THE charisma of the Barbarians is alive and well, none the worse for long months of lockdown.

Tickets for the touring club’s Killik Cup match against Samoa at Twickenham went on sale last Monday, £35 for adults, £15 for children. By Thursday, they had sold 8,000 and the match doesn’t kick off for another six months, on November 27.
The box-office reminder of the Baa-baas’ enduring appeal will not have surprised their president, ex-England and Lions centre John Spencer. “With our long history of our trademark style of flair, courage, spirit and passion, we know this fixture will be an unforg...