AT 34, Gwent-born Scarlets prop Iestyn Thomas isn’t too old to play for Wales and book his World Cup place, according to national coach Warren Gatland.
The loosehead, from Pontypool, is playing for the Barbarians against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, June 4.
And Gatland said Thomas, capped 33 times, who had a great season for the Scarlets, is still in the running for international honours.
He won his last cap in the humiliating 62-5 defeat by England at Twickenham in a 2007 World Cup warm-up game.
Gatland said: “At 34 Iestyn is not too old to prove he still has what it takes to play at international level and we will be keeping a close eye on him.” All Blacks great Doug Howlett is the latest world-class player to join the Barbarians squad.
The Munster wing, capped 62 times by New Zealand, joins fellow All Black in prop Carl Hayman in Baa-Baas set-up bristling with talent.
The squad includes South African stars Ruan Pienaar and François Steyn as well as France and Toulouse outside-half Frédéric Michalak, Italy legend Sergio Parisse as well as Sale’s Wales and Lions scrum-half Dwayne Peel and Cardiff Blues pair, openside flanker Martyn Williams and New Zealand-born second row Paul Tito. Ulster No 10 Ian Humphreys, brother of retired Irish international David, in keeping with Baa-Baas tradition, is the only uncapped player in the squad.
Gatland added: “The Barbarians are assembling an impressive squad, they have a long list of quality international players now with the likes of Howlett, Hayman, Michalak and Parisse in their number.
“We are looking forward to an exciting, free flowing Test match and we want to put the pressure on and play with tempo and intensity.
“The conditions at the moment will lend themselves to that kind of game and we should have similar weather and hard grounds in New Zealand for the World Cup so it will give us a good indication of how the players are going to fare.”
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