6 Nations
Wales team to face Scotland in Guinness Six Nations opener
Cameron Winnett will win his first senior international cap for Wales having been named at full-back. Rio Dyer and Josh Adams are selected on the wings.
At 21 years and 60 days old on Saturday, Dafydd Jenkins will become the second youngest man to captain Wales after Sir Gareth Edwards. Adam Beard partners Jenkins in the second row.
30.01.24 – Wales rugby training in the week leading up to their Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland – Cameron Winnett during training
Owen Watkin returns to the Wales starting XV for the first time since November 2022. He lines up alongside Nick Tompkins in the midfield.
Corey Domachowski (loose-head prop) makes his first Six Nations appearance, he is joined in the front row by hooker Ryan Elias and tight-head prop Leon Brown.
The back row comprises James Botham (blind-side flanker), who is making his first Wales appearance for more than two years, Tommy Reffell at open-side flanker and Aaron Wainwright at No. 8.
Gareth Davies starts at scrum half. Sam Costelow, also featuring in his first Six Nations match, is named alongside his Scarlets clubmate at fly half.
Among the Wales replacements, back row Alex Mann could make his first senior international appearance this weekend if he follows Cardiff Rugby clubmate Winnett onto the Principality Stadium pitch.
Kemsley Mathias (loose-head prop), Keiron Assiratti (tight-head prop) and Teddy Williams (second row), who all won their first caps in the 2023 Vodafone Summer Series as well as Ioan Lloyd, who was first capped for Wales in autumn 2020, would join Domachowski and Costelow in making their Six Nations debut if appearing from the bench.
Elliot Dee (hooker) provides the remaining forward cover. Tomos Williams and Mason Grady are the other replacement backs.
30.01.24 – Wales rugby training in the week leading up to their Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland – Aaron Wainwright during training
Gatland said: “Cameron Winnett is just a lovely footballer and I think he’s going to develop into a quality international player in the future. He’s young and there’ll be no pressure on him. We’ve been impressed with the way that he’s trained. He’s done really well in training, progressed really well and following consultation with his surgeon everyone was happy for him to be selected.
“It’s also great that Alex Mann is on the bench and will hopefully get his debut as well.
“I think there’s a really nice balance in the squad.
“We’ve got some players who were involved in the world cup so have some experience and then some exciting youngsters and when I look at that forward pack, it’s not a small forward pack. It’s a big forward pack.
“Scotland haven’t won here in a long, long time and it’s an opportunity for us to continue with that record. The roof’s going to be open, Scotland want the roof open which I think is a little bit disappointing from an atmosphere point of view, because when that roof is shut it does tend to create a lot more atmosphere and noise in the stadium. But that’s the decision that they made.
“The players understand how important this first game is in the competition. The sold out stadium, go out there, you get the Six Nations off to a good start, you can create some momentum.
“I’ve been really pleased with their attitude and the way that they’ve trained this week and we should be really excited about this first game.”
On the absences of George North and Will Rowlands Gatland added: “George got quite a big stinger in terms of his shoulder and didn’t take part in full training last week so Owen Watkin comes into the midfield.
“Will hasn’t come into the squad yet. His wife had a baby a couple of weeks ago in France and unfortunately there were some complications. So the message to him has been you stay home and be with your family. We always talk about how important that is and he’ll turn up when he’s ready.”
Wales senior men’s team to play Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 3 February KO 4.45pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.
15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 54 caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch – 36 caps)
12. Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid – 32 caps)
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 14 caps)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 8 caps)
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 74 caps)
1. Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 38 caps)
3. Leon Brown (Dragons / Dreigiau – 23 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps) Captain / Capten
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 51 caps)
6. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 13 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 43 caps)
Replacements
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 46 caps)
17. Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)
18. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 2 caps)
19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 1 cap)
20. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)
22. Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 2 caps)
23. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
Content & Images from – Wales 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
