THE BARBARIANS WERE hammered 73-12 by a second-string England side at Twickenham as Brad Thorn ended his playing career in the sin bin.
The 40-year-old lock was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle heading into the closing 10 minutes, but he did at least manage to finish off one of the Baa-Baas’ two tries in London before that.
Thorn, who announced his retirement in April and will take up a coaching role with the Queensland Reds in Australia next season, got on the end of the Barbarians’ score in the first half, although the invitational side faded away badly thereafter.
After a big break from Thomas Waldrom had laid the platform, Thorn took a short pass from Joe Rokocoko before diving over for the final try of his career.
Sale out-half Danny Cipriani was man of the match after scoring two tries and kicking 11 out of 11 from the tee for Stuart Lancaster’s England XV, who faced a very poor Baa-Baas’ effort in truth.
Christian Wade of Wasps bagged a hattrick at Twickenham, while Marland Yarde, Jack Clifford, Henry Slade and number eight Josh Beaumont scored the other tries.
As Lancaster looks ahead to the World Cup, the quality of the opposition may prevent him from reading too much into this comprehensive win, but the likes of Cipriani, Slade, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly and Wade did all they could to impress the head coach.
Lancaster will also have been pleased with the strong result after watching Ireland lose to the Barbarians on Thursday in Limerick.