The Barbarian Football Club, a rugby union team usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational team based in Britain. The Barbarians play in traditional black and white hoops, though players retain the socks from their "home" club strip.
In 1948, the Barbarians were invited to face Australia as part of that team's tour of Britain, Ireland and France. Although initially designed as a fund raiser towards the end of the tour, the encounter became a popular fixture for most touring nations to Britain, and a Barbarian tradition.
Membership is by invitation and the only qualification considered when issuing an invitation is the standard of a player's skills, secondly he should behave himself both on and off the field. Being asked to become a Barbarian is an honour and isn't restricted to British or Irish players. Consequently, players from 27 other countries have worn Barbarian colours. Traditionally at least one uncapped player is selected for each match.
The Barbarian Club was formed by William Percy Carpmael, who had played rugby for Cambridge University, and had been part of the Cambridge team which had undertaken a tour of Yorkshire in 1884.
Inspired by the culture behind short rugby tours he organised his first tour in 1889 with Clapham Rovers, which was followed by an 1890 tour with an invitational team calling themselves the Southern Nomads. In 1890 he took the Southern Nomads – mainly composed of players from Blackheath – on a tour of some northern counties of England.
His idea – collecting a touring side from all sources to tackle a few leading clubs in the land received strong support from leading players, particularly ex-university players. On 8 April 1890, in Leuchters Restaurant and later at the Alexandra Hotel in Bradford, the concept of the Barbarians was agreed upon. The team toured later that year and beat Hartlepool Rovers 9–4 on 27 December in their first fixture.
The team was given the motto by Walter Julius Carey, former Bishop of Bloemfontein and a former member of the Barbarians.
