6 Nations
‘We Back Our Skills, We Back Our Intent’ – Baloucoune
Baloucoune is one of three changes to the back-line from July’s series-clinching win over New Zealand. He replaces the injured James Lowe (calf) in the back-three.
The Ulster speedster, nicknamed ‘the Cat’ because of his relaxed demeanour, won his first two Ireland caps last year against the USA and Argentina, running in a terrific individual try against the Eagles.
Having missed out on the summer tour through injury, he has been back in very good form for Ulster and got a further opportunity to work with the national coaches, including attack specialist Mike Catt, during the recent Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa.
Farrell knows the Enniskillen man has the ability to flourish on the international stage, and there is no better way to find out than against a pace-laden Springbok back-three.
“He offers something that’s a bit different and we all can see that,” he said of the 25-year-old winger. “Rob’s been in camp on four or five occasions, and some of them have been stop-start through injury, etc., and then he’s got back and learned his trade.
“Obviously, we’d have loved for him to come to New Zealand. A trip like that would have been priceless for him, and one of the reasons why we put him on the Emerging Ireland tour was to give him that little bit more experience with how we want to play them game.
“When you have an opportunity like this to see how Rob handles the big occasion, to be able to do that in a good side is pretty important as well. We feel that he’s ready, we feel that he can offer something different.
“It’s up to Rob and his team-mates to help him as well to grab the opportunity and show what he’s about at the top, top level.”
Ulster have become accustomed to ‘the Cat doing Cat things’, from some of his silkily-finished tries in the BKT United Rugby Championship to his aerial skills, offloads and defensive reads, and that memorable hat-trick in Europe against Toulouse.
Now it is hoped that he can transfer all that to the Test arena and become a fixture in Ireland squads going forward. For the player himself, this week is all about the key fundamentals of his game and pushing on from there.
Asked about what the coaches want from him against South Africa, Baloucoune replied: “Again, it’s all the fundamentals. It’s going to be an aerial game. We know that the Springboks love to kick and obviously they’ve got pace on the wing.
“Just trying to back myself with my pace and getting as many involvements as I can throughout the game. Getting off my wing and just trying to be involved.
“Obviously they’re a great side. They’re physical and it’s going to be a huge test for us. I think we’ve said it in camp, we back our skills, we back our intent.
“It’s what we bring to the table rather than fearing them. It’s our ability to take it to them. It’s a great opportunity, and no better to do it than against the back-three we’re playing against.”
Baloucoune was beaming as he recalled the moment earlier this week when he found out he would be starting against the reigning World champions. His hometown support will be out in force should the ticket fairy deliver.
“It was just before the team meeting on Monday. ‘Faz’ (Andy Farrell) just pulled me aside before it started and said I’ll be training this week and starting on Saturday. So, yeah, it was a great feeling and I’m really looking forward to it now.
I phoned my Mum, she was the first person I called. It was a bit of a shock, but I did also tell her not to be saying it to anyone because she likes spreading news quickly!
“I’ve got friends and family coming down for the game. For my Ulster game, half of Enniskillen came down, but it’s harder to get tickets for these games!”
The former Ireland Sevens international was understandably ‘pretty gutted’ to be watching on from afar when Ireland made history against New Zealand in the summer, although he ‘felt great for the lads involved’.
It was a case of bad timing after tearing a tendon in his hip during Ulster’s URC semi-final defeat to the DHL Stormers. However, the Emerging Ireland tour got him back in the national environment and was a good building block for the November Tests.
During their stint in Bloemfontein, he was a try scorer against the Windhoek Draught Griquas and it was his brilliant break from his own half that led to the match-winning try for Jamie Osborne against the Toyota Cheetahs.
All in all, it was a positive experience for the Arsenal fan who cites Thierry Henry as a childhood hero. His natural athleticism drew him to football and sprinting before he took to rugby at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School at the age of 15.
“Obviously I went on the Emerging Ireland tour just to get back into the swing of things,” explained Baloucoune. “Now I’m back playing and I feel good. It’s been a bit of a journey, but I’m back and I’m fit now.
It was more to get into the flow of how Irish Rugby plays, because it’s different to Ulster and what I do with Ulster. Just some one-on-one time with Catty (Mike Catt) and just getting into the flow of things, of what they want me to do.
“It was definitely a good opportunity for me to be in that environment again. I really enjoyed the tour, got to meet a lot of young boys who are passionate, coming through and really wanting to learn.”
The competition for places has certainly ratcheted up, with upwards of 50 players involved in Ireland camp this week between the ‘A’ squad, who face the All Blacks XV on Friday, and the senior side preparing for their own seasonal bow.
The pressure to deliver in training and on match day is intense and Baloucoune, who has shown resilience through those injury setbacks, knows he has to take his chance with both hands.
“It’s great to see (the extended squad in together). There’s always boys on people’s heels. It definitely drives standards in camp and I suppose I know a lot of the boys now because I was in the Emerging Ireland squad.
“I know that everyone is passionate to play, and everyone is biting at heels to try and get that opportunity,” he added.
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
