Back 
1
Chorus of boos for the Barbarians' adopted 'national anthem' in Cardiff
By Online Editors
Saturday’s Barbarians fixture against Wales was supposed to be a fantastic rugby celebration, but it struck a bum note before it even started at the Principality Stadium.
ADVERTISEMENT
The match was Wayne Pivac’s first game in charge of Wales and it doubled as a fond farewell for departing coach Warren Gatland, who was in charge of the Barbarians after twelve years at the helm of the Welsh.
However, before a ball was kicked the stadium reverberated to a chorus of boos.
The expectation for a match such as this was that there would be only one anthem played, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. But the atmosphere took a turn for the worse as God Save The Queen came out over the loudspeakers at the stadium.
Seemingly, the English anthem had been ‘adopted’ by the Barbarians, which was rather curious as their squad, skippered by Ireland’s Rory Best, contained no England players. They stood there in silence with blank expressions while the music played.
Fans in the stadium quickly voiced their disapproval of the anthem and this dissatisfaction soon spread online where a number of supporters took issue with what had just happened.
The booing of god save the Queen was very loud at the Millennium
— MeicApNeb (@meicapneb) November 30, 2019
Surely it should be the "world in Union" as the @Barbarian_FC anthem not God save the queen #WALvBAR
— Philip rees (@Phil_rees_wru) November 30, 2019
Incredibly, playing “God save the Queen”, in Cardiff, to herald a Barbarians side coached by Warren Gatland, captained by Rory Best and bereft of English players, prompted a less than euphoric crowd response.
— Mick Collins (@MickPCollins) November 30, 2019
baffling moment to start off #WALvBAR why in god/jesus/allahs name did they play god save the queen for the Baba's? Rory Best looked so awkard trying to not acknowledge it was the song been played #Rugby thoughts anyone?
— G Hofman (@gghofman) November 30, 2019
ADVERTISEMENT
Has “God save the Queen” ever been greeted with so many smiles in #principalitystadium before? #WALvBAR
— Barry Wyn ??????? (@barrywyn) November 30, 2019
The crowd just boo’d the @barbarian_FC’s adopted anthem, ‘God Save The Queen’ at the Principality Stadium. Banter from the BaaBaas fairplay ?? #WALvBAR
— Peter Gillibrand (@GillibrandPeter) November 30, 2019
Barbarians singing God Save The Queen when not one of them is English…… makes sense ?? #WALvBAR
— Matt Williams (@matt_rhys_wills) November 30, 2019
WATCH: Warren Gatland on what it will be like taking on his old team Wales this weekend as Barbarians coach
Latest Comments
Barretts kicking game is the most dire of what is a terrible waekness in the NZ game. DMac is far superior and Shooter even better. Im tired of our line kicks on penalties and kickoff receipt exits barely making 10 m like a league kick, esp when we see the likes of Sexton and Ntamack peeling off 40 to 50 m with ease.
Go to comments15 tests is a tough ask regardless of a few easy hit outs but the moron at NZRFU who put that itineary together needs sacking. thats just ridiculous, but all thay want is the money, same with the pre world cup game at Twickenham against SA in which we got hammered after landing from flying around the world 4 days earlier playing the SA team who had been there 3 weeks and played wales in a test the week earlier…serious questions need to be asked people, I know its about the money but at least think about what you are doing in advance
Go to comments