International
PREVIEW: All Blacks v Wales (Cardiff)
The All Blacks kick off the European leg of the Healthspan Elite Northern Tour with a blockbuster clash against Wales at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday morning (NZT).
Match Details: All Blacks v Wales, Sunday November 6, 4.15am NZT (Live on Sky Sport)
Played: 36
Won: All Blacks 33, Wales 3
Last time: All Blacks 54, Wales 16 (30 October 2021)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (France)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
INJURIES AND REPLACEMENTS
Openside flanker and captain Sam Cane, hooker Dane Coles and wing Will Jordan are out of the tour. Cane fractured his cheekbone in the 38-31 win against Japan in Tokyo, Dane Coles injured his calf during the warm-up to the same Test while Jordan is out with a “persisting vestibular [balance] issue.” Brodie Retallick has been suspended for two games following his red card against Japan, so who’s left? In the forwards, Shannon Frizell is all that remains from the team that started against Japan. Just three players who started last week in the backs return too with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Braydon Ennor released to play for the All Blacks XV in Ireland.
While it may sound like major disruption, there are only three changes from the line-up that defeated Australia 40-14 in Auckland almost six weeks ago, one of the All Blacks best performances of the season.
AARON’S LONGEVITY
Aaron Smith is set to surpass Dan Carter as the most capped back in All Blacks history, playing his 113th Test. The champion halfback was born in Palmerston North in 1988 and attended Feilding High School where he played in the same First XV as Sam Whitelock.
In 2008, Smith was part of the New Zealand Under 20 side which claimed the Junior World Championship in Wales and in 2010, the Ngati Kahungunu-affiliated Smith made his Māori All Blacks debut. His All Blacks debut was in a 42-10 win against Ireland in 2012. Since then, he has started 91 Tests, won the 2015 World Cup, scored 21 tries, and played a record 175 games for the Highlanders in Super Rugby along the way.
HOPEFUL WALES
Rio Dyer has been handed a Test debut on the wing after a lightning start to the season with the Dragons. Elsewhere, Gareth Anscombe (Rosmini College) is deemed fit to be named at first five while Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny and captain Justin Tipuric all return from long-term injuries to start. Unusually Tipuric will play blindside to accommodate in-form openside Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers). Taulupe Faletau is an exceptional loose forward, Louis Rees-Zammit one of the brightest young talents in the game and Alun Wyn Jones a timeless veteran.
Wales only won a single game in the Six Nations but with the return of senior backbone is a fighting chance to break the All Blacks five Test winning streak.
BARNES AND THE HISTORIC WHISTLE
Another interesting sub-story in this Test is referee Wayne Barnes who will mark his 100th Test by starting the game with the whistle used in the famous 1905 Test between Wales and the All Blacks. Wales won 3-0, but the game has forever been remembered for the non-awarding of a try to All Blacks centre Bob Deans who maintained, until his premature death in 1908 from complications after an appendix operation, that he had scored a fair try. Read more about it HERE.
Teams (caps in brackets):
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot (10), 2. Codie Taylor (73), 3. Tyrel Lomax (21), 4. Samuel Whitelock (140-C) 5. Scott Barrett (55), 6. Shannon Frizell (22), 7. Dalton Papali’i (19), 8. Ardie Savea (67), 9. Aaron Smith (113), 10. Richie Mo’unga (42), 11. Caleb Clarke (12), 12. Jordie Barrett (45), 13. Rieko Ioane (56), 14. Sevu Reece (22), 15. Beauden Barrett (109)
Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (18), 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (49), 18. Fletcher Newell (4), 19. Tupou Vaa’i (16), 20. Akira Ioane (19), 21. Brad Weber (17), 22. David Havili (22), 23. Anton Lienert-Brown (57).
Wales: 1. Gareth Thomas (13), 2. Ken Owens (82), 3. Tomas Francis (65), 4. Will Rowlands (21), 5. Adam Beard (37), 6. Justin Tipuric (85-C), 7. Tommy Reffell (3), 8. Taulupe Faletau (91), 9. Tomos Williams (36), 10. Gareth Anscombe (32), 11. Rio Dyer (Debut), 12. Nick Tompkins (23), 13. George North (105), 14. Louis Rees-Zammit (19), 15. Leigh Halfpenny (96)
Reserves: 16. Ryan Elias (30), 17. Nicky Smith (41), 18. Dillon Lewis (41), 19. Alun Wyn Jones (153), 20. Christ Tshiunza (2), 21. Kieran Hardy (14), 22. Rhys Priestland (52), 23. Owen Watkin (33)
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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