6 Nations
‘The Journey Continues’ As Farrell’s Ireland Flick To Six Nations Mode
The page has been turned on the disappointment of their Rugby World quarter-final exit, as the Ireland squad assembled on Monday ahead of the start of the Guinness Six Nations next week.
For head coach Andy Farrell and his newly-appointed captain Peter O’Mahony, they have their sights very much on that first game against France at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome on Friday week.
Ireland are the defending Six Nations champions, having won their fourth Grand Slam last season when they matched the clean sweeps of 1948, 2009, and 2018. It is a notoriously difficult Championship to win, and even harder to retain.
Having overseen 21 wins in 24 Tests, including an Irish record 17-match winning streak, Farrell’s men have had an enviable consistency to their game in terms of results in recent years, so keeping that up and securing Six Nations silverware again is the obvious target.
“We all know that winning a Six Nations is very hard to do because of the standard of the teams that we’ve got in the competition continues to grow, and that’s why we all love it,” he said, speaking at the 2024 Championship’s launch at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
“What does success look like? We want to win every game and winning matters. I’ve never been one from shying away from that. I’ll say the same.”
Adaptability in adversity is an aspect of the game that Farrell frequently referenced during the 2023 Six Nations. That sentiment stands true again this time around.
“We’re realists and we know that it’s difficult. I suppose every team in the competition, as we stand today, would love to be in with a shout on the last weekend to be able to go on and win that.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of water that gets put under the bridge. You’ve got to roll with the punches especially in the Six Nations because it changes the whole time and that’s why we love it.
“It’s about getting ourselves to be in with a shout, however that may look on the final weekend. That has to be what we’re aiming for.”
The 34-man Ireland squad gathered at the IRFU High Performance Centre yesterday, along with uncapped training panellists Oli Jager and Sam Prendergast. They will fly out to Portugal on Wednesday for a pre-tournament training camp in Quinta do Lago.
Meanwhile, Farrell explained how he is ‘over’ the disappointment of falling at the World Cup quarter-final hurdle, and while he admits that they will reflect on that in camp, it is very much about getting on with business as they prepare to face France first up.
“Yeah, first meeting this afternoon, where we’ll be open and honest. We are open and honest in the sense that any type of victory in the past, you make sure you use every opportunity to grow and try to understand it together.
“It’s the only way you move on, by addressing things, and we’ll certainly be doing that over the next couple of weeks.”
A Six Nations campaign demands a lot from teams, both physically and mentally. Ireland also have a mouth-watering two-Test tour to South Africa in the summer, as they renew rivalries with the back-to-back World champions.
Farrell is hoping his charges can maintain the level of performance that helped them build an electric connection with the fans, which was very evident during their World Cup journey. He wants to continue to grow that momentum.
I don’t buy into that (talk) neither – is it bittersweet and everything that went on as far as the feeling within the World Cup. I was unbelievably proud of how we connected with our fans and did it together.
“That, for me, continues by how we get back on the horse and I’m not saying that will translate to another big ‘W’ in Marseille. I’m not saying that. We’re talking about being proud about how we go about our business, to want to keep evolving our game.
“The journey continues. If you look at what we’ve got, first game in Marseille, unbelievable stadium, unbelievable atmosphere.
“A lot of the Irish who had flights for the (World Cup) semi-final, I heard a lot of them transferred it to Marseille so they’re expecting a performance from us.
“We’ve got to stand up to responsibilities like that. Again, it doesn’t guarantee us being successful. We’ve got to show fight and then the rest of the Six Nations is ahead of us.
“You look at what we’ve got after that, the trip to South Africa and two games against South Africa, it doesn’t really get any better as an Irish management, as an Irish player, or as an Irish fan.”
O’Mahony takes over from the retired Jonathan Sexton as captain, having led Ireland on 10 previous occasions. He captained Munster to the BKT United Rugby Championship title last season, and previously skippered the British & Irish Lions for their 2017 first Test against New Zealand.
The 34-year-old flanker did admit that he considered retirement in the wake of last October’s defeat to the All Blacks, and Farrell was fully aware that the Corkman briefly took some time to think about his future in the game.
“I always speak to players, no matter what. To me, it’s the same as anything. It’s about how you’re performing and how you’re playing. Certainly, whether your form warrants getting selected and whether your body can do that.
“I think those type of decisions, as far as that’s concerned, become pretty obvious if you allow what’s pretty natural to happen. I didn’t have to persuade him, no.”
He is delighted that the 101 times-capped O’Mahony is going to lead the team into battle over the coming weeks, adding: “There are a few candidates because we have got some great leadership within the group, and that will continue to grow. Peter will be at the heart of that to help it.
“There are certain people that make the room feel right. It is pretty important around the place, and certainly on match day, that you have that type of person in the dressing room, and Peter is certainly one of those.
“Just being himself and helping others to grow. I know he will do the country proud.”
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
