MIKE ROSS HAS been called into the Barbarians squad for matches against England and Ulster before the tighthead hangs up his scrum cap this summer.
The 37-year-old prop won 61 caps for Ireland and was given a rousing send-off from the RDS when he played his final game for Leinster in recent weeks.
After Bundee Aki and Charles Piutau had to withdraw from the original core group, Ross and Ruan Pienaar are joined by ex-Leinster man Ian Madigan in the 27 strong squad.
Madigan will swap Bordeaux for Pat Lam’s Bristol this summer, and will hope to help the tourists put points on the board against England (28 May) and Ulster (1 June).
Among many other additions to Vern Cotter’s group are All Black Ben Franks and Saracens hooker Schalk Brits.
Barbarians squad summer 2017
Backs: Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Bordeaux Begles & Australia), Yann David (Toulouse and France), Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath Rugby & Samoa), Robbie Freuan (Bath Rugby), Rory Kockott (Castres & France), Ian Madigan (Bordeaux Begles & Ireland), Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji), Waisea Nayacalavu (Stade Francais & Fiji), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa), David Smith (Castres), Frans Steyn (Montpellier & South Africa).
Forwards: Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina), Steffon Armitage (Pau & England), Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France), Corey Flynn (Star RFC & New Zealand), Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand), Gillian Galan (Toulouse), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales), Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina), Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa), Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier & Georgia), WP Nel (Edinburgh & Scotland), Mike Ross (Leinster & Ireland), Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa), Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand).
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