URC
Tadhg Furlong To Captain Ireland v Fiji
Tadhg Furlong was today confirmed as the Ireland captain for Saturday’s Bank of Ireland Nations Series game against Fiji in Aviva Stadium (KO: 1.00pm).
It will be the first time that Furlong will have captained Ireland at senior level.
Speaking to media today from the Irish base in the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Furlong said, “it’s class, it’s class, it’s not something I ever thought was on my radar.
“Never even thought of it. I never even put the idea…you know when you dream as a young fella, you want to play for Ireland, you want to play for Leinster, you want to play for the Lions. I never even dreamed of captaining Ireland.”
With team captain Johnny Sexton still nursing an injury from the win against South Africa and likely to miss out on the match day 23 this weekend, Furlong will lead his country in front of a sold out Aviva Stadium.
“Look, I know it’s for a game. I know it’s not captaining your country week-in, week-out, but it’s still class. It’s still a class feeling.
“I know from people back home, they’ll be very proud etc. So it’s great.”
The people back home are of course his father, James, mother, Margaret, and his extended family and friends in Campile, Co Wexford.
But the pride will spread well beyond that to the people in New Ross RFC, where he was first introduced to rugby.
To the people of Good Counsel, where he went to school. To the people involved with the South East Area in the Shane Horgan Cup where he first tasted representative rugby.
To the people of Clontarf FC where he cut his AIL teeth.
And even to the people of Whiddy Island, Cork where his mother Margaret is from and where he spent many a holiday.
They’ve all played a part.
Furlong made his Ireland debut against Wales in the 2015 Guinness Summer Series before being named in the squad for the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
He featured against Romania in that tournament and went on to make his 6 Nations debut the following spring featuring off the bench against the Welsh.
In June 2016, Furlong replaced Mike Ross to help Ireland secure a famous victory over the Springboks in Cape Town and later that year would start in Chicago as Ireland recorded their first ever win over New Zealand.
He started every game of the 2017 6 Nations Championships and has gone from strength to strength ever since for Ireland, going on to win 61 caps for his country and winning a Grand Slam in 2018.
Selected for the 2017 British & Irish Lions squad, Furlong was the starting tighthead for all three Test matches against New Zealand, and he followed that up with a second tour to South Africa last year.
Once again, he was the starting tighthead prop in all three tests for the second tour in a row.
Furlong, who turns 30 next Monday, made his Leinster debut against Newport Gwent Dragons in November 2013 and has won 128 caps for his province, scoring ten tries.
He won the Champions Cup in 2018 and has also won four PRO14 titles.
He has been an ever present in blue, green and red and has the medals and the accolades to go along with the caps.
And now, he will captain his country. It won’t be the first time but it will be the first at senior level.
“The last team I captained was the Irish U18s. That’s going back, boy.
“It was a lot of blood and guts, banging tables back then. I’ve been lucky to be involved in a lot of good teams with a lot of good captains, it’s trying to fit your way in and enjoy it as much as possible.
“I would have talked to Johnny, when you’re involved in the leadership group you get an idea of the inner workings of the week, of our lead into a game with meetings on Thursday and Friday. Faz (Andy Farrell) has been good, and just relying on the 10 and a few of the lineout callers, planning which way they want to go about their business.
“To be brutally honest with you, I’m a prop. If I’m playing, I’m playing for 50/60 minutes, and I’ve my head in the ground for most of the game. I think there’s a reason front rows, and props especially, aren’t captain all that often, it’s because of that and I think that’s the reality of it.
“Is it something I’d like to do (again)? I haven’t even thought of it. I didn’t even think it was on my radar. I just want to make the most out of the weekend.”
Images & Content from Leinster 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
