BURNLEY coach Getty Schinkel will get to rub shoulders with the stars of southern hemi-sphere rugby in a spe-cial training session with the Barbarians today.

The South African will take to the Twickenham pitch for a training session with the Baabaas ahead of Saturday’s clash with his fellow countrymen.

“I’m hoping to pick up a few tips but then again I might just pass on a few of my own,” joked Schinkel who earned the chance to train with the world fam-ous invitation side after pitching himself to a panel of judges - including Will Greenwood, who was born in Hurst Green.

While the Burnley coach will train alongside Australian stars such as James O’Connor and Matt Giteau and All Blacks, Ma’a Nonua and Keven Mealamu, he is particul-arly looking forward to meeting fellow South African Nick Mallett, the current Italian coach, who will take charge of the Barbarians.

He said: “I’ve never met him before but he is a legend and coached the South African side that went on record-breaking winning run.”

The training session, plus the tickets he was given for the Baabaas v South Africa clash, should lighten the mood after Burnley’s less impressive winning run came to an end after defeats against leaders Aldwinians and then Garstang.

“We let Aldwinians off the hook and were rubbish against Garstang.” said Schinkel who may miss Saturday’s trip to Hutton due to his Twickenham outing. “We were getting somewhere before those defeats but they have knoc-ked up back.”