6 Nations
Wales name team to play Argentina
Head coach Wayne Pivac has named the Wales senior men’s team to face Argentina in the second round of the Autumn Nations Series.
Wales play Los Pumas under a closed roof at Principality Stadium on Saturday ( KO 5.30pm). The match is live on Amazon Prime, with English and Welsh broadcasts available. There are also highlights on S4C.
Captain Justin Tipuric, who marked his return to international rugby last weekend with a try, starts at openside flanker. Dan Lydiate is selected at blindside flanker. He makes his first appearance in this Autumn Nations Series having started from that position for all three matches in the July Test series against South Africa. Taulupe Faletau is again named at No. 8.
Dillon Lewis (tight-head prop) will make his 17th start for Wales, joining Gareth Thomas (loose-head prop) and Ken Owens (hooker) in the front row. Adam Beard and Will Rowlands continue their partnership in the second row.
Alex Cuthbert also returns to the Wales starting XV for the first time this autumn taking a position on the wing, with Rio Dyer following up his try-scoring debut against New Zealand with another start in the number 11 jersey.
Louis Rees-Zammit completes the back three with his first international appearance at full back.
Gareth Anscombe, who faced the All Blacks at full back following the late withdrawal of Leigh Halfpenny, will revert to fly half this weekend. Tomos Williams is at scrum half. Nick Tompkins and George North partner up for the fifth time in the centres.
Rhodri Jones (loose-head prop) is named among the replacements and in line to win his first cap since the summer of 2021. Sam Wainwright (tight-head prop), who made his senior international debut during the July Test Series in South Africa, also features on the bench.
Ben Carter and Jac Morgan provide the second and back-row cover respectively, with both having last featured for Wales in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations. Kieran Hardy, Rhys Priestland and Owen Watkin are the replacement backs.
Pivac said: “Last week we had Leigh Halfpenny unavailable at the last minute and we’d trained a certain way so we went with Gareth Anscombe at full back who’s done that before at this level.
“We’re back to Gareth at 10 and we have Louis Rees-Zammit at full back. He’s trained there the entire week. He’s looked good in training and it’s something we’ve explored in the background, so it will be good information going forwards with the Six Nations around the corner and the Rugby World Cup.
“Dillon had done well in South Africa. This is probably the last opportunity to give guys starts and learn as much as we can. Both Dillon and Dan Lydiate have trained well.
“There are some changes among the replacements. There are some niggles that players pick up in games and in training, so some guys have been left out to get themselves 100% right for next week. Some boys we want to have a look at across the competition so in the case of Nicky Smith and Rhodri Jones that’s certainly what we wanted to do the first couple of games.
“We saw last week what Argentina are capable of. They’re a very big team, very strong up front. They have expanded their attacking game and they took an excellent try against England from the set play. They’ve knocked over some big scalps in the last 18 months, New Zealand being one of them.
“They are going to be a big challenge but one we’re looking forward to. After last week’s performance we need a reaction from our team.”
Wales senior men’s team to play Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series. Saturday 12 November, KO 5.30pm GMT. Live on Amazon Prime (English and Welsh broadcasts) with highlights on S4C.
15 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 20 caps)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 52 caps)
13 George North (Ospreys – 106 caps)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 24 caps)
11 Rio Dyer (Dragons – 1 cap)
10 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys – 33 caps)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 37 caps);
1 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 14 caps)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets – 83 caps)
3 Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 42 caps)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons – 22 caps)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys – 38 caps)
6 Dan Lydiate (Ospreys – 68 caps)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys – 86 caps) captain
8 Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 92 caps)
Replacements
16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 31 caps)
17 Rhodri Jones (Dragons – 21 caps)
18 Sam Wainwright (Saracens – 2 caps)
19 Ben Carter (Dragons – 6 caps)
20 Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 3 caps)
21 Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 15 caps)
22 Rhys Priestland (Cardiff Rugby – 53 caps)
23 Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 34 caps)
Images & Content – Wales 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
Squad Update | Munster Prepare For All Blacks XV At Thomond
