Woodward names side to take on South

Sir Clive Woodward has unveiled a star-studded squad to take on Rod Macqueen's South XV, a party that included many of the stars of the current RBS Six Nations.

With the bulk of the recent autumn internationals going the way of the Southern Hemisphere the match provides northerners with an ideal opportunity to redress the balance.

Irish skipper Brian O'Driscoll will captain the North XV and the squad incorporates players from all the Six Nations countries.

The starting XV for the North match will be finalised and announced next week and further squad players may also be announced if there should be an injuries following this weekends Six Nations and club matches.

"The guys that have been named today are world-class and I am looking forward to working with such an outstanding group of players," said Woodward.

"The game promises to be a great spectacle as the North team are a great match up for the players already named by Rod McQueen.

Both teams are fielding top quality sides and I really hope that the rugby public and community get behind this game so that we are playing in front of a packed out Twickenham to raise as much money as possible for such a deserving cause."

The South, meanwhile, have confirmed their starting XV and announced that Australias Toutai Kefu will replace injured New Zealander Jerome Kaino at No.8.

The proceeds for the match will go to the IRBs humanitarian partner, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the vital rebuilding work being carried out in the region devastated by the Tsunami on 26 December 2004.

The proceeds from the match will go to the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to support their vital work in the long-term rebuilding of the region following December's devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
 
North Squad:

Lawrence Dallaglio (London Wasps), Ben Cohen (England and Northampton Saints), Aurelien Rougerie (France and Clermont-Auvergne), Damien Traille (France and Biarritz), Fabien Pelous (France and Stade Toulousain), Raphael Ibanez (Saracens), Pieter de Villiers (France and Stade Français), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland and Leinster, captain), Paul O'Connell (Ireland and Munster), David Humphreys (Ireland and Ulster), Chris Paterson (Scotland and Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Scotland and Borders), Gordon Bulloch (Scotland and Glasgow), Simon Taylor (Scotland and Edinburgh), Andrea Lo Cicero (Italy and LAquila), Marco Bortolami (Italy and Narbonne), Sergio Parisse (Italy and Benetton Treviso), D Peel (Wales and Scarlets), Ceri Sweeney (Wales and Dragons), Jonathan Thomas (Wales and Ospreys), Rhys Williams (Wales and Dragons), John Yapp (Wales and Cardiff).

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster on 0870 9020000