Barbarians 48-42 World XV: Alun Wyn Jones leads Baa-baas to victory
Alun Wyn Jones led the Barbarians to victory over a World XV at Twickenham in what might be one of the last times we see Test rugby's most-capped player on the pitch.
There's still the small matter of the Barbarians' clash with Jones' hometown club Swansea next week, but there's no guarantee of how long he'll continue to play the sport.
If this was it, at Twickenham at least, then he signed off with a couple of shanked conversions as he enjoyed the fun and festivities of a Barbarians clash in the May sunshine.
The former Wales captain had announced his sudden retirement from the international game over a week ago, bringing to an end the hopes of a fifth World Cup.
Whether that decision was the right one was never going to be decided by a throwabout in the English capital, but, captaining the Barbarians in his first outing for the famous club, he certainly got into the spirit of the Baa-Baas.
There were no-look offloads and an overwhelming desire to loiter out wide for cross-field kicks from Wales team-mate Gareth Anscombe.
There were nine tries before the break, with the World XV - coached by Steve Hansen - racing out to a 21-5 lead early on before Eddie Jones' team reeled them back in.
After Sebastian Negri's opening score for the World XV, the Baa-Baas hit back through a close-range driving maul - with winger Adam Radwan scoring to ensure it wasn't entirely conventional.
Further scores from Sbu Nkosi and Api Ratuniyarawa showed that the World XV were more than happy to play up to the occasion, with both coming from remarkable offloads from Semi Radradra and Israel Folau.
Tevita Li crossed for the Baa-Baas after a delicate chip over the top from Quade Cooper, before Folau did similar for the World XV after a kick ahead from Adam Hastings. The latter score being met with a smattering of boos for the controversial former Wallabies star.
Seta Tamanivalu continued the Barbarians' comeback by crashing over from close range, before Jones provided an assist fitting of the black and white striped jersey, flicking an offload for second-row partner Stephan Lewies to score.
Wales international Anscombe gave the Baa-Baas the lead before the break, latching onto an offload and running a trademark out-to-in line between the two back-field defenders to score.
The second-half was played at a similar frantic tempo, with Rhys Patchell and Anscombe showing some nice touches to orchestrate the stars around them.
Aaron Wainwright was typically energetic too, getting around the park to great effect. Thankfully for Warren Gatland, it seems that Wainwright, Anscombe and Elliot Dee got through unscathed ahead of meeting up with Wales camp next week.
The second-half wasn't quite as frantic in terms of scoring, with replacement scrum-halves Francois Hougaard and Bryn Hall the only scorers in the third quarter.
There were further scores late on, with Sam Johnson and Nkosi crossing. The former saw Jones attempt a conversion attempt that drifted in the wind for about as long as he look to set up the kick itself, with the assistant referee's flags hardly troubled by the effort.
Still, the second-row laughed off the shank in style, before dusting himself for a second attempt as Tamanivalu crossed for the final score.
However, despite a bigger build-up complete with a slow clap from the crowd, the ball still sailed awkwardly past the sticks - keeping up the fine tradition of second-rows botching conversion attempts.
Maybe he's saving the good efforts for the trip to Swansea next week.
World XV: Charles Piutau; Israel Folau, Semi Radradra, Ngani Laumape. Sbu Nkosi; Adam Hastings, Nick Phipps; Wyn Jones, Fraser Brown, Oli Kebble, Api Ratuniyarawa, Harry Hockings, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (c), Vilame Mata
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Allan Dell, Marcus Street, Niccolò Cannone, Jordi Murphy, Bryn Hall, Rhys Patchell, Kaminieli Rasaku
Barbarians: Gareth Anscombe; Adam Radwan, Seta Tamanivalu, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Li; Quade Cooper (vc), Jack Maunder; Alex Waller, Nic Dolly, Enrique Pieretto, Alun Wyn Jones (c), Stephan Lewies, Aaron Wainwright, Kai Yamamoto, Steven Luatua
Replacements: Harry Thacker, Tom West, Carlü Sadie, Rob Simmons, Sione Vailanu, Francois Hougaard, Aaron Cruden, Sam Johnson.
Live updates below:
80 minsKEY EVENT
That missed Alun Wyn Jones conversion is the final act for today.
As it should be.
Can't get much more Barbarians than second-rows missing kicks at goal. A fine tradition.
80 minsKEY EVENT
Tamanivalu crosses for the Barbarians' last score of the day.
AWJ tries one last attempt at goal. He gets the slow clap going...
He misses again.
Love the hype, though. Outstanding stuff.
76 minsKEY EVENT
Sbu Nkosi gets over in the corner after some World XV pressure.
Could... could that missed Alun Wyn Jones conversion prove costly?
I'm just kidding, but that's a fun sentence to write.
Anyway, Rhys Patchell can kick conversions.
Get the boy a contract.
73 minsKEY EVENT
Sam Johnson gets over from a lineout after a neat offload.
But, wait. who cares about tries.
Here comes Alun Wyn Jones for a conversion.
It's a big build-up and.... he misses.
That's a blow for anyone who had a tenner on him to nail a conversion at anytime. Oh, just me?
69 minsBen James
Folau booed as he runs down the touchline.
Incredible scenes as there's then a breakdown penalty.
It was blatant, mind.
Sbu Nkosi folded like a deckchair while coming in from the side.
Superb effort to be so illegal.
66 minsBen James
Aaron Cruden just stopped Radradra at full tilt, then counter-attacked like it was nothing.
Makes his knock-on under no pressure forgivable a few minutes later.
Bloke's already climbed Everest, in a way.
62 minsBen James
Is the game slowing down a bit?
Am I slowing down a bit?
Maybe and almost certainly are the correct answers to those two questions.
Still some nice touches on display though.
57 minsKEY EVENT
World XV have worked their way up to the line thanks to some lovely offloading, but it falls apart with a knock-on just short of the whitewash.
The crowd's Mexican wave is unmoved by that development. Brilliant concentration and dedication to the cause.
Few loose kicks and the World XV do get over, with Bryn Hall touching down after some neat passes.
Patchell converts.
53 minsBen James
Wyn Jones just threw an offload that went about five feet up in the air and was intercepted.
In fairness, there's not been enough scrums for his liking today.
51 minsKEY EVENT
Francois Hougaard scores the opening try of the second-half, getting over after some typically flowing rugby.
I can't tell you much more as I was still busy thinking if I could have finished that Piutau chance.
Would have stepped the last man, if I'm honest.
49 minsBen James
Am I better than Charles Piutau?
Objectively? No. Subjectively? Still no.
But would I have bombed that try like the Tongan international, throwing a forward pass when Radradra had a run-in?
I mean, probably yes. I'm weaker off my left hand.
Still, worth asking the question.
48 minsBen James
What a minute to be Welsh.
Patchell sticks Radradra through a gap with a beauty of a heat-seeking flat pass.
Then Alun Wyn Jones tries a no-look pull-back pass that misses Quade Cooper by about five yards, but still looked cool.
Then Aaron Wainwright breaks down the left and nearly sets up a long-range score for Jack Maunder. The scrum-half drops the pass though.
That 60 seconds is up there with Scott Gibbs at Wembley in 99 for me.
The guy on the PA system who played that trumpet sound three times in a row for no reason likely agrees.
44 minsBen James
Fast and loose stuff to start the second-half, just as it should be.
The crowd are singing 'happy birthday' now.
I've little else to say for now.
41 minsKEY EVENT
Both teams back out.
We're back underway...
40 minsKEY EVENT
Alun Wyn Jones gets onto a cross-field kick and throws a offload out the back.
He ruddy loves the Baa-Baas.
Rhys Patchell is on too.
Immediately gives a try-scoring pass, only for Nkosi to flip over the line but ground the ball dead.
In a game this tight, you can't afford that sort of errors (is the sort of thing I'd say in a real match).
And that's half-time.
37 minsKEY EVENT
You know what I've missed over the last few years?
A Gareth Anscombe out-to-in arcing line to the try-line.
Turns out it's still in the locker as he latches onto an offload and races between two defenders to score.
Threatens to do a Christian Cullen and jog away from the sticks towards the touchline before dotting it down.
Still nails the converision.
Lovely jubbly.
35 minsKEY EVENT
Guys, a forward pass has just been called.
I've counted double figures so far, but think that's the first where the ref has pulled it up.
Not very Baa-Baas, sir.
34 minsBen James
Another break in play.
Some big hits flying in, with Luatua giving Wyn Jones a smash backwards.
Time for me to reassess my life choices in blogging a tryfest before play resumes.
31 minsKEY EVENT
Barbarians bring the razzle dazzle after some tries in the tight, with Alun Wyn Jones giving the final offload for lock partner Stephan Lewies.
Some lovely work by Luatua and Maunder before that.
28 minsKEY EVENT
Baa-Baas opt against the driving maul (cowards) to go for some tight pick and goes near the line.
That pays off as Seta Tamanivalu crashes over.
So far, Alun Wyn Jones hasn't kicked a conversion. Anscombe instead being trusted with kicking duties.
Saving that for later, obviously.
25 minsKEY EVENT
Dee nails his first lineout for those wondering. That's all of you.
Hastings gets a kick away under pressure which Folau latches onto to score out wide
The hit from Tevita Li would, were it not a Baa-Baas game, have been a card.
But the sun is out so *insert gif of Alan Partridge shrugging".
14:24Ben James
So not a scrum, but there's an injury to Fraser Brown which gives us maybe the longest break of a frantic opening quarter so far.
His knee seemed to go as he tried to step around Quade Cooper. Hopefully it's not too serious.
It does mean we'll be seeing Elliot Dee earlier than expected.
22 minsKEY EVENT
If you've not noticed the inherent problem with live blogging a Barbarians game yet, well let me enlighten you.
Basically every update will be a try.
This time, it's the Baa-Baas turn, with Quade Cooper sticking a delightful chip over for Tevita Li to score.
Here's hoping the next blog update is just for a scrum or something...
19 minsKEY EVENT
In the words of Ted Hastings, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wee donkey, that was some try by the World XV.
Folau cuts a lovely line in midfield, nearly skins the full-back but gets an outrageous offload away. From there, the World XV put it through the hands like an overaggressive game of pass the parcel at an 11-year-old's birthday party.
Api Ratuniyarawa gets over in the end.
17 minsKEY EVENT
World XV run it from deep and Radradra flicks a delicious no-look offload to a) stop me from thinking about backs in driving mauls and b) put Sbu Nkosi over for a try.
Lovely stuff.
14 minsKEY EVENT
Anscombe sticks a penalty in the corner and the Baa-Baas set up a driving maul.
Few shouts of 'heave' in the crowd as it rumbles towards the line.
As the bodies get up, it's apparent it's winger Adam Radwan who scored from the driving maul.
I mean, if you're going to maul during a Baa-Baas game, at least get the backs involved.
Anscombe's conversion is wide.
10 minsBen James
Lineout over the top straight to midfield five metre out from your own line?
Oh, go on then, World XV...
It doen't end in disaster either, so well done.
8 minsKEY EVENT
Barbarians boot it clear but the World XV run it back immediately.
They get around the left edge, with Piutau and Radradra combining nicely.
Harry Hocking nearly gets away, before flinging an offload to Sebastian Negri to score.
Hastings adds the conversion.
5 minsBen James
Baa-Baas go full Baa-Bbas and run it from deep.
A cross-field kick nearly finds Alun Wyn Jones - no idea why he was near the touchline - but the famous club nearly still go length with some nice offloads.
3 minsBen James
World XV on the attack early here.
Aaron Wainwright tries a jackal turnover, but concedes the penalty.
Right in front of the sticks, World XV go for an elaborate tap-and-go penalty move that doesn't really do anything.
Don't worry, they're trying it again. Even worse this time.
But the Barbarians keep giving them penalties.
This time, there's no elaborate move.
In fairness to the World XV, how much time away from socialising did they have to plan that? Probably five mintues?
