International
Three Debutants in Springboks Team for Wallabies Test
South Africa will hand three players their test debuts during Saturday’s clash against Australia
Rassie Erasmus has named his Springboks squad for his team’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia on Saturday.
Within the squad there are three in Rynhardt Elstadt, Herschel Jantjies and Lizo Gqoboka, with the former two starting at blindside flanker and scrum-half respectively.
With Siya Kolisi still missing through injury, Eben Etzebeth will captain the Springboks for the 12th time.
Elsewhere, the front-three is made up of 107-cap prop Tendai Mtawarira, Bongi Mbonambi and Trevor Nyakane.
While Etzebeth is joined in the engine-room by Lood de Jager, with Elstadt, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Francois Louw at six, seven and eight respectively.
Debutant Jantjies partners Elton Jantjies in the half-backs, with Andre Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel outside them in the centre.
As Aphiwe Dyantyi is currently out injured it’s Makazole Mapimpi and Sbu Nkosi on the wings with Warrick Gelant finishing the XV from full-back.
There is a serious amount of experience on the bench with the likes of Marcell Coetzee, Cobus Reinach, Frans Steyn and Dillyn Leyds among the subs.
SA Rugby director of rugby Erasmus is happy with his squad and believes that his team can win the shortened championship.
“The squad have trained together for more than three weeks and this match is important for us to start a very important rugby year. We want to win the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and we have a specific plan, which starts Saturday with the first Test against the Wallabies. We have planned to mix things up in the first two Tests of the season, in order to give game time to as many of the players in our wider squad, and we believe this is the right combination to face a very good and competitive Australian side,” he said.
Erasmus went on to talk about how Etzebeth is an ideal leader and is looking forward to opening up their international season.
“We are excited for the forthcoming year and I want to congratulate Rynhardt, Herschel and Lizo on their first inclusion in a Springbok match-day squad, while the leadership role is not something new for Eben. The build-up has been good and there is definitely a very good vibe for match. Australia have prepared very well for this match and they have spent two weeks at altitude to acclimatise to the Highveld, so we are in for a great contest,” he added.
The Springboks kick-off their shortened Rugby Championship against the Wallabies on Saturday, before playing the All Blacks and finishing up their tournament against Argentina.
Check Out the Full 23-Man Squad Below.
15. Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Bulls), 5 caps – 5 points (1 try)
14. Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks), 6 – 20 (4t)
13. Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), 40 – 60 (12t)
12. André Esterhuizen (Cell C Sharks), 6 – 0
11. Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), 4 – 20 (4t)
10. Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), 33 – 229 (2t, 42c, 45p)
9. Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), uncapped
8. Francois Louw (Bath, England), 65 – 45 (9t)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), 46 – 20 (4t)
6. Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse, France), uncapped
5. Lood de Jager (Vodacom Bulls), 38 – 20 (4t)
4. Eben Etzebeth (captain, DHL Stormers), 75 – 15 (3t)
3. Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), 37 – 5 (1t)
2. Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers), 26 – 15 (3t)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), 107 – 10 (2t)
Replacements:
16. Schalk Brits (Vodacom Bulls), 11 – 5 (1t)
17. Lizo Gqoboka (Vodacom Bulls), uncapped
18. Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), 13 – 0
19. Marvin Orie (Emirates Lions), 1 – 0
20. Marcell Coetzee (Ulster, Ireland), 28 – 30 (6t)
21. Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), 10 – 10 (2t)
22. Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France), 56 – 132 (10t, 5c, 21p, 3d)
23. Dillyn Leyds (DHL Stormers), 9 – 5 (1t)
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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