6 Nations
Keenan: A Good Stepping Stone For Rest Of World Cup
Ireland fielded 11 Rugby World Cup debutants in their Pool B opener against Romania, and five of the first-timers got on the scoresheet in a comprehensive 82-8 bonus point win.
Jamison Gibson-Park, Hugo Keenan, Rob Herring and Joe McCarthy all marked their World Cup bows with tries, while Jack Crowley, who came on for the final quarter of an hour, slotted over four conversions.
Despite leaking an early score to Gabriel Rupanu, Ireland’s response in running in a dozen tries in the stifling Bordeaux heat saw them register their biggest ever World Cup victory, eclipsing 2003’s 64-7 defeat of Namibia.
Keenan had a busy afternoon at full-back, covering plenty of ground during bouts of tactical kicking, and popping up on James Ryan’s shoulder to finish off a smartly-executed 12th-minute try.
“It was a great win in the end. Bit of a mixed start and a mixed bag overall, but Romania are a tough team to play against,” said Keenan, who was Ireland’s second leading carrier (194 metres from 17 carries).
“They threw the kitchen sink at us, made it difficult for us. Obviously the conditions were very tough as well.
“Yeah, we were challenged by the coaches and Faz (Andy Farrell), and I think we had a good start and (it’s) a good stepping stone towards the rest of the tournament.”
Ranked 19th in the world, Romania certainly stunned Farrell’s men – and the vast swathes of Irish support at the sun-baked Stade de Bordeaux – with Hinckley Vaovasa’s second-minute break that put Rupanu away for the game’s opening five-pointer.
The Oaks were only 19-8 behind by the time of the first water break, but the excellent Bundee Aki bagged Ireland’s bonus point before returning captain Jonathan Sexton crossed on the stroke of half-time.
Asked about the team bouncing back from a shaky start, Keenan explained: “We didn’t panic. We stuck to our system and our plan. Just forget it, it didn’t happen and just go again, and control what you can from that moment on.
“It wasn’t panic stations. We’ve been behind before so it was just about, ‘on to the next moment and go’.”
Ireland have not scored as many points in a Test match since beating the USA 83-3 during their 2000 summer tour. Their biggest triumph in more recent times was a ten-try 71-10 success against the US at the Aviva Stadium in July 2021.
Backing themselves to finish strongly against Romania, Farrell’s side scored three of their tries during the closing 13 minutes, including a terrific long-range effort in the dying seconds, finished off impressively by Tadhg Beirne.
Keenan continued: “We were keen to chase as many points as we could out there. You never know what’s going to happen at the end (of the pool stages).
“It was tough going at the end, but fair play to Jack (Crowley) and Bundee seeing that space, and Garry (Ringrose) and Tadhg with the support play.
“It gave something for the crowd to cheer on and I think they appreciated that. It was brilliant at the end, the reception we got in that whole sea of green out there was really cool. It was a like a home game. It’s an exciting start.”
Crowley and McCarthy are the two youngest members of Ireland’s RWC 2023 squad, at 23 and 22 respectively. They both toured South Africa with Emerging Ireland almost twelve months ago, and are lapping up their first experience of a senior World Cup.
The colour and noise brought by the Ireland fans in Bordeaux certainly left a lasting impression on Crowley, who admitted: “It was unbelievable to play in front of that atmosphere.
We’ve been speaking this week about the crowd that we’re going to get following us today, and I think it’s something that we couldn’t expect.
“It was just unbelievable to be able to give them a performance, and it’s something that drives us as a group.
“Being able to give a performance to the people that turned up today and the people back home supporting us is the most important thing.”
Although the result was well sewn up by the time he came onto the pitch, the Cork youngster highlighted the onus that a replacement has to take up the baton and, particularly as a out-half, to keep the team on course.
“An an impact player, you’ve a responsibility when you come on to make a difference. Those lads that have been putting in a shift for 60 minutes, you need to bring them energy.
“That’s the main job, and hopefully having an impact. When you come on, you try and do the best you can but not being too desperate either.”
The Pool B leaders have decamped back to Tours, their team base for the pool stages, before next Saturday night’s clash with Tonga in Nantes. It will be the Pacific Islanders’ first outing of the tournament, and Crowley is expecting them to bring a lot to the table.
“Nothing changes in terms of preparation. We just take it week by week. Tonga are going to be a really good opponent, they’re going to bring a lot of challenges, physically and tactically as well.
“They’re going to be very physical, they’re going to challenge us up front. Their skills as well are something they we’re going to have to be aware of,” he added.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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
