International
PREVIEW: All Blacks v Argentina Second Test (Hamilton)
The All Blacks will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Argentina and keep their Rugby Championship hopes alive when they take on the Pumas again in Hamilton on Saturday night.
MATCH DETAILS: All Blacks v Argentina, Saturday 3 September, 7.05pm NZT, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton. (TICKETS)
Played: 34
Won: All Blacks 31, Argentina 2, Drawn 1
Last time: All Blacks 18, Argentina 25 (27 August 2022, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch)
Referee: Nic Berry
TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN
With the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship at the halfway point, the competition has never been more open or unpredictable. All four teams are still in the running for the title with Argentina and Australia sitting on top with nine points. The All Blacks are in third place on five points with South Africa at the bottom on four points. Such is the nature of the tournament this year, the table could completely flip this weekend if the All Blacks and South Africa both secured victories. All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett said: “It’s a great competition this year, anyone can win on their day, and it’s going to be an interesting few weeks to finish.”
CHANGES ON THE BENCH
All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan have opted for the same starting fifteen as the two previous Tests against South Africa and Argentina – the first time since 1997 that the All Blacks have retained the same starting fifteen for three consecutive Test matches. There is a new look bench with first five-eighths Beauden Barrett and lock Brodie Retallick returning from injury. The pair add 201 Test caps of experience between them, while Barrett is the most capped All Black against Argentina with 16 appearances. Additional changes have been made to the reserves where hooker Dane Coles and loose forward Dalton Papali’i will look to make an impact later in the game.
DEVELOPING FRONT ROW
After missing selection for the Steinlager Series, young props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax have impressed in the Rugby Championship and are looking forward to their third-straight start together. De Groot said he felt the pair had something to prove coming into the side and were building their combination every day. “We know that we have to be on because there is a lot of competition at the moment. George (Bower) is playing well, Rossy (Aidan Ross) has come in and is training well every week, and then you’ve got the other boys on the tighthead side as well, Fletcher has come in and going unreal, you’ve got a bit of experience in Angus, so me and Loey (Tyrel) just got to keep it on.”
FINAL QUARTER FOCUS
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said lifting the side’s performance in the final quarter would be a focus in Hamilton. “Great All Black teams have always been good in that last 20 minutes at backing themselves and doing the right thing. We got it right in South Africa, but wrong in Christchurch.” Foster said. “It is something we are working hard on to grow the confidence in the last part of the game to make sure we embrace those moments but also stay clear in our decision-making.”
STATCHAT
Argentina have the best success rate on lineout throws of any team in the Rugby Championship in 2022 (90% – 37/41). However, no team has stolen more opposition lineouts in the competition this year than the All Blacks with six.
TEAMS
All Blacks (Test caps in brackets):
1. Ethan de Groot (7) 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (14) 3. Tyrel Lomax (17) 4. Sam Whitelock (137) 5. Scott Barrett (53) 6. Shannon Frizell (20) 7. Sam Cane © (83) 8. Ardie Savea (65) 9. Aaron Smith (108) 10. Richie Mo’unga (38) 11. Caleb Clarke (8) 12. David Havili (19) 13. Rieko Ioane (53) 14. Will Jordan (18) 15. Jordie Barrett (42)
Reserves: 16. Dane Coles (82) 17. George Bower (17) 18. Fletcher Newell (2) 9. Brodie Retallick (95) 20. Dalton Papali’i (15) 21. Finlay Christie (9) 22. Beauden Barrett (106) 23. Quinn Tupaea (12)
Argentina
1: Thomas Gallo 2: Julian Montoya (c) 3: Joel Sclavi 4: Guido Petti 5: Tomas Lavanini 6: Santiago Grondona 7: Marcos Kremer 8: Pablo Matera 9: Tomas Cubelli 10: Santiago Carreras 11: Santiago Cordero 12: Matias Orlando 13: Matias Moroni 14: Emiliano Boffelli 15: Juan Cruz Mallia
Reserves: 16: Santiago Socino, 17: Mayco Vivas, 18: Eduardo Bello, 19: Matias Alemanno, 20: Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21: Gonzalo Bertranou, 22: Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23: Lucio Cinto.
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
