URC
Bristol friendly provides perfect preparation opportunity – Thomas
While mid-season friendlies have been something of a rarity in recent seasons, Cardiff coach T Rhys Thomas believes Friday’s clash with Bristol Bears provides perfect preparation time ahead of the second block of competitive fixtures.
The Blue and Blacks claimed four wins from their opening seven matches in the BKT United Rugby Championship this season. But with the international window in full swing, a total of four weeks separate the last encounter, against Edinburgh, and the next clash – a trip to Durban to take on Cell C Sharks.
Bridging the two competitive blocks is Friday’s trip to Ashton Gate, and Thomas insists there’s no better way of maintaining sharpness than a full 80-minute encounter, particularly with a tough trip to South Africa on the horizon.
The former Wales and Cardiff hooker said: “It’s really good the way it’s turned out for us. We’re going to South Africa in a few weeks and this game is a really good warm up, or build up, for that block.
“Last time round we had a bit of a break before we went out there, but Friday will be a huge challenge for us.
“Obviously they’re a quality team and a quality outfit. There’s quality throughout and we know they like to play an exciting brand of rugby, mixed with a huge physical challenge up front, which I’m sure they’ll bring.
“It’s a really good fixture for us to see where we are with a few boys who are getting their opportunity. It’s also a really good challenge for the boys who have been playing a little bit as well.
“They’re excited by the challenge on a Friday night in Bristol before we go to South Africa.
“It’s a bit of a local derby, really. All my family will be going up there as it’s not that far and I’m also sure that the eve of Wales against England in February is going to be a huge occasion at the Arms Park.
“The team they’ve picked adds to the excitement, because they go in with quality and will want to get as many fans in there as they can.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to go up against that league. Obviously the URC is a quality league, but we do look at the English league a lot as well – well I certainly do, I can’t speak for everyone else.
“The product is quality and we’d like to see where we are against the big boys of that division/
“What people don’t usually see is that we have internal games within these blocks anyway. If not that then certainly training against the likes of Dragons and we’ve done Bath before too.
“The units are opposed and we’ve even had Zebre come over in pre-season and Cardiff Met have been brilliant for us too.
“So we wouldn’t exactly go three, four, five weeks without any contact.
“But there’s no better preparation for a game than a game. It will be a long day after a proper training week and you obviously can’t replicate the 80 minutes on the weekend in training, so it’s good.
“It’s everything – from preparations to previews and reviews and it’s great for us to have.
“All we’re able to do now is concentrate on Friday. We want to put a good performance in and then we can worry about South Africa and building on the momentum we had in the middle of the first block.
“If we can train properly, that’s the biggest thing, and by doing that hopefully the performances will follow and the result will take care of itself. We want to get some big performances out in South Africa.”
While Cardiff will remain upbeat about their early season form, with plenty of positives on show, Thomas admits the defeat to Edinburgh last time out was frustrating, particularly after an encouraging first half display.
Reflecting on the clash, the assistant coach added: “The Edinburgh game was a little bit frustrating, but obviously we’re really happy with the first block as a whole.
“To lie where we are in the league, as an organisation we’re pretty positive. We know there’s still loads to work on.
“It was about picking up, not so much the result, but the performance we wanted.
“Probably in the first half – in my area, which is the scrum and line-outs – we were happy with the way it was going. But obviously we started to concede a few penalties in a row and they scored the try.
“As frustrating as it was to have a disappointing end to the block, on a whole if you’d said at the beginning of the season that we’d be in the position we are, going into the break, then we would’ve been happy.”
To purchase tickets for Friday’s away clash against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate – please click HERE
Content & Images from – Cardiff Rugby
The Munster squad have started preparations at the HPC ahead of Saturday’s sold-out clash against the All Blacks XV at Thomond Park (5.30pm).
The game will be exclusively live-streamed on Access Munster, sign up here.
Pinergy, Munster Rugby’s official energy partner, are the presenting partners for the clash.
On the injury front, there were no fresh concerns following Saturday’s clash against the Sharks in Durban.
Peter O’Mahony (hamstring), who has been included in Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series squad but is continuing his rehabilitation at the HPC, will increase his training load this week. His availability for this weekend’s clash against the All Blacks XV will be determined later in the week.
Brian Gleeson (shoulder) and Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg) came through the weekend with no issues after returning to action with Garryowen in the AIL.
On the international front, Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Alex Kendellen have travelled to Portugal with the Ireland squad ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.
Continuing to rehab: Shane Daly (leg), Jeremy Loughman (knee), Alex Nankivell (hip), Josh Wycherley (neck), Mark Donnelly (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Liam Coombes (leg), Thaakir Abrahams (thigh), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Tickets
Saturday, November 2
Munster v All Blacks XV, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; SOLD OUT – Watch live on Access Munster here
URC Round 7: Saturday, November 30
Munster v Emirates Lions, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 1: Saturday, December 7
Munster v Stade Francais, Thomond Park, 5:30pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 3: Saturday, January 11
Munster v Saracens, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 9: Friday, December 27
Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 11: Saturday, February 15
Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 12: Friday, February 28
Munster v Edinburgh, Virgin Media Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 15: Saturday, April 19
Munster v Bulls, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 17: Friday, May 9
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Friday, May 16
Munster v Benetton, Virgin Media Park, 8pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Ulster ready for interpro derby against Connacht in Belfast
41 minutes ago
Fixture News
Ulster Head Coach, Richie Murphy, has named his Ulster side to take on Connacht on Saturday night in Round 4 of the BKT United Rugby Championship (kick-off 8pm).
Iain Henderson captains the side and is joined in the second row by Kieran Treadwell.
Prop, Andrew Warwick, and lock, Alan O’Connor, are in line for their 200th Ulster caps this weekend.
Limited tickets are still available for Saturday’s big game via the link below.
Warwick starts at loosehead prop, joined by experienced hooker, John Andrew, and Irish international prop, Tom O’Toole, at tighthead prop.
In the back row, David McCann, starts as the openside flanker, with Sean Reffell starting on the blindside.
Nick Timoney starts at eight and marks a milestone of his own, making his 150th cap for Ulster.
The half-back partnership this weekend sees John Cooney start alongside Aidan Morgan, who has two tries in his opening three matches for Ulster.
After scoring a superb individual try against the Bulls last weekend, Jacob Stockdale, starts on the left wing, with Werner Kok making his first start at Kingspan Stadium on the right wing.
Jude Postlethwaite returns to the team, following an impressive Emerging Ireland tour, that saw the Lisburn man score a try against Western Force last weekend, before being released to play for the province.
He starts at inside centre and is joined by Stewart Moore, who scored a great try last weekend against the Bulls.
Ethan McIlroy starts at full-back, completing the back-field.
Murphy opts for a 5:3 split on the bench, with James McCormick, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor and Marcus Rea providing the forward replacement options.
Nathan Doak, Ben Carson and Mike Lowry provide the back options from the bench.
Ulster Rugby v Connacht Rugby, Saturday 12 October, 8pm, Kingspan Stadium (Live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds, Premier Sports and TG4):
(1-8) Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (C), Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Sean Reffell, Nick Timoney;
(15-9) Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney.
Replacements: James McCormick, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor, Marcus Rea, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Mike Lowry.
The Opposition:
Images & Content – Ulster Rugby
The Munster squad started preparations on Monday ahead of Saturday’s URC round four clash against Leinster at Croke Park (5.45pm).
In player news, Seán O’Brien returns from the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa ahead of Saturday’s game.
Following Munster’s win over Ospreys on Saturday, Oli Jager (neck) and Peter O’Mahony (hamstring) are both going for scans and are unavailable this weekend.
Mike Haley has a leg contusion and his availability will be determined later in the week.
There is good news for Tom Ahern (ankle) and Alex Nankivell (shoulder) as they are both returning to training this week. Their respective availability for Croke Park will be determined later in the week.
Ruadhán Quinn is following the return to play protocols and his availability will be determined later in the week.
Billy Burns is increasing his training exposure this week and the out-half’s availability will be determined later in the week.
Shane Daly is unlikely to be available this week as he continues to recover from an elbow injury.
Thaakir Abrahams sustained a low-grade thigh injury against Zebre and is unavailable this week.
Long-term absentees Rory Scannell (ankle) and Paddy Patterson (knee) are making good progress and will increase their training exposure this week.
Patrick Campbell will have surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained in AIL action last month.
Josh Wycherley will visit a specialist this week for a neck injury.
Continuing to rehab: Liam Coombes (leg), Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg), Brian Gleeson (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Tickets
Saturday, November 2
Munster v All Blacks XV, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; SOLD OUT
URC Round 7: Saturday, November 30
Munster v Emirates Lions, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 1: Saturday, December 7
Munster v Stade Francais, Thomond Park, 5:30pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 3: Saturday, January 11
Munster v Saracens, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 9: Friday, December 27
Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 11: Saturday, February 15
Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 12: Friday, February 28
Munster v Edinburgh, Virgin Media Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 15: Saturday, April 19
Munster v Bulls, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 17: Friday, May 9
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Friday, May 16
Munster v Benetton, Virgin Media Park, 8pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
Squad Update | Munster Prepare For All Blacks XV At Thomond
