6 Nations
Sexton Steers Ireland to Narrow Victory
Ireland have made a winning start under new head coach Andy Farrell with a tight win over Scotland
Ireland have secured a narrow 19-12 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium this evening in their opening game of the Six Nations.
Scotland started the better of the two sides and were rewarded with the opening points of the game five minutes in as fly-half Adam Hastings slotted over an easy penalty. Ireland No 8 Caelan Doris went off injured during that phase of play meaning his test debut was cut short.
However, Ireland came roaring back and scored the opening try of the game after 10 minutes with captain Johnny Sexton going over from close-range after a lovely move involving Cian Healy and Conor Murray. Sexton converted his own try to make it 7-3.
Five minutes later and Hastings cut into the lead from the tee with a brilliant penalty from distance.
Scotland had the better of the majority of the remaining 25 minutes of the half, but failed to make their dominance count and it was the hosts who would push further in front with only five minutes remaining as Sexton knocked over a penalty. That was the final score of the half as it finished 10-6 in favour of Ireland.
Ireland came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and Sexton extended their lead within five minutes as Scotland gave away a couple of cheap penalties, allowing the Irish 10 to score an easy three-pointer to make it 13-6.
Scotland grew into the half and captain Stuart Hogg thought he had scored their first try of the game but the experienced full-back knocked the ball on in the left-corner with nobody around him.
However, they did narrow the lead with a penalty that was coming before the Hogg incident, which Hastings kicked to make it 13-9 with 52 minutes on the clock.
Sexton once again edged Ireland further ahead five minutes on as he sent a simple penalty through the posts after some great play in the opposition 22.
Heading into the final 15 minutes and there was only four-points in it again as Hastings sent a perfect penalty between the sticks to make for a nervy finish.
Ireland’s captain put them seven-points clear once more with eight-minutes left with another penalty-kick as the boys in green tried to make sure of their victory.
Scotland came close a couple of times in the closing stages of the match, but Ireland were able to hold on to hand new head coach Andy Farrell a first win.
Next up for the hosts is the visit of reigning Grand Slam champions Wales on Saturday, while Scotland play host to England on the same day as both teams look to push on following this tight result.
Player Ratings
Ireland Starting XV:
Jordan Larmour (7), Andrew Conway (6), Garry Ringrose (6), Bundee Aki (6), Jacob Stockdale (7), Johnny Sexton (8), Conor Murray (7); Cian Healy (6), Rob Herring (7), Tadhg Furlong (8), Iain Henderson (6), James Ryan (7), CJ Stander (8), Josh van der Flier (6), Caelan Doris (N/A)
Replacements (7)
Scotland Starting XV:
Stuart Hogg (8), Sean Maitland (6), Huw Jones (7), Sam Johnson (7), Blair Kinghorn (6), Adam Hastings (8), Ali Price (7); Rory Sutherland (6), Fraser Brown (7), Zander Fagerson (6), Scott Cummings (6), Jonny Gray (7), James Ritchie (7), Hamish Watson (7), Nick Haining (6)
Replacements (6)
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
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IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
