James Mortimer    25.Apr.2012Getty Images

World Cup winning All Blacks Stephen Donald and John Afoa, as well as former All Black winger Joe Rokocoko, will link up with an original World Cup winner in John Kirwan – with the legendary wing to coach the Barbarians in their upcoming series.

The famous invitational outfit will play England, Ireland and Wales prior to the three Six nations sides heading overseas for their June internationals against the Southern Hemisphere powers.

Ireland plays the World Champion All Blacks in the Steinlager Series, Wales head to Australia, while England will tour South Africa for five matches.

Along with Donald (Bath), Afoa (Ulster) and Rokocoko (Bayonne), former England captain Mike Tindall, Welsh veterans Shane Williams and Stephen Jones, as well as three French men in Lionel Nallet, Jerome Thion and Maxime Mermoz, will play for the black and white hooped side.

Kirwan said he was looking forward to coaching one of the world’s most famous and historic rugby teams.

"As a boy I got up in the early hours of the morning to watch the All Blacks against the Barbarians when Gareth Edwards scored that awesome try in 1973,” he said.

“It inspired me to want to be the best and it was my dream as a player to be a Barbarian. So the honour of being invited to coach them will be one I will remember forever.

"The Barbarians are putting together a very strong squad and our goal on this great tour against England, Ireland and Wales will be to inspire young people to play with flair, ability and passion."

Barbarians' secretary Alan Evans said the series could be revenge focused.

"The Barbarians defeated England, Ireland and Wales in their most recent encounters against them and we are very conscious that each of them will be keen to gain revenge. With that in mind, we are in the early stages of assembling a very strong squad to meet the challenges ahead,” he said.

"Shane Williams will be making what will be his final representative appearance for us against Wales and also in the squad will be another Welsh record-breaker, Stephen Jones.

"The match at Twickenham will be an opportunity to field Lewis Moody and Ian Balshaw against England, and from further afield we have recruited Joe Rokocoko and Cedric Heymans."

Barbarians 2012 fixtures:

Sunday, May 27: England at Twickenham
Tuesday, May 29: Ireland at Gloucester
Saturday, June 2: Wales at Millennium Stadium