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Three Connacht players named in Barbarian squad for England

Connacht trio Finlay Bealham, Dave Heffernan and Niyi Adeolokun have all been selected to the Bar...



Connacht trio Finlay Bealham, Dave Heffernan and Niyi Adeolokun have all been selected to the Barbarian squad, for this Sunday's Quilter Cup game against England at Twickenham.

The trio are part of the 23-man squad named by their former Connacht head coach Pat Lam.

It's the second year in a row that one-cap Irish International Niyi Adeolokun has been picked for the game, starting on the wing when the Baa Baas beat England 63-45 12 months ago.

Front row Bealham and Heffernan will also be involved, among a star-studded squad which included 9 different nationalities.

Former England international Joe Marler has been picked to face his former teammates, while his fellow Harlequin James Horwill will have one final outing before his retirement.

Also selected by Pat Lam are former All-Blacks John Afoa, Steven Luatua, Liam Messam, Colin Slade, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau.

Three Welshmen are included, with Richard Hibbard, Rhys Webb and Rhodri Williams. Guinness Pro14 Player of the Year Bill Mata will also feature for Lam's side.

Sunday's game will form part of a double header, with the women's Barbarians also set to take on England at Twickenham.

Irish internationals Sene Naoupu, Claire Molloy and Hannah Casey are all set to feature.

Barbarians squad to face England:

Joe Marler (Harlequins & England)
Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh)
John Afoa (Bristol Bears & New Zealand)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht & Ireland)
David Heffernan (Connacht & Ireland)
Richard Hibbard (Dragons & Wales)
James Horwill (Harlequins & Australia)
Chris Vui (Bristol Bears & Samoa)
Steven Luatua (Bristol Bears & New Zealand)
Facundo Isa (Toulon & Argentina)
Liam Messam (Toulon & New Zealand)
Viliame Mata (Edinburgh & Fiji)
Francois Louw (Bath & South Africa)

Rhys Webb (Toulon & Wales)
Rhodri Williams (Dragons & Wales)
Colin Slade (Pau & New Zealand)
Brock James (Bordeaux Begles)
Mark Atkinson (Gloucester)
Malakai Fekitoa (Toulon & New Zealand)
Filipo Nakosi (Toulon)
Taqele Naiyaravoro (Northampton Saints & Australia)
Niyi Adeolokun (Connacht & Ireland)
Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears & New Zealand)

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Barbarian Connacht Dave Heffernan Finlay Bealham Niyi Adeolokun