Worcester duo Willie Walker and Chris Fortey warmed up for the RFU Championship clash with Plymouth Albion by playing big roles as the Barbarians beat the Combined Services 46-21 at Army Rugby Stadium in Aldershot on Tuesday night.
The Barbarians put on a sparkling, eight-try performance to deservedly take the honours in the annual Remembrance Match. Encouraged by coach Brian Ashton to play positive rugby in the best Barbarians' tradition, the squad responded in style.
Total commitment from the pack and benefiting from the experience of 'Kiwi originals' Paul Griffen and Walker at half-back, the ball flowed across the full width of the pitch throughout the 80 minutes.
The Club took a lead they were never to lose as early as the fourth minute when Tongan powerhouse Talite Vaioleti finished off a breathtaking attack of several phases. Five minutes later Walker dodged and danced his way over near the posts for a seven-pointer and the side were well and truly up and running.
Within seconds Services' flyer Josh Drauniniu crossed for his almost obligatory try – it was his fourth in three matches against the Barbarians – a timely reminder that this fixture is never less than close and competitive.
This year, however, the Barbarians had no intention of getting sucked in to a points' seesawing dogfight. By half-time opposing fly-halves Walker and Jack Prasad had exchanged classic number 10's tries and at the interval the Barbarians still held a useful, if not decisive, 19-14 lead.
The second half was very different with points daylight between the sides soon evident as Paul Jarvisand former Warrior and Thinus Delport touched down in opposite corners. The Services last hope came from another converted try when James Reid squeezed over in the 50th minute.
From then on it was one-way traffic as Fortey, Jean Botha and Vaioleti added three more tries, the last converted by man-of-the-match Walker.