Continuing his series on teams competing in the World Rugby Classic, which gets underway at National Sports Club on Sunday, John Kane today takes a look at the Celtic Barbarians.

The Celtic Barbarians (Ireland, Scotland and Wales) having had the audacity to beat New Zealand in the 1993 final (15-10) and made to suffer for that last year by being beaten 30-0 in a repeat final, look to be the team most likely to once again mount the challenge.

Five players with over 200 caps have been drafted into the side in order to try and undo the New Zealand stranglehold on the trophy.

Michael Bradley (40 caps for Ireland) and part of Ireland's World Cup team in South Africa earlier this year is joined by winger Keith Crossan (Ireland, 41), centre Keith Robertson (Scotland, 44), Scotland's most capped flanker John Jeffrey (40) and most capped No.8 Derek White (41).

But not content to rest there, Willie John McBride, the team manager with the experience of 63 caps with Ireland and 17 for the British Lions has added Welsh international Paul Turner, one of the dominant outhalves in English rugby at the moment, as a partner to Bradley.

Further out, the flying Welsh winger Glen Webbe makes a return visit while six-time Easter Classic visitor, former Irish international captain Willie Anderson (27) makes his debut in the Classic.

The Barbarians' first opponents will be the USA, a team also strengthened from last year and led by international Kevin Swords who played here in the Bermuda/USA World Cup match last year.

Swords with 36 caps for his country is joined by former Eagles skipper, Brian Vizard, last year's captain, with 22 caps.

Defeats by New Zealand (5-70) and South Africa (10-50) last year still wrangle with a US team very keen to erase those memories.

Monday's "Bermuda-United States Day'' at the Classic opens with the Bermuda National team playing Mid-Atlantic (12.15), followed by Bermuda/France v South Africa (2.00) and the Barbarians v the USA.

The eighth World Rugby Classic gets underway on Sunday with schoolboy rugby at 1.00, followed by New Zealand v Canada (2.00) and England v Argentina at 3.30.

Tickets will be available at the gates at National Sports Club from noon on Sunday. Admission is $10 per day or $40 for the week.

Celtic Barbarians squad: Colin Wilkinson, fullback (Ireland); Keith Robertson, centre (Scotland); Derek McAleese, centre (Ireland); Keith Orrell, centre (Wales); Keith Crossan, wing (Ireland); Glen Webbe, wing (Wales); Paul Turner, outhalf (Wales); Rab Brady, scrumhalf (Ireland); Michael Bradley, scrumhalf (Ireland); Jeremy Pugh, prop (Wales); Ian Stephens, prop (Wales); Rob Cunningham, hooker (Scotland); Geoff Davies, hooker (Wales B); Willie Anderson, lock (Ireland); Ken Macauley, lock (Scotland B); Lynn Jones, lock (Wales B); Derek White, No.8 (Scotland); Michael Gibson, No.8 (Ireland); John Jeffrey, flanker (Scotland); Kevin Ellis, flanker (Wales); Allan Martin, lock/coach (Wales); Mark Picton (Wales); Willie John McBride, manager (Ireland); Bob Teague, physiotherapist.