Video: Semi Radradra stars for ‘hungover’ Barbarians in victory over England
EX-NRL star Semi Radradra and the Barbarians drank so much on their England rugby tour the coach feared they would forget their training sessions and brought in video analysts to remind them. Despite the hangover they notched a record win.
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IF this is what they can do to England when they’re boozed up, then Fijian duo Semi Radradra and Josua Tuisova could annihilate the Wallabies at the World Cup next year.
The monster pair carved up Eddie Jones’ side at Twickenham last weekend, leading the Barbarians to a record 63-45 win over the world’s No. 3 ranked team.
Former Parramatta Eels NRL star Radradra and 108kg winger Tuisova are sure to form the right side Fijian attack combination when they take on the Wallabies in the pool stages of next year’s World Cup.
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And if this was a guide after a week of drinking, in true Barbarians spirit, then Michael Cheika’s side has serious concerns for their opening World Cup match on September 21, 2019.
Barbarians coach Pat Lam conceded after his side’s win that the players hit the booze so hard he was sure they wouldn’t remember their training sessions, forcing him to bring in video analysis coaches who could replay the sessions to them the following day so they remembered their moves.
“It was funny because I said to them, ‘Fellas that was a really good training session but I know that some of you probably don’t even remember it, but you can look at the pictures,” Lam said.
“When they asked me to do this I looked at it and I’ve been involved in it before [Barbarians] and I knew that we were going to honour the tradition of getting to know each other but we only had three training sessions.
“So I said if I’m coming I need to bring Jonathan Thomas and my analysis guy and he was key because I knew even though they might be half-cut in the morning they could still see the pictures.”
Australia defeated Fiji 37-14 in June last year, but that visiting team was without Radradra, Tuisova and giant winger Nemani Nadolo.
Radradra, who has been excelling for Toulon in the French Top 14 since leaving the NRL, has yet to play a Test for Fiji but has already been named to make his international debut for them in the Pacific Nations Cup starting June 9 against Samoa.
Against England, which was a non-Test cap match as the Barbarians is an invitational side, Starting at outside centre, Radradra scored a try, set up numerous others and was a constant threat.
His link with right-side winger Tuisova devastated England’s defence, with the latter chalking up an extraordinary 214 running metres and three try assists — two from passes he gave to teammates while already standing on the tryline.
Australia is drawn with Fiji and Wales in Pool D of next year’s World Cup in Japan.
The Fijians are ranked No. 10 in the world and are on the rise under coach John McKee.
After their loss to the Wallabies last year, they went on to defeat Scotland and Italy before suffering a narrow 23-20 loss to Ireland in Dublin.
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Originally published as Video: Semi Radradra stars for ‘hungover’ Barbarians in victory over England