RUGBY NEWS:IRELAND WILL play a match against the Barbarians next season at Thomond Park. The June 4th meeting will form part both of Ireland's preparations for their Southern Hemisphere tour and of the Barbarians' summer tour.

This will be the first time an Irish team has played the Barbarians in Ireland in a decade, the last match being in 2000.

The Barbarians are to meet England the week before.

The most recent meeting between Ireland and the composite side, however, also coincided with the last Southern Hemisphere tour Ireland undertook in 2008, when they played the Barbarians in Gloucester, winning 39-14.

Following the game in Limerick, the Ireland squad will depart to New Zealand and Australia, where they are scheduled to play the All Blacks on June 12th and the Wallabies on June 26th.

A spokesperson from the Barbarians confirmed that invitations have been issued to Munster’s Southern Hemisphere contingent of Doug Howlett, Jean de Villiers and Paul Warwick, which will be of further interest to the local fans.

Other team announcements will be made in the new year, with Leinster’s CJ van der Linde and Ulster’s BJ Botha possible candidates for the Barbarians.

The Barbarians first played in Ireland in October 1957, when they beat an Ulster Invitation XV 14-11 at Ravenhill.

More recently, they beat South Africa at Lansdowne Road in 1994, played there again against Ireland in the Peace International in 1996, and as part of the summer tour in 2000.

Last month MasterCard signed a sponsorship deal for all the Barbarian Internationals in 2009-2010, with each match to be known as the MasterCard Trophy.

Kick-off at Thomond Park will be 7.45pm.