6 Nations
Sexton aims for ‘Big End To The Tournament’
After coming out on the right side of the result against Scotland, Ireland captain Jonathan Sexton admitted certain improvements will be required if they are to get the better of England in the final round.
Courtesy of Sexton’s late penalty, Ireland squeezed past the challenge of Scotland on a final scoreline of 27-24, moving them up to second in the Guinness Six Nations table in the process.
Andy Farrell’s men had developed a 14-point cushion, before the Scots responded through converted tries from Huw Jones and Hamish Watson.
This led to a frantic conclusion to the contest at BT Murrayfield, something that the Ireland skipper felt could have been avoided.
“With 10 minutes to go I didn’t see the game unfolding like that, but international rugby throws things at you that you don’t expect sometimes,” admitted Sexton afterwards.
“I thought we dominated large parts of the game, but when they had their small purple patches, they scored. When we’re 14 points up and we concede that try, it just changes the game again.
“We just need to be better there. We had a kick-off receipt we didn’t deal well with. We had a lineout we didn’t deal well with and then we missed a tackle that we should have done better.
“As good a team as Scotland are, we have to look at ourselves first and foremost, and need to improve. Because if you have a 14-point lead in international rugby, the next moment is the most important one.
“You can put a statement down. Top teams, they take the kick-off, they clear their lines and then they put pressure on again. We’re just short of that at the moment.”
There was just over three minutes left on the clock when Sexton split the posts with a crucial penalty turn a potential drawn game into a second victory in succession for his Ireland side.
Profiting on the excellent work of his Leinster team-mate Ryan Baird and Ulster’s Iain Henderson, the ever-influential out-half brought his personal tally for the day up to 17 points. Sexton noted:
It was brilliant by Ryan Baird, wasn’t it? To get the charge down. He’s so explosive the first couple of steps and then to make the tackle that he does, which allows Iain Henderson to get on the poach.
“Obviously then you’re going to have to kick it. I kicked pretty well all game. It wasn’t my best of the day. My best probably hit the post (his conversion attempt for Robbie Henshaw’s try), but it was enough. I was just trying to keep it a little bit lower.
“It was quite blustery in the stadium, but it was a good enough strike to get over and thankfully we get the four points, which is very important and we’re up to second now. Big end to the tournament next week.”
The foundation for much of Ireland’s good attacking play came from their work at the lineout – both defensively and offensively. Farrell’s charges secured nine out of 11 on their own ball, while also claiming six of Scotland’s eight throws.
This created an encouraging platform in Ireland’s third away trip of the 2021 campaign, and Sexton feels it could have led to even further joy in the opposition 22.
“The forwards have been outstanding for the last four games and they did a great job today. What we did with that ball at times wasn’t good enough. Some of the turnover ball, you want to make that your best source of possession.
“We turned the ball over straight away at times, which is frustrating, because it’s something we’ve been working on really hard. We’ll look at that, we’ll look at the video and like I said, there’s plenty to get better at.”
Back-to-back wins have not only helped Ireland to climb up the Six Nations standings, but they also come as a morale boost following earlier defeats to Wales and France.
Sexton and his team-mates will now aim to take that momentum into their Aviva Stadium showdown with England. Given the pedigree of their ‘Super Saturday’ opponents, Sexton knows what will be awaiting them, adding:
We feel that we’ve been building. We feel we were a little bit unlucky in the first couple of games. Even though England have had a couple of bad results, they’re the team that were in a World Cup final.
“The team that won the Six Nations last year, the team that won the Autumn Nations Cup. They’re a top, top team and we’ve to prove that we can match them and put in a performance to beat one of the top teams. Because we haven’t done it as of yet.”
From Irish Rugby
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
Darragh Murray of Emerging Ireland scores his sides second try – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Jordan signs for Bristol Bears
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
