International
Holloway to debut as Cooper returns for Wallabies in Argentina
Waratahs backrower Jed Holloway will make his Test debut at age 29, named to start at blindside flanker for the Wallabies against Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday afternoon (local time).
He’s one of two players named in their first Australian matchday 23, with Melbourne Rebels prop Matt Gibbon set to make his debut off the pine as the loosehead prop cover.
Playmaker Quade Cooper returns to the team, looking for his first minutes in a gold jersey this year after making a full recovery from a calf strain. He’ll wear the number 10 jersey and partner the in-form Nic White in the halves.
After impressive form in the England Series, Tom Wright will wear the number 15 jersey for the first time in a Test, with the electric Jordan Petaia and powerful Marika Koroibete on the wings, completing the back three.
An all-Brumbies front row sees hooker Folau Fainga’a earn his first start of 2022, with Test centurion James Slipper and stalwart Allan Alaalatoa named as the starting props.
Darcy Swain is another who returns to the team after serving his suspension and is set to reignite his second-row combination alongside workhorse Matt Philip.
Yamba product Holloway is joined in the backrow by captain Michael Hooper who will surpass former teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper as the third most-capped Wallaby of all time when he runs out for his 122nd Test match at Estadio Malvinas in Mendoza in the familiar number seven. The ever-improving Rob Valetini will anchor the scrum for the 14th consecutive time at no. 8.
The hard-hitting Hunter Paisami will slot in at inside centre, with Len Ikitau back in the starting line-up as his midfield partner, the pair having last started together for the country against Wales last year.
The mobile Lachlan Lonergan will also play his first Test of the year as the reserve hooker, with fan-favourite Taniela Tupou the prop cover alongside Gibbon.
A 6-2 bench split, sees the dynamic Nick Frost named to cover the second row, with Melbourne-born duo of Rob Leota and Pete Samu the remaining forward cover.
New South Wales captain Jake Gordon will bring energy as the finishing scrumhalf, while Reece Hodge’s versatility will again be called on as the other backline replacement.
The Test marks the beginning of the team’s eToro Rugby Championship campaign, with home Tests against South Africa and New Zealand from later this month.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said: “We’ve had a strong week of preparation over here in Argentina and we are highly motivated to put on a performance that makes our supporters proud back home in Australia.”
“It’s an extremely special occasion for Jed, Matt and their families and it’s up to the rest of us to make sure it’s a positive memory on their Test debuts.
“Argentina will be full of confidence after their home series win over Scotland and we know we’ll need to be at our best to get a good result on Saturday afternoon.”
Every Wallabies Test will be ad-free, live and on-demand with extended coverage on Stan Sport. Every home Wallabies Test will also be live, free-to-air on the Nine Network.
Wallabies team to play Argentina at the Estadio Malvinas, Mendoza on Saturday 6 August, 4:10pm ART
- James Slipper (117 Tests)
- Folau Fainga’a (28 Tests)
- Allan Alaalatoa (55 Tests)
- Darcy Swain (11 Tests)
- Matt Philip (23 Tests)
- Jed Holloway*
- Michael Hooper (c) (121 Tests)
- Rob Valetini (21 Tests)
- Nic White (50 Tests)
- Quade Cooper (75 Tests)
- Marika Koroibete (45 Tests)
- Hunter Paisami (17 Tests)
- Len Ikitau (15 Tests)
- Jordan Petaia (18 Tests)
- Tom Wright (12 Tests)
Replacements - Lachlan Lonergan (4 Tests)
- Matt Gibbon*
- Taniela Tupou (40 Tests)
- Nick Frost (2 Tests)
- Rob Leota (9 Tests)
- Pete Samu (22 Tests)
- Jake Gordon (12 Tests)
- Reece Hodge (55 Tests)
*denotes uncapped
2022 eToro Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Fixtures
Wallabies v Argentina, Sunday 7 August, 5:10am AEST at Estadio Malvinas, Mendoza
Wallabies v Argentina, Sunday 13 August, 5:10am AEST at Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan
Wallabies v South Africa, Saturday 27 August, 3:00pm ACST at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Wallabies v South Africa, Saturday 3 September, 7:30pm AEST at Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wallabies v New Zealand, Thursday 15 September, 7:45pm AEST at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Wallabies v New Zealand, Saturday 24 September, 5:05pm AEST at Eden Park, Auckland
Content & Images from – Australia 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
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
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