 Logo of the Australian Barbarians | |
| Founded | 1957 |
|---|---|
| Coach(es) | Michael Magriplis Scott Podmore |
The Australian Barbarians, nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team that has been a major part of Australian rugby since the team was founded in 1957. The club is based in Australia. [1] The idea came from the concept of the Barbarian F.C. formed in Britain in 1890. [2]
Founded in 1957, the Australian Barbarians was envisioned as an invitational side built off the original concept of the Barbarian F.C. side - adding opportunity for players to play against international touring sides - similar to other corresponding sides in other nations like the New Zealand Barbarians, South African Barbarians and French Barbarians, with all programs continuing into the era of professionalism.
Following their inception, the Australian Barbarians featured in several tours, with fixtures against the All Blacks, Western Samoa, France, Scotland and Fiji, plus fixtures against development sides from England and Canada.
Outside international clashes, the side regularly takes part in domestic fixtures against Super Rugby development sides and the Junior Wallabies - with their most recent clash taking place in 2023.
Several junior Barbarians sides have also been produced for both domestic and international fixtures. An Australian Barbarians Under 20s side has also been produced, with their most recent clash taking place in 2015 defeating Tonga U20s 40-36.
The program was revived in 2015 following the completion of the second season of the National Rugby Championship, with players from the competition who were not contracted for Super Rugby embarking on a two-match tour of New Zealand against a side chosen from the Heartland Championship, named the New Zealand Heartland XV. The Barbarians won both fixtures.
After several years playing domestic fixtures, 2022 marked the first ever female Australian Barbarians clash, with the side playing an international fixture against Japan as part of their tour against the Australia women's national rugby union team. Japan won the fixture, 10-24. [3]
The team is set to be revived in 2025 to play their first-ever fixture against the Japan Development XV, the secondary feeder team to the Japan national rugby union team as part of the Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby. [4]
Matches against international teams only. a The listing may be incomplete.
|} Notes:
^a Trial matches against the Australian Under-20 side, [8] and other age-group teams, to assist in their preparation for international tournaments have also been played by the Australian Barbarians Rugby Club, [9] but these results are not listed here.
^b The Australian Barbarians team was nominated by the ARU as the second national team to play two matches against England in 2010. [10] As such, it was essentially Australia A by another name for the 2010 England tour. The Australian Barbarians also played a pre-World Cup friendly against Canada in 2011. [11]
^c Players from the National Rugby Championship that were not contracted for Super Rugby were selected to play against a New Zealand side chosen from the Heartland Championship.| Against | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada XV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
 England Saxons | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 00.00% |
 Fiji | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
 France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
 New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 00.00% |
| NZ Heartland XV | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
 Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
 Western Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Total | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 70.00% |
Updated: 21st November 2024
| Date | Tournament | Location | Venue | Opponent | Result | Score | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 2022 | 2022 Australian Tour | Brisbane | Wests Rugby Club |  Japan | Loss | 10–24 | [12] |
