International
Last minute try secures victory and the Bledisloe Cup
Jordie Barrett scored a controversial last-minute try to give the All Blacks a Bledisloe Cup-winning 39-37 win in the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Melbourne on Thursday.
In a game that tested the lawbook in rare fashion, a first half that lasted 58 minutes and saw the Australians come back from 13-31 down to push the All Blacks to the limit, it had everything.
Three yellow cards to Australia, two of them at the same time, and one for New Zealand made it a niggly game, yet the last-minute try kept the All Blacks in the hunt to claim the Rugby Championship in the return match at Eden Park on Saturday week.
Australia tested the limits of the law and paid the consequences with three yellow cards, but all that may pale with referee Matthieu Raynal’s last-minute decision to penalise them for time wasting in front of their goalposts.
Raynal explained that when the penalty from the breakdown was awarded time was stopped. When it resumed he told Australia first five-eighths Bernard Foley to play, but he delayed, and delayed, and Raynal awarded the All Blacks the scrum that provided Barrett’s try.
New Zealand put the pressure on from the start but Australia, while rattled early, settled down and refused to bow.
Australia failed to take the kick-off to start the game and the All Blacks pounced with immediate effect. Australia conceded three penalties and each time the All Blacks put their lineout to use, finally succeeding with hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho crossing in the third minute.
Enjoying some time with the ball, much of it generated by halfback Jake Gordon, including a high kick that bounced favourably for No8 Rob Valentini who kicked it down the sideline to set up the chance for a penalty goal, and then a try to fullback Andrew Kelleway.
However, the 20th minute try was disallowed when television evidence showed All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane prevented the ball from being grounded.
Raynal twice penalised the All Blacks for closing the gap at the lineout. On the second occasion in the 24th minute, they secured a try for Valetini when the maul split. In the process, replacement flanker Dalton Papali’i, who had just come on for Sam Cane, who was having an HIA which he failed, was sin-binned for bringing the maul down.
Valetini, and flankers Pete Samu and Rob Leota, had the desired effect for Australia. Samu made a superb break that provided the momentum that lead to Valetini’s try, while Leota was strong in the breakdown and on the tackle.
The game came unstuck in the latter stages of the half which was extended to 58 minutes. Australia lost wing Tom Wright to the sinbin for cynical play after a sensational midfield run by wing Caleb Clarke.
Then the TMO saw dangerous play when replacement forward Darcy Swain hit replacement second five-eighths Quinn Tupaea with an illegal tackle to his leg when he was emerging from a ruck. Swain appeared fortunate to have only a yellow card.
Tupaea had to be assisted from the field with a knee injury, leaving both he and Havili, who failed an HIA, out of the game. That saw Beauden Barrett on to play fullback with brother Jordie moving to second five-eighths.
New Zealand went close to scoring again just before the break from a lineout drive only for Gordon to knock the ball from Taukei’aho’s hand as he attempted to ground the ball.
It took only 52 seconds to take advantage of Australia being reduced to 13 men when from the restart the Beauden Barrett kicked to Will Jordan’s wing and the ball was moved with Rieko Ioane and No8 Hoskins Sotutu running before Sotutu kicked ahead.
Kelleway took the ball but the All Blacks counter-rucked and it was prop Ethan de Groot and lock Brodie Retallick who were positioned in the backline to feed Taukei’aho who had the power to score his second.
A superb lineout drive exposed the Australian defences and Gordon was sin-binned for collapsing a maul and from the resulting lineout the move saw Jordie Barrett feeding first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga who stepped his way across in the 51st minute.
Two minutes later Jordan took a Beauden Barrett chip kick and raced away from the chasing Australian defence for a 20th try, in his 20th Test.
Australia responded with penalties getting them into the All Blacks’ 22m area. From a lineout, Foley in the midfield broke the line and fed Kelleway across.
Six minutes later, Kelleway benefited from another penalty lineout and the long pass from centre Len Ikitau put him in space for the try, to pull the score back to 27-31.
Mo’unga landed a penalty goal but Australia secured the ball from a Mo’unga kick and they moved the ball, worked the rucks and then freed it to Samu on the left flank. He broke a tackle, fed Marika Koroibete who fed back to Samu who scored.
The situation was not helped when replacement halfback Nic White slammed over a 50m penalty goal to give Australia a 37-34 lead with four minutes to play.
But the Australians felt they had secured the game when the All Blacks had kicked to the corner rather than the posts. However, Australia won a penalty at a breakdown after the maul but Reyand made his time-wasting decision and awarded the scrum to the All Blacks.
They moved the ball through Mo’unga, Jordan, who stepped, drew a tackle and then fed Jordie Barrett over in the corner.
Australia 37 (Rob Valentini, Andrew Kelleway 2, Pete Samu tries; Bernard Foley 4 con, 2 pen; Nic White pen) New Zealand 39 (Samisoni Taukei’aho 2, Richie Mo’unga, Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett tries; Mo’unga 4 con, 2 pen). HT: 10-10.
Content & Images from – New Zealand 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
