International
PREVIEW: All Blacks v Australia First Test (Marvel Stadium)
The Bledisloe Cup is back on the line in 2022 when the All Blacks face Australia at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium in a crucial Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship clash on Thursday night.
Match details: All Blacks v Australia, Thursday 15 September, 9.45pm NZT, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Played: 173
Won: All Blacks 120, Australia 45, Drawn 8
Last time: All Blacks 38, Australia 21 (5 September 2021)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST DETAILS
WALLABIES PROMISE ‘AGGRESSION’
The Wallabies sent a warning shot across the bow of the All Blacks early this week when world-class wing Marika Koroibete stated that the key to beating the All Blacks was through ‘brutality’. The 30-year-old speedster said that Australia will need to pour the pressure on the All Blacks from the outset to win the game. “Just contest on the ruck. Everyone across the park needs to bring that physicality, dominate the tackle and test their ruck,” Koroibete said. “Just bring aggression on Thursday…That’s what the South Africans and Argies [Argentina] did to them when they won. That’s what we need to bring.”
LOOSE FORWARD RESHUFFLE
Captain Sam Cane will lead the side in a loose forward trio which has undergone forced changes with Shannon Frizell out injured and Ardie Savea remaining in New Zealand for the birth of his third child. Scott Barrett has been selected at blindside flanker, while Hoskins Sotutu is set to feature at number eight for what will be his 11th Test and first of the 2022 season. Barrett’s move to the side of the scrum sees 96-Test lock Brodie Retallick brought back into the run-on side where he will re-join long-time second row partner Samuel Whitelock. In the only change to the reserves, Akira Ioane has been brought in to provide cover alongside fellow specialist loose forward Dalton Papali’i.
FOLEY AT FLYHALF
An unfortunate run of injuries in the first five department for the Wallabies has led to a recall for 71-Test veteran Bernard Foley for the first time since 2019. 32-year-old Foley will combine with Waratahs skipper Jake Gordon at halfback to square off against the All Blacks duo of Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga. Foley has been plying his trade for Kubota Spears in Japan and will take inspiration from David Knox who was called into the Wallabies squad in similar circumstances back in 1994 for the famous mid-week victory at Sydney Football Stadium. Utility Reece Hodge will provide first five cover on the bench for Australia.
ALL TO PLAY FOR
With just one point separating all four teams on the ladder the Rugby Championship is the tightest it has been in recent memory. Thursday night’s clash will be crucial to both team’s title hopes and have big ramifications on the Bledisloe Cup. A win for the All Blacks will keep the team in pole position on the ladder and ensure the Bledisloe Cup stays on New Zealand soil for an incredible 20th year. If Australia prevail in Melbourne, then the return clash at Eden Park takes on even more importance with both the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship on the line.
MARVELOUS MELBOURNE
The opening Bledisloe Cup Test of 2022 will also mark the first time the All Blacks have met the Wallabies in Melbourne since 2010. The teams have squared off four times in Melbourne previously with the win ledger locked at 2-2. The game will also mark a rare mid-week Test for the sides. The last time the teams squared off in a midweek Test, the Wallabies come out on top 20-16 in 1994 with George Gregan pulling off an infamous tackle on Jeff Wilson to secure victory late in the match.
TEAMS (Test caps in brackets):
All Blacks
1.Ethan de Groot (8) 2.Samisoni Taukei’aho (15) 3.Tyrel Lomax (18) 4.Brodie Retallick (96) 5.Samuel Whitelock (138) 6.Scott Barrett (54) 7.Sam Cane © (84) 8.Hoskins Sotutu (10) 9.Aaron Smith (109) 10.Richie Mo’unga (39) 11.Caleb Clarke (9) 12.David Havili (20) 13.Rieko Ioane (54) 14.Will Jordan (19) 15.Jordie Barrett (43)
RESERVES: 16.Dane Coles (83) 17.George Bower (18) 18.Fletcher Newell (3) 19.Akira Ioane (17) 20.Dalton Papali’i (16) 21.Finlay Christie (10) 22.Beauden Barrett (107) 23.Quinn Tupaea (13)
Australia
1: James Slipper (c) (121) 2: David Porecki (5) 3: Allan Alaalatoa (58) 4: Jed Holloway (4) 5:Matt Philip (26) 6: Rob Leota (12) 7: Pete Samu (26) 8: Rob Valetini (25) 9: Jake Gordon (14) 10: Bernard Foley (71) 11: Marika Koroibete (49) 12: Lalakai Foketi (2) 13: Len Ikitau (19) 14: Tom Wright (16) 15: Andrew Kellaway (16)
RESERVES: 16: Folau Fainga’a (31) 17: Scott Sio (73) 18: Pone Fa’amausili (1) 19: Darcy Swain (15) 20: Fraser McReight (6) 21: Nic White (54) 22:Reece Hodge (59) 23: Jordan Petaia (20)
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
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
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