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Premiership

Match Report: Jersey Reds 29, London Irish 31

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London Irish is up and running in preparations for their 2022/23 campaign with a narrow 31-29 win over Jersey Reds at the Stade Santander International.

The Exiles took a seven-point advantage into half-time having registered scores through Caolan Englefield, Isaac Curtis-Harris, Matt Cornish and Ollie Hassell-Collins.

An assured opening forty for Declan Kidney’s men wasn’t necessarily demonstrated on the scoreboard, with late scores from Reds’ Ben Wollett and Alex McHenry a sign of things to come as the hosts grew confidently into the matchup.

Hugh O’Sullivan did however go over for Irish’s fifth early on in the second stanza, before a solid closing half from the Championship outfit saw a penalty try being awarded from a scrum and a deciding conversion from a Ryan Hutler try sailing wide with the clock in the red.

After a strong display at the scrum and maul, Irish broke ahead five minutes in after Reds were penalised for a deliberate knock-on.

Rory Jennings’ fine touch finder shifted the Exiles up the park and the ball was worked left to right before Matt Williams’ fine linebreak pulled his side through, scrum-half Caolan Englefield trailing closely in a two-on-one situation to be fed to score under the posts.

His half-back partner Jennings put away the extra duece, but a demonstration of fine running from Jersey saw Will Brown evade numerous tackles to press towards the whitewash only to later be met with eventual strong Irish resilience.

A first loose lineout from the hosts saw Matt Cornish field the ball and Irish were away, the ball then being recycled before Williams’ dangerous poke through went out of play in an inviting field position.

 

 

Reds relinquished possession once more from the set-piece, the ball falling to a well-positioned Cornish again as the Exiles worked through the phases for Isaac Curtis-Harris to enter the goal area for Irish’s second.

Jersey registered their first score of the affair after a smart breakaway just as Irish were pushing their opponents back, Ben Woollett the elected player to score in the corner with Pittman’s extras drifting astray.

Harvey Biljon’s side, despite not retaining a foothold from the restart, overturned play and won a scrum as Irish were knocking at the door immediately after resumption with the deficit kept at nine points.

A poor scrum from the Channel Islanders meant Irish then held the power, and after Jennings kicked for the corner, Matt Cornish capped off a brilliant opening forty with a try of his own from an aggressive Irish rolling maul.

Jersey couldn’t see Ollie Hassell-Collins for dust on half hour, the winger showing a clean pair of heels to dot down in the corner having received the ball just outside the Jersey 22 after a fine flowing sequence for those in green- Jennings then unable to convert the score.

The Academy product had the try line calling him again on his more native wide left channel, receiving a typically smart offload from Curtis Rona only for play to be called back for a stray Hassell-Collins boot in touch before he could make serious inroads.

Woollett brought his side up to double figures before the conclusion of the first forty, benefiting from an overload on the left side five metres out to score- and Jersey were not finished yet.

A tricky kick from hand meant a wild bounce of the ball left the heavily involved and inbound Woollett an advantage over Hassell-Collins, plucking the aerial ball to feed Alex McHenry who took it under the posts and bring his side to within seven at the break.

 

 

The defensive expectation continued to be focused on Irish with ill-discipline at firstly a scrum, and then a maul close to the try line in the second half but Lovejoy Chawatama’s graft meant Jersey couldn’t release and such pressure was alleviated.

Declan Kidney’s men were back in control after a clever snipe from Hugh O’Sullivan saw the Irishman through a gap, yet not necessarily through a clear passage to another five points, but swift jinking feet from the scrum-half evaded several red men and he touched down.

Compatriot Jackson added two more points to the Exiles’ haul on the day to reinstate the 14-point swing.

A sturdy repelling maul after a tricky scrum for the visitors sent Reds packing for the time being, however, Senior Academy player Michael Dykes’ was a casualty of earlier phases yet his absence afforded recent recruit Tom Hitchcock his first appearance in Irish green.

 

 

Jersey benefitted from much of the territorial advantage in the third quarter, with a rare Irish breakaway formulated in the hands of Benhard van Rensburg and Paddy Jackson only to be halted for the attacking side being off their feet.

Brendan Cope combined well with James Elliott for Jersey after a dangerous blindside attack, but Ben Loader done well to collect what would have been the decisive pass for an opposing try and touched down in his own goal area.

Persistent coercion at the resulting put-ins eventually worked as Irish were made to pay for consistent infringements, referee Anthony Woodthorpe awarding a penalty try in favour of Biljon’s team.

It was Championship side’s first points of the second period and they were then back to within a converted score of Irish, and following a breakdown penalty conceded, Reds revisited the Irish 22 after an impressive shunt from hand.

Several stoppages, including for a head injury replacement for Ben Loader, eventually subsided for quick play from Jersey but the ball was sent into touch.

With Jersey benefiting from an advantage, they opted for a scrum in hopes of replicating the same form earlier on in the half and Irish was dealt with a further blow after Ben Atkins’ offside transgression meant he was sent to the sidelines for the game’s remainder.

Another scrum, and another pair of resets were enforced by the official Woodthorpe as another penalty meant Chawatama partnered fellow forward Atkins in the sin bin.

The ball was worked wide by the Stade Santander side after frustration in getting the ball over close to the uprights, Russell Bennett assisting Ryan Hutler to set up a game-tying conversion for the former- which vitally drifted left for Irish to take honours in their maiden pre-season opener.

 

Score sequence (London Irish second): 0-5, 0-7, 0-12, 0-14, 5-14, 5-19, 5-24, 10-24, 15-24, 17-24, 17-29, 17-31, 24-31

Jersey Reds: Tries: Woollett (20) (39), McHenry (40), Penatly Try (73), Hutler (80); Conversions: Pittman (40).

London Irish: Tries: Englefield (4) Curtis-Harris (12) Cornish (26), Hassell-Collins (29) O’Sullivan (47); Conversions: Jennings (5) (12), Jackson (48).

 

Jersey Reds:

15 Brendan Owen, 14 Ben Woollett, 13 Alex McHenry, 12 Dan Barnes (Holgate 39), 11 Will Brown (Hutler HIA), 10 Tom Pittman, 9 James Mitchell; 1 Sam Grahamslaw, 2 James Hadfield (Clarke 32), 3 Greg McGrath, 4 James Scott, 5 Macauley Cook (c), 6 Max Argyle, 7 Josh Gray, 8 Alun Lawrence.

Replacement forwards:

16 Eoghan Clarke, Antonio ‘TJ’ Harris, 17 Huw Owen , 18 Steve Longwell, 3 Monty Weatherby, 19 James Dun, 20 Lewis Wynne.

Replacement backs:

21 James Elliott, 9 Jonny Law, 10 Brendan Cope, 22 Russell Bennett, 23 Ryan Hutler, 12 Jordan Holgate, 13 Charlie Powell, 14 Tomi Lewis, 15 Scott Van Breda.

 

London Irish first-half team:

15 James Stokes, 14 Michael Dykes, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Matt Williams, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Rory Jennings, 9 Caolan Englefield; 1 Facundo Gigena, 2 Matt Cornish, 3 Oliver Hoskins, 4 Ed Scragg, 5 Adam Coleman (c), 6 Ben Donnell, 7 Isaac Curtis-Harris, 8 Josh Basham.

London Irish second-half team:

15 Jacob Akins, 14 Ben Loader (Hassell-Collins 79), 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Benhard van Rensburg, 11 Michael Dykes (Hitchcock 55), 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Hugh O’Sullivan; 1 Tarek Haffar, 2 Isaac Miller, 3 Lovejoy Chawatama, 4 Josh Caulfield, 5 Rob Simmons (c), 6 Tom Pearson, 7 Josh Smart, 8 Ben Atkins.

Replacements:

16 Joe Vajner, 22 Tom Hitchcock

 

Referee: Mr Anthony Woodthorpe

Content & Images from – London Irish Rugby


Premiership

INJURY UPDATE | George Ford

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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Gloucester

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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO). 

Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men. 

In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy. 

The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont. 

With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8. 

Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.  

Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter. 

Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu. 

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Saracens

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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports). 

Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins. 

With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy. 

In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews. 

Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8. 

The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.  

Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark. 

The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks Starting lineup: 

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison. 

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