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BERRICK BARNES
Wallaby No. #820
Berrick Barnes received his introduction to Tests at the 2007 World Cup tournament, scoring two tries off the bench against Japan. Scorer of the first try of the Robbie Deans Era as coach of the Wallabies, against Ireland in Melbourne in 2008, Barnes has largely been employed as an inside centre at Test level since that time, operating outside Cooper in recent seasons. Barnes had played alongside Cooper at Queensland, prior to his move to the NSW Waratahs in 2010, and the pair resumed their association during the final Test of that year’s Spring Tour where they helped to orchestrate the spectacular 59-16 demolition of the subsequent Rugby World Cup finalists, France, in Paris.
Although just five of Barnes’s last 15 Test appearances have been starts, he is a player who has been groomed in leadership roles, having been appointed vice-captain for the 2009 Spring Tour, and then subsequently captaining both Australia and the Australian Barbarians in midweek fixtures. Barnes led the midweek Wallabies against both Leicester Tigers and Munster during the 2010 Spring Tour, being one of the busiest players on the trip, in that he featured in all seven games, starting in the final two Tests, against Italy and France. Barnes handled the goal-kicking in Florence, in the absence of O’Connor, kicking eight goals from nine attempts.
Barnes was a star wicketkeeper-batsman in junior cricket and was also good enough to win state championship medals in swimming. By his final year at Ipswich in 2003, Barnes had played in the school's First XI cricket team for five years, and in the First XV rugby union team for four years.
Barnes started his professional sporting career at the Brisbane Broncos in 2004 and was selected in the same year for a Kangaroos Invitational XIII and for the Junior Kangaroos.
However, shortly after his first run-on start with the Broncos, Barnes saw the light and signed a two-year-deal with the Queensland Reds to switch codes. Barnes played for the Reds from 2006 to 2009 making 45 appearances and scoring 105 points, including 6 tries. He also captained the Reds for the first half of the season in 2009.
In 2010 he joined the NSW Waratahs, and stayed until the end of 2013. He made 43 appearances and scored 194 points including 4 tries. Barnes made his international debut aged 20 in Australia's first pool match of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, against Japan scoring his first test try after only three minutes on the field, and with his first touch of the ball. He scored again, five minutes from the end of the game, which Australia won 91–3. He went on to represent the Wallabies a total of 51 times.
We are really excited to hear about Berrick’s incredible journey from High School prodigiy to international sports star. Make sure you get you tickets for this one,
MC : Steve Crowe Former Merewether Carlton 4th Grade Premiership Winner and Newcastle Knights Premiership Winning player,
Friday September 3rd, 2021 at NEX function centre
