TODAY WAS A good day to be Jared Payne.
The Ulster full-back was named in the Barbarians’ 22-man squad for their upcoming matches against England and the British and Irish Lions.
As if that wasn’t enough Ulster also confirmed that Payne, 27, has signed a three-year contract extension which will see him remain at Ravenhill until the end of the 2016 season.
Munster prop BJ Botha is the only other representative of the Irish provinces in a Baa-Baas squad which includes call-ups for three former Lions in James Hook, Dwayne Peel and Matthew Rees.
Botha’s Springbok team-mates Marco Wentzel and Francois Louw, All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Nick Evans, and Italian quartet Sergio Parisse, Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Alessandro Zanni are also included.
“Our selection process has taken several months and is still not quite complete,” team manager Quinnell said. ”Over the next week or so we will be monitoring the domestic play-off matches in Europe and the various national squads for the summer tours.”
The Baa-Baas play England at Twickenham on 26 May before flying to Hong Kong for the historic encounter against the Lions on 1 June.
Barbarians squad
Backs: Jared Payne (Ulster), Rowan Varty (DeA Tigers & Hong Kong), Takudzwa Ngwenya (Bairritz Olympique & USA), Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand), James Hook (Perpignan & Wales), Nick Evans (Harlequins & New Zealand), Kahn Fotuali’i (Ospreys & Samoa), Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks & Wales), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz Olympique & France)
Forwards: Duncan Jones (Ospreys & Wales), B J Botha (Munster & South Africa), Paul James (Bath Rugby & Wales), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester & Italy), Matthew Rees (Scarlets & Wales), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso & Italy), Marco Wentzel (London Wasps & South Africa), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby & Scotland), Francois Louw (Bath Rugby & South Africa), Sam Jones (London Wasps), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso & Italy), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais & Italy), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique & France).
