6 Nations
Wales team to face Scotland in Guinness Six Nations opener
Cameron Winnett will win his first senior international cap for Wales having been named at full-back. Rio Dyer and Josh Adams are selected on the wings.
At 21 years and 60 days old on Saturday, Dafydd Jenkins will become the second youngest man to captain Wales after Sir Gareth Edwards. Adam Beard partners Jenkins in the second row.
30.01.24 – Wales rugby training in the week leading up to their Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland – Cameron Winnett during training
Owen Watkin returns to the Wales starting XV for the first time since November 2022. He lines up alongside Nick Tompkins in the midfield.
Corey Domachowski (loose-head prop) makes his first Six Nations appearance, he is joined in the front row by hooker Ryan Elias and tight-head prop Leon Brown.
The back row comprises James Botham (blind-side flanker), who is making his first Wales appearance for more than two years, Tommy Reffell at open-side flanker and Aaron Wainwright at No. 8.
Gareth Davies starts at scrum half. Sam Costelow, also featuring in his first Six Nations match, is named alongside his Scarlets clubmate at fly half.
Among the Wales replacements, back row Alex Mann could make his first senior international appearance this weekend if he follows Cardiff Rugby clubmate Winnett onto the Principality Stadium pitch.
Kemsley Mathias (loose-head prop), Keiron Assiratti (tight-head prop) and Teddy Williams (second row), who all won their first caps in the 2023 Vodafone Summer Series as well as Ioan Lloyd, who was first capped for Wales in autumn 2020, would join Domachowski and Costelow in making their Six Nations debut if appearing from the bench.
Elliot Dee (hooker) provides the remaining forward cover. Tomos Williams and Mason Grady are the other replacement backs.
30.01.24 – Wales rugby training in the week leading up to their Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland – Aaron Wainwright during training
Gatland said: “Cameron Winnett is just a lovely footballer and I think he’s going to develop into a quality international player in the future. He’s young and there’ll be no pressure on him. We’ve been impressed with the way that he’s trained. He’s done really well in training, progressed really well and following consultation with his surgeon everyone was happy for him to be selected.
“It’s also great that Alex Mann is on the bench and will hopefully get his debut as well.
“I think there’s a really nice balance in the squad.
“We’ve got some players who were involved in the world cup so have some experience and then some exciting youngsters and when I look at that forward pack, it’s not a small forward pack. It’s a big forward pack.
“Scotland haven’t won here in a long, long time and it’s an opportunity for us to continue with that record. The roof’s going to be open, Scotland want the roof open which I think is a little bit disappointing from an atmosphere point of view, because when that roof is shut it does tend to create a lot more atmosphere and noise in the stadium. But that’s the decision that they made.
“The players understand how important this first game is in the competition. The sold out stadium, go out there, you get the Six Nations off to a good start, you can create some momentum.
“I’ve been really pleased with their attitude and the way that they’ve trained this week and we should be really excited about this first game.”
On the absences of George North and Will Rowlands Gatland added: “George got quite a big stinger in terms of his shoulder and didn’t take part in full training last week so Owen Watkin comes into the midfield.
“Will hasn’t come into the squad yet. His wife had a baby a couple of weeks ago in France and unfortunately there were some complications. So the message to him has been you stay home and be with your family. We always talk about how important that is and he’ll turn up when he’s ready.”
Wales senior men’s team to play Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 3 February KO 4.45pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.
15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 54 caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch – 36 caps)
12. Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid – 32 caps)
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 14 caps)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 8 caps)
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 74 caps)
1. Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 38 caps)
3. Leon Brown (Dragons / Dreigiau – 23 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps) Captain / Capten
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 51 caps)
6. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 13 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 43 caps)
Replacements
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 46 caps)
17. Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)
18. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 2 caps)
19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 1 cap)
20. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)
21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)
22. Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 2 caps)
23. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)
Content & Images from – Wales Rugby
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
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