6 Nations
Scotland team to face England in Guinness Six Nations opener
Gregor Townsend has named his team to face England on Saturday in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations opener at BT Murrayfield – kick-off 4.45pm.
After missing out on the Autumn Nations Cup matches through injury, Exeter Chiefs’ Jonny Gray makes his return to the starting line up for the first time since March 2021 when he played against Ireland. He is joined by Edinburgh Rugby’s Grant Gilchrist in the second row who will be one appearance away from reaching 50 caps after stepping out against England.
Elsewhere in the forwards Worcester Warriors’ prop Rory Sutherland is named after playing in all of last year’s Six Nations matches. He is joined in the front row by Glasgow Warriors pair, hooker George Turner and prop Zander Fagerson.
Edinburgh Rugby duo Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Watson will combine with Matt Fagerson from Glasgow Warriors in the back row.
Racing 92’s Finn Russell and Glasgow Warrior Ali Price will partner each other at 9 and 10 respectively for the fourth consecutive game, meanwhile Worcester Warriors’ Duhan van der Merwe starts on the wing. Darcy Graham will be on the opposite flank following impressive form with Edinburgh Rugby which sees them currently top the United Rugby Championship table.
Gloucester Rugby’s Chris Harris and Glasgow Warriors’ Sam Johnson are set to combine in the centre once again, with Captain Stuart Hogg starting at full-back in his ninth Calcutta Cup match.
On the bench, London Irish scrum-half Ben White will have the opportunity to make his Scotland debut with Edinburgh Rugby’s Blair Kinghorn and Glasgow Warriors’ Sione Tuipulotu other options in the backs.
Also in the replacements, Magnus Bradbury could make his first appearance for Scotland since 2020 with Sam Skinner, WP Nel, Pierre Schoeman and Stuart McInally all named on the bench.
Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “We feel privileged to be involved in the oldest international rugby fixture on Saturday, against our nearest rivals.
“We are aware of how much winning at Twickenham boosted the spirits of our supporters at the start of last year’s tournament, and we’re looking forward to playing in front of them in person this year.
“We are under no illusions on the tough challenge we have ahead of us against an England side who defeated the World Champions in their last outing.
“The starting 15 we have named has a consistent feel to it which is great for cohesion but we will also benefit from returning players such as Jonny Gray and Rory Sutherland who have been important players for us in recent seasons.
“Ben White has been in very good form for London Irish and has trained well in the last two weeks, so can approach his first involvement at Test level with real confidence.”
Scotland team to face England in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations at BT Murrayfield, live on BBC One, Saturday, 5 February – kick-off 4.45pm.
15. Stuart Hogg – Exeter Chiefs – (Captain) – 88 caps
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 22 caps
13. Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby – 31 caps
12. Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 21 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Worcester Warriors – 13 caps
10. Finn Russell – Racing 92 – (Vice-Captain) – 58 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors – 46 caps
1. Rory Sutherland – Worcester Warriors – 16 caps
2. George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 20 caps
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 42 caps
4. Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs – 64 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby – 48 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby – (Vice-Captain) – 31 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 45 caps
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 17 caps
Replacements
16. Stuart McInally – Edinburgh Rugby – 43 caps
17. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 4 caps
18. WP Nel – Edinburgh Rugby – 43 caps
19. Sam Skinner – Exeter Chiefs – 15 caps
20. Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby – 14 caps
21. Ben White – London Irish – Uncapped
22 Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 28 caps
23 Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors – 1 cap
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Munster Rugby Announce Contract Deals For Murray, Daly & Gleeson
Squad Update | Munster Prepare For Cardiff At Thomond
