Horwill signs off in style with Barbarians

Sun, Jun 2, 2019, 10:53 PM
AAP
by AAP
Taqele Naiyaravoro and James Horwill celebrate a try. Photo: Getty Images
Taqele Naiyaravoro and James Horwill celebrate a try. Photo: Getty Images

Former Australia lock James Horwill signed off his professional rugby career by scoring a rare try when captaining the Barbarians in a 51-43 defeat to an inexperienced England XV at Twickenham.

The hosts were without any of their players expected to be at the World Cup in Japan this year, but they still crossed for six tries while beating the invitational Baa Baas in front of national team coach Eddie Jones in London.

James Horwill kicked the final conversion for the Barbarians. Photo: Getty ImagesFlyhalf Marcus Smith, who scored a try and was successful with all nine of his place kicks, and flanker Alex Dombrandt, who dotted down twice for tries, pressed their claims for inclusion in former Australia coach Jones' first World Cup training squad, which is to be named at the end of June.

Former Queensland Reds battler Horwill, the most experienced international in the Barbarians side with 62 Wallabies caps, led a cosmopolitan side from nine different countries on the last outing of his stellar 14-year professional career.

And the Harlequins favourite marked his farewell when finding himself on the wing, collecting a cross-field kick from All Blacks fly-half Colin Slade to touch down in front of an impressive 40,230 crowd at Twickenham.

Barbarians coach Pat Lam said: "Fair play to England, it shows there's some great talent coming through. There was hunger and desire in their team. Some of their guys wanted to prove a point."

RESULT

England XV 51

Tries: Bassett, Hammersley, Smith, Dombrandt 2, J Williams

Cons: Smith 6

Pens: Smith 3

Barbarians 43

Tries: Atkinson 2, Horwill, Louw, Heffernan, R Williams, Naiyaravoro

Cons: Slade 3, James

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