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A little over three years ago, it’s likely Joe Schmidt sat in his local bar having a quiet drink as he contemplated events of…
How much does Joe Schmidt love the Webb Ellis Cup? Let me count the ways. Five full-backs, 11 wingers, ten midfielders, six out-halves, five…
Here's an easy one. Who was the first European rugby union to win a tour series in the Southern Hemisphere? And here's a clue,…
I'm a long time advocate of cross-union collaboration - particularly between countries with union-owned clubs and structures. As some Roarers will know from my…
“So just how strong is Northern Hemisphere rugby – when the likes of Ireland, Scotland and even Britain are basically strip mining the Southern…
Towards the end of the season in May 2016, the new PR012 CEO Martin Anayi gave several media interviews on his proposals for where…
Joe Schmidt has announced his 32-man Ireland squad to tour South Africa in a three-Test series this June. Connacht and South Africa seem to…
Last weekend saw the completion of Round 3 in the Six Nations Championship with Italy, Wales and Ireland emerging the victors. The Scotland-Italy match…
This weekend the Guinness-swilling underdogs from the Emerald Isle go up against the top-ranking, SANZAR-dominating, twice-Rugby World Cup winning Wallabies. Oh wait, hang on,…
It's not often you get a chance to make a statement that might have someone checking their specs, rubbing their eyes, and re-reading something…
Word is filtering through in media that Kane Douglas, the 24-year-old Wallaby lock, is heading to Dublin next season to don the famous Leinster…
This coming weekend sees the proper start to the month-long fest of rugby internationals - mainly between Northern and Southern Hemisphere foes. The IRB…
Next weekend the destination of the Six Nations Championship could be decided. With Ireland and England emerging as the victors from the weekend, the…
It's the end of August, end of the summer, the rain has stopped, it's getting darker, and that means it's rugby time again. In…
Australian sports pundit Russell Barwick had the blogosphere and airwaves humming as he denounced the Ireland Olympic team for not being part of the…
New Zealand has named their squad with a number of new caps, similar to Ireland. The presence of Richie McCaw and Dan Carter in…
It's understood that Eddie O'Sullivan, former Ireland and US Eagles coach, has held talks with the Western Force to join the coaching team. Other…
This weekend an ancient battle between two tribes that first started warring over two thousand years ago resumes. This time on foreign soil for…
As the Super Rugby competition trundles towards its mid-term break at the end of May, the northern hemisphere season reaches its climax over the…
Tony McGahan, the head coach at Irish provincial team Munster, will leave the club at end of season to become the defensive coach for…
Yep agreed. And Sexton too.
Is bigger always better for Australian players who go to Europe?
Yes. The more back three talents we develop for the future the better. Stockdale due back as well.
I’d love to see Mike Lowry get a run against Italy as well as James Hume starting in midfield.
Is bigger always better for Australian players who go to Europe?
Alaalatoa is Aussie born/raised. And Declan Moore moved from NZ to Aus at a young age.
Revised current numbers are: SA 11, Aus 8, Eng 7, NZ 6, Ton/Sam/US/Zim 1 each
Next season so far: Aus 9, Eng 8, SA 7, NZ 3, Ton 2, Sam/US/Zim 1.
A relation of Owen Finnegan, Finn Wright, born/raised in Aus with Irish grandparents is likely to move to Connacht next season.
Malakai Fekitoa, the Tongan-born midfielder is moving to Munster next season with de Allende moving on.
Is bigger always better for Australian players who go to Europe?
Mack Hansen has been selected to start for Ireland against Wales this Saturday.
Is bigger always better for Australian players who go to Europe?
Aussie-born players seem to be increasing in number in Ireland. Not Wallaby-capped so much as those with existing links to Ireland.
The decision by the IRFU five years ago to create IQ Rugby scouting in response to the changing WR residency qualification to 5 years means that their scouting systems are now looking to identify and develop/maintain contact with already Irish-qualified players. Unsurprisingly, a good few of these are spotted in England which has the largest cohort of FB players in Ireland. But the nationality of a coach will always lead to some additional bias in searching around for new talent, and inevitably, they’ll look where they know best – as Andy Friend has done in Connacht and van Graan in Munster.
Van Graan is moving on at season end.
There are 187 players across the four senior provincial squads of whom 35 are foreign-born players moved as adults to play in Ireland. Another 9 moved to Ireland as young children, mainly with their Irish parents – 3 of them capped.
The academies have another 58 players, some of whom get game time during the season as part of their 3-year development.
94% of players in Irish rugby currently are Irish-qualified.
The 34 “adult-moved” players represent 14% of the 245 player total:
11 are ineligible to be Irish capped – 8 capped already and 3 not five-year resident
16 are parent or grandparent qualified – 8 of them capped for Ireland.
8 are 3-year residency qualified (signed before 1 Jan 2018) with 4 capped.
Birth/raised countries for 35 adult-moved players:
SA – 10; Aus – 8; Eng – 7; NZ – 6
Sam/Ton/Zim/USA – 1 each
Based on reports so far, next season will likely see this change to:
Eng – 9; Aus – 9; SA – 7; NZ – 3
Ton/Zim/US 1 each.
Is bigger always better for Australian players who go to Europe?
Look at the line-up against NZ in the Autumn series when Henderson returned from injury.
In one sense, it’s horses for courses. And Farrell may well seek to mix n match to develop pairings and game time.
Who will be kings of Europe? Every team's strengths, weaknesses and key players for the 2022 Six Nations
Ireland need to give more time for alternate halfbacks. Carbery and Carty are the likely candidates. It’s likely that Farrell will stick with his game plan of starting the younger players and bring on the grizzled experience in second half with O’Mahony, Murray and possibly Earls.
Porter, Kelleher, Futlong, Henderson and Ryan are the established front five. Leinster trio VdF, Doris and Conan are the likely backrow unless Beirne switches in at 6 for particular games.
Farrell still has to settle on his replacement locks. Roux has left for France, snd Dillane will follow him at end of season. Baird at Leinster is one possibility, and possibly Tadgh Beirne is the other.
Young Chris Casey is being looked at to become the long term replacement for Murray. Getting him valuable game time will be critical ahead of Gibson-Park.
James Hume, another Ulster tyro, is another exciting possibility for the 13 jersey.
Hugo Keenan should continue to have the starting 15 jersey but Ulster newbie, Michael Lowry may get a chance to show of his speed alongside his provincial team mate, Baloucounne and either Conway or Larmour on the other.
Who will be kings of Europe? Every team's strengths, weaknesses and key players for the 2022 Six Nations
Chatty analysis Harry – thanks.
Who will be kings of Europe? Every team's strengths, weaknesses and key players for the 2022 Six Nations
Geoff – let’s face it – if I said the results heralded the second coming of NH Rugby (god I hate that phrase), I’d be accused of claiming overdog status.
We’ll see how things go at the end of the season in July. A few wins, and I might get out a bottle of lemonade to crack open….
The Wrap: Three epic Test matches all swing to the north
Far too much being read into these results. It was end of a long, much disrupted, unusual year in rugby with Covid playing havoc with everything.
NZ only lost by 9 to Ireland and could have easily won it. Same against the French who got lucky with a few things. Don’t know how England managed to beat South Africa, but SA will learn from it.
Normal service to be resumed next July when England, France and Ireland have to play away at end of season, usual clash with end of season league finals, and development teams sent on tour to unearth a few more baubles for RWC depth.
Nothing to see here, move along.
The Wrap: Three epic Test matches all swing to the north
In the – err – 4th big test between Argentina and Ireland, Irl ran out easy winners – 53-7.
The Wrap: Three epic Test matches all swing to the north
Ireland run-out 53-7 winners against Argentina with 10 changes to last week’s 23 against NZ. Good to see depth emerging and newbies getting game time.
UPDATED: Ultimate guide to Autumn Series week 4 - Teams, talking points, predictions and odds
Should be a good test against Los Pumas – both sides will be up for it. And a bit of aggro too – as seems to happen between these two whenever they meet up.
Carbery gets a chance to prove he can run the tiller against a big-name side – he failed in his first start against Oz on tour in 2018.
Pumas are on 2 wins and a loss so far. Some pride needs to be restored this week and nothing better than for Argentina to get their first ever win in Dublin – after 10 tests lost to date.
UPDATED: Ultimate guide to Autumn Series week 4 - Teams, talking points, predictions and odds
Farrell has announced his side to play Argentina this weekend. He’s sticking with the core, but is making 8 changes overall to the 23.
Keenan and Lowe keep their spots, with newbie, Robert Baloucounne from Ulster coming in on the other wing to replace Conway. Henshaw has recovered from injury and will replace Aki to partner Ringrose. All change at half-backs with Murray and Carbery starting instead of injured Sexton and Gibson-Park. The starting pack is unchanged. On the bench, newbie Dan Sheehan comes in to replace Herring, and another newbie, Tom O’Toole (who moved to Aus as a kid and then moved back to join Ulster, benches as tighthead. Craig Casey from Munster is the back-up 9, and Leinster’s Harry Byrne, younger brother of Ross Byrne, gets a chance in the 22 jersey.
14 Leinster players in this week’s test squad.
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen), Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers), James Lowe (Leinster); Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf), Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen); Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf), Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy), James Ryan (Leinster/UCD), Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College), Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD), Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne), Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf), Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne), Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution), Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon), Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne), Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster).
How Ireland plans to revolutionise the rugby world with green energy
Great write up Nic. Fascinating analysis. Bernard Jackman has done some too for TV show and some clipped onto his Twitter ac.
You’re familiar with JGP and Lowe from your involvement with Leinster – do you think they’re the best in their positions for the club and for Ireland based on the evolving Ireland game plan?
How Ireland plans to revolutionise the rugby world with green energy
Agreed re Leavy cos we’re short of specialist 7s. I would have Connors in a wider squad and Gavin Coombes has to get some test game time – too good to omit as an option.
From Ulster ranks, Balacounne is an interesting option on the wing – he has speed. And I like the cut of Hume’s jib in midfield. Tom O’Toole who moved to Oz as a young fella before moving back to join Ulster will hopefully come through to back up Furlong.
Chris Casey at Munster has the potential to grab the No 9 shirt off Gibson-Park/Murray. Should get off the bench next weekend vs Arg.
And lastly one of the bloody 10s behind Secton better start making their mark. For me, I like the look of young Ben Healy at Munster.
Ryan Baird hopefully might come through as the fourth lock.
How Ireland plans to revolutionise the rugby world with green energy
Agree with you on Aki, Gibson Park and Lowe. Don’t think Herring falls into that category though.
He qualified via grandparent. Moved after school to London and played for London Irish, amateur/semi-pro teams Nuneaton and London Welsh, went back to Western Province for a couple of games before moving to Ulster at 22.
Equally Quinn Roux was fortunate. Played for Western Province then 4 games with the Bulls. At 22, got a year trial with Leinster that didn’t work out. He was loaned out to Connacht for development, and was given renewed contracts. 4 years later, he got picked for Ireland. But yep, bar Herring, they’re all residency qualified players, no doubt.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
That was my impression. Maybe Should be a time limit on it. 1 minute max.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
Stockdale and Larmour both in AS squad. They’ll likely feature next week against Argentina.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
Thought the singing from the fans was a great response to the Haka.
And the Irish players didn’t move a muscle.
NZ players loved it.
Great start to the match.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
Well you don’t have to go with all my selections, Nic….
🙂
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
Feet firmly on ground, Geoff.
To botch a well-known phrase:
“One Kiwi does not a summer make”
Or winter for that matter.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
The idea is slowly catching on in the Premiership where coaches are realising that investing in and using their academy players brings them a better return. The Premiership teams rotate their squads too.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
When the Irish 10 (Johnny Sexton) kicks, he is late hit and ref blows for penalty. He asks Sexton where he wants penalty. He then says he’ll deal with the TMO request. He looks at it, and gives YC to Taylor. then returns to where play continued from the incident. He does not bring back Ireland to the first infringement location, he starts play from the second infringement.
The Wrap: Familiar themes emerge as Wallabies and All Blacks are pasted by England and Ireland
Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Beirne, Doris, Van der Flier, Conan.
Sheehan, Healy, Baird, O’Mahony, Murray, Carbery, Hume.
Sexton, Ringrose, Conway, Keenan.
RQ: Aki, Gibson-Park
P/GP Q: Hansen, Bealham
Canberra's Hansen shines in Ireland win