Overlooked Wales loose-head Wyn Jones has been lined up to take on the Barbarians in a star-studded World XV side at Twickenham on May 28.
The Scarlets prop started the month by missing out on Warren Gatland's World Cup training squad, with the Wales coach opting against selecting the 2021 Lions Test starter.
But he'll end May surrounded by a bunch of illustrious names after former Wales and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen approached him to be part of a squad that is set to include the likes of Charles Piutau, Ngani Laumape, Nick Phipps, Marika Koroibete, Semi Radradra, Bill Mata and Israel Folau, as well as Wales internationals Rhys Patchell and Elliot Dee.
The Barbarians, who will be coached by Australia head coach Eddie Jones, will feature Wales internationals Alun Wyn Jones, Rhys Webb and Taulupe Faletau, while the likes of Samu Kerevi, Quade Cooper, Joe Marler and Steven Luatua are also expected to be involved.
Jones' omission from the Wales World Cup squad was perhaps the biggest surprise, given how Jones had established himself since being handed his Test debut by Gatland in 2017.
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The 48-cap prop had fallen down the pecking order over the course of the year, but few would have expected the 31-year-old not to be one of the five loose-heads in the wider training squad.
However, that was the case - with Gatland opting to select uncapped duo Corey Domachowski and Kemsley Mathias alongside the experienced trio of Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas and Rhys Carre.
Speaking to S4C about being overlooked on the weekend, Jones said: "Very disappointed of course, but it is a part of this game. I need to work hard on my own stuff and we’ll see what happens in the future."
Being named in the star-studded clash at Twickenham will give him a chance to show what he can do, particularly with the number of Wales squad members also involved.
“So, I’m just really looking forward to working with them all, and excited about the game because it’s going to be played in the right manner," said World XV coach Hansen about the match.
“Traditionally, you want a Barbarians game to be open and flowing, and a World XV game is the same. This event gets you a combination of both those teams – and both coaches will treat it with the respect that it deserves.
“Whilst both sides will have a little bit of fun during the week, come Sunday they’ll have the freedom to express themselves and pour it out on the park. I’m sure we’ll see a wonderfully high-skilled spectacle that hopefully people will come along and really, really enjoy.”
General admission tickets for the blockbuster Barbarian F.C. vs World XV clash are on sale now from www.ticketmaster.co.uk/barbarians at the early-bird price of just £25* for Adults and £15* for Under-16s.
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