May 25, 2009 .
Former Australia halfback Chris Whitaker is heading home in triumph to play for the Barbarians against the Wallabies at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday week.
Whitaker was added to the Barbarians squad on Monday, following the withdrawal of French halfback Dmitri Yachvili.
His inclusion came after he helped guide Leinster to victory over Leicester in the European Cup final in Edinburgh at the weekend.
The Barbarians match will be Whitaker's first on Australian soil since leaving for Ireland at the end of the 2006 Super 14 season.
Whitaker will join former New South Wales Waratahs teammate Phil Waugh for both the scheduled Barbarians matches against England at Twickenham this Saturday night and the Wallabies at SFS seven days later.
Whitaker is the most-capped NSW captain in history, with 40 games in charge of the Waratahs, and the most-capped player for the province with 118 appearances.
On the international stage, Whitaker earned 31 Test caps for the Wallabies.
His last appearance for the Waratahs was in 2006 in a 16-14 Super 14 semi-final loss to the Hurricanes.
Whitaker will also join Leinster teammate and former Waratahs player, Rocky Elsom in the side.
Chris Whitaker to play for Barbarians against the Wallabies
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