International
Telea double helps the All Blacks home at Murrayfield
Scotland, for 54 minutes through the middle stages at Murrayfield, sniffed their long-awaited first win over New Zealand, but a fourth quarter All Blacks recovery saw debut wing Mark Telea score the match-winning try for a 31–23 win.
It took the introduction of the All Blacks’ bench to shake off the malaise that kept Scottish hopes alive.
Undeterred by the All Blacks two-try blitz in the first five minutes, Scotland stormed to a 17-14 lead at halftime and while nudging ahead through penalty goals in the second half, they could score no more tries.
After a Jordie Barrett penalty goal reduced the margin to six points after 62 minutes, and the momentum burst from the All Blacks’ bench, they took control of the game and came home stronger.
A barrage of quick possession and movement carried them to the Scottish line where replacement Jack Dempsey was sin-binned for a deliberate knock down of the ball.
New Zealand had the scrum from five metres out. No.8 Ardie Savea, who was again powerful, made the first burst at the line but it was lock Scott Barrett who scored with 15 minutes left.
Powerful breaks by left-wing Duhan van der Merwe throughout the third quarter, usually from All Blacks kicks not finding touch, kept the Scots momentum flowing.
Mistakes from the All Blacks compounded, and with penalties mounting, Scotland were able to nudge their way ahead through the trusty boot of first five-eighths Finn Russell.
The penalties eventually evened up at 13 apiece and the All Blacks’ had reward for their efforts to move the ball, making 487m to 385 for Scotland and forcing them to make 151 tackles to 112 of their own.
By the end, the solidity of the introduced players, headed by halfback TJ Perenara, who made his 57th appearance off the bench – an All Blacks record, allowed them to secure the faster ball they needed to stretch Scotland out wide. Centre Rieko Ioane gave Telea the pass for the vital last try while hooker Codie Taylor was powerful on the break.
Props George Bower and Fletcher Newell had an immediate impact at the scrum where the penalties started to flow New Zealand’s way while flanker Shannon Frizell was dominant with ball in hand.
Savea and Dalton Papali’i managed 13 turnovers to Scotland’s eight and were still having an impact in the 80th minute.
Telea had a dream start to his Test career. His first touch came after having to turn back to gather a kick-pass, but he still managed to beat his challenger and take play to the Scottish 22m where a penalty resulted. After the kick to the corner hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho scored after two minutes 20 seconds.
Scotland roared onto attack from the restart but Papali’i secured ball at the breakdown. Clearing their 22m they set up left-wing wing Caleb Clarke for a powerful charge from a kick through down the flank. And another cross-kick to the goal-line where Telea had a try at his second touch.
But after 15 minutes Scotland roared back into the game after a break into the line from fullback Stu Hogg, who chipped ahead to the in-goal was impeded by centre Anton Lienert-Brown in the chase for the ball. After a TMO check, referee Frank Murphy ruled a penalty try and time in the sin-bin for Lienert-Brown.
Papali’i secured another turnover but in attempting to space on the left, second five-eighths David Havili attempted to run first five-eighths Beauden Barrett into the open but his pace was straight to wing Darcy Graham who beat Clarke and Jordie Barrett before scoring to level the scores after 13 minutes.
Scotland maintained their momentum, aided by a string of All Blacks infringements, with Russell kicking a penalty goal after 30 minutes.
The half finished with Scotland throwing everything at the All Blacks line until another turnover, this time by No8 Ardie Savea resulted in a penalty for the kick to touch and halftime.
More All Blacks gained big game exposure in the northern hemisphere, but their greatest lesson was in the response from the experience injected into the game from the bench.
Scotland 23 (Penalty try; Darcy Graham tries; Finn Russell con, 3 pen) New Zealand 31 (Samisoni Taukei’aho, Mark Telea 2, Scott Barrett tries; Jordie Barrett 4 con, pen). HT: 17-14
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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