It may not strictly speaking be recognized as an international but today will see smiling Springbok Schalk Brits play in his final game against international opponents as the Barbarians face Wales in Cardiff this afternoon. The man who plays the game with an infectious smile on his face and must surely be the most popular South African to have played in England must be loving his time with the free style Barbarians has been included on the bench for the Barbarians by former Wales coach Warren Gatland.
Barbarians coach Gatland is also another favourite, of the Welsh crowd. While I have not always appreciated they way his Welsh teams have generally been set up to play the game over the years, you have to admit that he has been very successful in his time in Wales and will be a very hard act to follow.
It will be the end of one era and the start of another in Welsh rugby when Wales take on Barbarians in an uncapped fixture in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wayne Pivac will take charge of his first Wales game, replacing fellow New Zealander Warren Gatland who leads the Barbarians.
Following his 12-year reign with Wales, it will be an unusual experience for Gatland who will take his side into the Principality Stadium away dressing room.
The 56-year-old finished after the Rugby World Cup in Japan earlier this month, where Wales finished fourth.
During Gatland’s time in charge, Wales won four Six Nations titles including three Grand Slams and reached two World Cup semi-finals.
This will be the chance for the Welsh public to say goodbye and thank you to Gatland but they will be hoping he does not leave Cardiff with a victory.
Now it is down to Pivac to take Wales forward, with Justin Tipuric captaining his first side in the absence of the injured Alun Wyn Jones.
The notable inclusion is New Zealand-born Scarlets wing Johnny McNicholl who qualified through residency this month after spending three years with his region.
There are nine changes from the side who lost the World Cup bronze-medal match against New Zealand. The likes of Jonathan Davies, Josh Navidi, Tomas Francis, Rhys Patchell and Ross Moriarty are all missing through injury, while Dan Biggar is unavailable because he plays his club rugby in England.
Pivac has chosen Cardiff Blues fly-half Jarrod Evans after he missed out on World Cup selection and he will link up with regional team-mate Tomos Williams at half-back.
Former Ireland captain Rory Best will captain the Barbarians team, while former France centre Mathieu Bastareaud lines up in midfield.
The match will be the second act of an historic double-header with Wales Women facing a Barbarians side at 11:45 GMT.
The teams
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets); Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues); Jarrod Evans (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Williams (Cardiff Blues); Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (capt, Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Replacements: Elliot Dee (Dragons), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Leon Brown (Dragons), Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ollie Griffiths (Dragons), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Sam Davies (Dragons), Owen Lane (Cardiff Blues).
Barbarians: Shaun Stevenson (Waikoto Chiefs & Maori All Blacks); Dillyn Leyds (Stormers & South Africa), Mathieu Bastareaud (Lyon & France), Andre Esterhuizen (Natal Sharks & South Africa), Cornal Hendricks (Blue Bulls & South Africa); Curwin Bosch (Natal Sharks & South Africa), Bryn Hall (Crusaders & Maori All Blacks); Campese Maafu (Leicester Tigers & Fiji), Rory Best (capt, Ulster & Ireland), Wiehahn Herbst (Blue Bulls), Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels & Australia), Tyler Ardron (Waikoto Chiefs & Canada), Pete Samu (ACT Brumbies & Australia), Marco van Staden (Blue Bulls & South Africa), Josh Strauss (Stade Francais & Scotland).
Replacements: Schalk Brits (Blue Bulls & South Africa), Craig Millar (Sunwolves), Hencus van Wyk (Sunwolves), George Biagi (Zebre & Italy), Angus Cottrell (Melbourne Rebels), Jano Vermaak (Stormers & South Africa), Billy Meakes (Melbourne Rebels), Matt Duffie (Auckland Blues & New Zealand).
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU), Assistants: Dan Jones, Gwyn Morris (both WRU), TMO: Ian Davies (WRU).
What they said
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: “The coach rivalry just a little side issue, the coaches coming up against each other. We are going to be really focused on trying to get as much as we can out of the game and the week so we hit the ground running in Six Nations, a week advanced of where we would have been.
“All the introductions are out of the way, we’re starting to learn more about each other and some of the stuff the coaches are starting to put in their various areas is getting a warm reception so, so far, so good.
“Both teams will want to get a result. The nature of players at a professional level is you put yourself up against an opponent and you want to knock them over.
“We are using this week as part of the preparation for the Six Nations so for us it’s a bonus week.
“We have got our hands on the players and put in some of the foundations for the way we want to play the game moving forward.”
Barbarians head coach Warren Gatland: “It’s a great chance for me, the last time in the stadium, to be able to say thank you, and it’s a new regime.
“They’ve got to put their own stamp on it. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in that period in terms of trophies and stuff, and semi-finals of the World Cup.
“But it’s a chance for this group to potentially take it on to a new level and add their own personalities and their own thoughts and ideas into Wales.
“I think I’ve left it in a good place from when I started, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved over that period. Hopefully they’re able to do that.”
“I am well aware of how motivated this Wales team will be to impress the new coaching team coming in. They want to make the coaches sit up and take notice, and to put their names forward for the Six Nations.
“They will be incredibly motivated to want to do well and we have to be aware of that.”