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6 Nations

Wales and France Kick Off The 2019 Six Nations

Wales and France go head to head.

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Photo by Getty Images

The 2019 Six Nations will kick off in France on Friday as Les Blues will take on Wales in a mouth-watering fixture at the Stade de France. This match is guaranteed to provide fireworks as both outfits look for redemption after a less than impressive campaign last year.

Warren Gatland will be looking to start quick out of the blocks in the French capital, as he seeks to secure his fourth Six Nations title with the Welsh side. But he will be without star goalkicker and full-back Leigh Halfpenny who’s been unable to shake off concussion worries that he sustained three months ago after a heavy collision with Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi. In an interview Gatland stated:

“Leigh will miss the first couple of games. He is making progress, he is improving, and he has been taking part in training so for us we want to ease him back slowly.”

The Wales Head Coach added:

“But there is not any pressure from us in terms of trying to rush him back because the most important thing is his health and his safety.”

Scarlets fly-half Rhys Patchell (hamstring), Ospreys centre Scott Williams (ankle) and prop Leon Brown (broken thumb) are also ruled out of the trip to France the injury.

France have been underwhelming in the Six Nations in recent years and will be looking to bounce back in this year’s campaign. Inconsistency has cost the Frenchmen, but with the knowing they beat Wales the last time they played on French soil 20-18 back in 2017 they’ll be full of confidence that they could replicate that outcome again on Friday. Jaques Brunel has had to scramble to find a replacement for flanker Bernard Le Roux. The 29-year-old will be forced to miss the whole tournament after sustaining a knee injury playing for Racing 92’s in their victory against Scarlets in Paris on the weekend.   

Despite both teams struggling with injuries, this fixture will be nothing short of a spectacle as they will both be looking for maximum points from the first round as well as a bonus points.

You can check out the latest 6 Nations news and team line ups here.


6 Nations

Munster Rugby Announce Contract Deals For Murray, Daly & Gleeson

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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.

Brian Gleeson 10/2/2023

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


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6 Nations

Farrell Names Ireland Match Day Squad To Face Scotland In Dublin

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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


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6 Nations

Farrell Names Ireland Team To Face England At Twickenham

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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


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