International
All Blacks rack up half century in rout of Pumas
Redemption rugby from the All Blacks paralysed Argentina who were denied any sniff of opportunity in a seven try 53-3 win for New Zealand in the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship Test in Hamilton on Saturday.
Wet weather rugby from the All Blacks, pressure applied through kick-chasing and superior offensive tackling unsettled Argentina. They were a shadow of the side that won the first Test, lacking the intensity in the face of a committed home side.
Improved discipline also denied Argentina the goal-kicking chances of the first Test while there was more dominance at the breakdown.
The scene was set at the outset when in front of his posts lock Tomas Lavinini dropped the ball and Argentina conceded an early penalty. And things never improved.
It was a game that saw captain Sam Cane lead from the front with his best game of the season while evidence of a maturing midfield combination between second five-eighths David Havili and centre Rieko Ioane could not have been more obvious.
Havili was the back room master, doing the nuts and bolts work that freed up Ioane to show his best attacking intent.
But the pack were not to be outshone, hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and his front row allies try scoring Ethan de Groot and Tyrell Lomax were superb while blindside flanker Shannon Frizell was much more of the enforcer the All Blacks have lacked.
The option-taking was vastly improved. Applying short chip and grubber kicks, the All Blacks turned Argentine around often and they showed their discomfort. No8 Pablo Matera was a battler for his side but his record-equalling 15th Test appearance for Argentina against the All Blacks was not a night to remember.
Nine minutes into the half, wing Will Jordan and centre Rieko Ioane contested a kick to take the ball forward. Ioane had a second run to set up a quick ruck and de Groot was able to slide across the line on the back of his momentum on the wet ground.
Sixteen minutes into the game a chip kick from first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga was contested, with quick ball and a slick pass from flanker Sam Cane giving Ioane room, and time, to run in and out of wing Emiliano Boffelli to feed wing Caleb Clarke in for a try.
Argentina finally got some consistent ball in the second quarter, but dogged All Blacks defence confined the damage to a Boffelli penalty goal.
But as soon as the restart occurred, Jordan applied the pressure to the catcher and with quick forward support, a turnover was achieved and a penalty was tapped by the ever-present, and diligent, No8 Ardie Savea. It looked to produce a try for hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, but it was ruled out for a knock-on, unluckily as it turned out, as an Argentina arm looked to knock the ball.
However, the All Blacks were under advantage, and with Lavanini sin-binned for foul play, they took a scrum and a powerful shove allowed Havili to slip the shortest of passes to Ioane, who had his reward for a good first half with a try under the posts.
Argentina threw everything into the third quarter, their only reward seeing replacement prop Fletcher Newell sent to the sin-bin. But that didn’t stop the All Blacks who, gaining a scrum from another Argentina mistake, ran the ball, initially in helter-skelter fashion, but then straightened by, who else, than Ioane?
He raced 50 metres, and, in the tackle, passed back up to replacement halfback Finlay Christie. He moved the ball on with Cane twice prominent, including handing the final pass for fullback Jordie Barrett to score.
Another breakout saw Savea in his element and from a penalty lineout, he accepted a pass from replacement hooker Dane Coles to score.
Putting the icing on the cake was a determination after the final hooter had blown to work the ball under penalty pressure to in front of the Argentine posts. A scrum option was requested and acting skipper Savea ran off the back drawing the defence and replacement first five-eighths Beauden Barrett spied the gap and took it to score.
Mission accomplished with an 80-minute performance that was everything that had been asked for and keep Rugby Championship hopes alive.
New Zealand 53 (Ethan de Groot, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick, Beauden Barrett tries; Richie Mo’unga 4 con 2 pen; Jordie Barrett 2 con) Argentina 3 (Emiliano Boffelli pen). HT: 24-3
Content & Images from – New Zealand 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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