, Sheehan touched down eight times for Leinster in a campaign that saw them finish top of the regular standings. He also scored twice in the team’s Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle last Saturday, and claimed another two tries in the victory over England that secured the Grand Slam for Ireland in this year’s Six Nations Championship.