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New Zealand captain Richie McCaw has accepted an invitation to play for the Barbarians in the Olympic Centenary Match against Australia at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday 3 December.

McCaw will be joined by a host of global stars, many of whom will be announced later this week, in a Barbarians squad that will be coached by Jake White.

The invitation to White, who guided South Africa to World Cup glory in 2007, reflects the importance of the event which will also be the climax of the Wallabies' six-match autumn tour.

"It is a wonderful privilege for me to be invited by the Barbarians and to be involved in this very special match in particular," said White. "I am very aware of the history and traditions of the club and have always endeavoured to push their values into my own coaching.

"Their great match against the All Blacks in 1973 and that try by Gareth Edwards was a true inspiration to us all. Not every coach receives the honour of being invited to coach the Barbarians and I am proud to accept and am looking forward to the whole occasion tremendously."

Barbarians' president Micky Steele-Bodger added, "As well as these top quality players from overseas we also have an agreement with Premier Rugby in England for the release of several players to represent us in this match. Our invitations will not stop there and we are hopeful that top players from elsewhere in the British Isles will also be involved. We will have a truly international side to take on Australia."

Last December the Barbarians beat South Africa 22-5 at Twickenham. This year's game celebrates the one-hundredth anniversary of the Olympic Games first being held in London in 1908. On that occasion, Australia won the gold medal in the rugby union competition when they defeated Great Britain 32-3 in the final at White City Stadium.

Now the new look Wembley is set to stage its first rugby union match. To add to a glittering event, at half-time there will be an Olympian parade featuring Great Britain's medal-winning stars from the Beijing Games.