International
PREVIEW: All Blacks v Argentina Second Test (Hamilton)
The All Blacks will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Argentina and keep their Rugby Championship hopes alive when they take on the Pumas again in Hamilton on Saturday night.
MATCH DETAILS: All Blacks v Argentina, Saturday 3 September, 7.05pm NZT, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton. (TICKETS)
Played: 34
Won: All Blacks 31, Argentina 2, Drawn 1
Last time: All Blacks 18, Argentina 25 (27 August 2022, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch)
Referee: Nic Berry
TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN
With the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship at the halfway point, the competition has never been more open or unpredictable. All four teams are still in the running for the title with Argentina and Australia sitting on top with nine points. The All Blacks are in third place on five points with South Africa at the bottom on four points. Such is the nature of the tournament this year, the table could completely flip this weekend if the All Blacks and South Africa both secured victories. All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett said: “It’s a great competition this year, anyone can win on their day, and it’s going to be an interesting few weeks to finish.”
CHANGES ON THE BENCH
All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan have opted for the same starting fifteen as the two previous Tests against South Africa and Argentina – the first time since 1997 that the All Blacks have retained the same starting fifteen for three consecutive Test matches. There is a new look bench with first five-eighths Beauden Barrett and lock Brodie Retallick returning from injury. The pair add 201 Test caps of experience between them, while Barrett is the most capped All Black against Argentina with 16 appearances. Additional changes have been made to the reserves where hooker Dane Coles and loose forward Dalton Papali’i will look to make an impact later in the game.
DEVELOPING FRONT ROW
After missing selection for the Steinlager Series, young props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax have impressed in the Rugby Championship and are looking forward to their third-straight start together. De Groot said he felt the pair had something to prove coming into the side and were building their combination every day. “We know that we have to be on because there is a lot of competition at the moment. George (Bower) is playing well, Rossy (Aidan Ross) has come in and is training well every week, and then you’ve got the other boys on the tighthead side as well, Fletcher has come in and going unreal, you’ve got a bit of experience in Angus, so me and Loey (Tyrel) just got to keep it on.”
FINAL QUARTER FOCUS
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said lifting the side’s performance in the final quarter would be a focus in Hamilton. “Great All Black teams have always been good in that last 20 minutes at backing themselves and doing the right thing. We got it right in South Africa, but wrong in Christchurch.” Foster said. “It is something we are working hard on to grow the confidence in the last part of the game to make sure we embrace those moments but also stay clear in our decision-making.”
STATCHAT
Argentina have the best success rate on lineout throws of any team in the Rugby Championship in 2022 (90% – 37/41). However, no team has stolen more opposition lineouts in the competition this year than the All Blacks with six.
TEAMS
All Blacks (Test caps in brackets):
1. Ethan de Groot (7) 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (14) 3. Tyrel Lomax (17) 4. Sam Whitelock (137) 5. Scott Barrett (53) 6. Shannon Frizell (20) 7. Sam Cane © (83) 8. Ardie Savea (65) 9. Aaron Smith (108) 10. Richie Mo’unga (38) 11. Caleb Clarke (8) 12. David Havili (19) 13. Rieko Ioane (53) 14. Will Jordan (18) 15. Jordie Barrett (42)
Reserves: 16. Dane Coles (82) 17. George Bower (17) 18. Fletcher Newell (2) 9. Brodie Retallick (95) 20. Dalton Papali’i (15) 21. Finlay Christie (9) 22. Beauden Barrett (106) 23. Quinn Tupaea (12)
Argentina
1: Thomas Gallo 2: Julian Montoya (c) 3: Joel Sclavi 4: Guido Petti 5: Tomas Lavanini 6: Santiago Grondona 7: Marcos Kremer 8: Pablo Matera 9: Tomas Cubelli 10: Santiago Carreras 11: Santiago Cordero 12: Matias Orlando 13: Matias Moroni 14: Emiliano Boffelli 15: Juan Cruz Mallia
Reserves: 16: Santiago Socino, 17: Mayco Vivas, 18: Eduardo Bello, 19: Matias Alemanno, 20: Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21: Gonzalo Bertranou, 22: Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23: Lucio Cinto.
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
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