Roberts starts for Babaas

The in-form 23-year-old will wear the No12 shirt for the world's most-famous invitational side when they take on the All Blacks at English Rugby's HQ.

The call up is just reward for what has been a sensational year for the young Welshman.

Outstanding for the Blues in both their Magners League and European Cup campaigns, Roberts then stole the show for the British & Irish Lions on their 10-match tour of South Africa.

Roberts excelled during the warm-up matches in the Republic and then started the first and second Tests against the Springboks before a wrist injury brought his tour to a premature end.

The medical student was named HSBC Player of the Tour and returned home as one of the most talked-about players in the international game.

And while the Boks may have got the better of the Lions, Roberts now has the chance to gain revenge over another of the southern hemisphere greats having already been on the losing side against New Zealand once this autumn.

Roberts was part of the Wales team that fell to a 19-12 defeat to the world's number one ranked side at the beginning of November, as were fellow Blues stars Leigh Halfpenny and Andy Powell, who are both named among the replacements for the Babaas this weekend.

The trio will be led by South African veteran Victor Matfield, with the Blue Bulls legend captaining the Babaas from the second row, while the likes of Bryan Habana, Matt Giteau, Fourie du Preez, Rocky Elsom and Schalk Burger are also included in an impressive looking matchday squad.

Barbarians

D Mitchell (Australia); J Rokocoko (New Zealand), J Fourie (South Africa), J Roberts (Wales), B Habana (South Africa); M Giteau (Australia), F du Preez (South Africa); S Perugini (Italy), B du Plessis (South Africa), W P Nel (uncapped), C del Fava (Italy), V Matfield (South Africa, captain), R Elsom (Australia), S Burger (South Africa), G Smith (Australia)

Replacements: S Moore (Australia), T Mtawarira (South Africa), Q Geldenhuys (Italy), A Powell (Wales), W Genia (Australia), M Steyn (South Africa), L Halfpenny (Wales)

Coach: Nick Mallett