Last weekend, Fitz Harding donned the famous black and white hoops, as he made his debut for Barbarian F.C. as they faced the All Blacks XV at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Now, just a week later he’s set to face the same opponent, this time for England A – meaning two high-profile appearances in short succession.
From Durham Fourths to Centre Stage Harding’s story is one of perseverance. Born 26 April 1999 in Kensington, England, he attended Wellington College and then went on to study History at Durham University. He didn’t make immediate waves—indeed, even at university he started in the fourth team.
Signing for the Bristol Bears in 2020, he climbed his way into the Premiership mix, and by October 2023 he had been named club captain.
The Barbarians Moment In the Barbarians side named on 29 October 2025, Head Coach Pat Lam placed Harding at No. 7 in the back-row alongside Hanro Liebenberg and Evan Roos. While the Barbarians took an early lead—19-0 in fact—they were eventually overhauled 33-19 by the All Blacks XV.
Harding stood out: he completed 12 tackles in the match, the third-most on his side. England A Call-Up & What It Means On the back of his performance for the Barbarians, Harding has been included in the England A match-week squad to face the All Blacks XV on Saturday 8 November 2025 at The Rec, Bath.
Head Coach Mark Mapletoft described the fixture as an important “bridging” opportunity for players on the fringe of full international honours.
Good luck this weekend Fitz!
