International
Tom the Wright option as Rennie weighs up fullback, flyhalf options
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has backed Tom Wright to step up at fullback with the position wide open heading into next year’s World Cup.
Wright will start at the back for the third time in 2022, selected alongside Mark Nawaqanitawase and Jordan Petaia to face Wales on Sunday morning (Australian time).
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Rennie believes his communication was the deciding factor over Jock Campbell, with the Red returning via the bench as one of several changes from Ireland.
“We definitely discussed playing Jock (at fullback) but we just felt that if we played Jock, Mark (Nawaqanitawase) and Jordy (Petaia), there’s not a lot of voice there and that’s going to be really important,” Rennie explained to reporters.
“We could have Tom the wing and then left one of the other guys out, but they were both excellent last week and we wanted to give them a chance to start together.
“Jock’s very much in the mix. It’s the modern game, he’ll make a contribution, but it’ll be off the bench.”
Wright slots in for Andrew Kellaway, who has returned to Australia with a foot injury as the 15 jersey remains a poisoned chalice of sorts for the Wallabies.
It started in the first 20 minutes of the International season with Tom Banks broke his arm against England, joined by Kellaway after he injured his hamstring in between the first two Tests
Jordan Petaia lasted four minutes in Brisbane before suffering a concussion whilst Wright and Reece Hodge filled in at the position throughout the Rugby Championship.
Rennie was very open about his assessment of the position. Whilst there are plenty of options, a true first-choice is yet to step up in his eyes.
“No,” he responded when asked if he knew his preferred fullback. “I think what we’ve found out this year because we’ve used a lot of 15s is we’ve got some genuine strong options here now.
“We’ve played Andrew Kellaway there, we’ve played Tom Banks and Tom Wright. Jordy was down to play there at one stage. We’ve used (Reece) Hodgie back there, we’ve used Jock Campbell.
“I think we’ve genuinely developed some really strong options back there, but as to who’s got the nod from a World Cup point of view, it’s pretty tight.”
It’s a different scenario at flyhalf, with Rennie admitting he has a clear idea of who leads that race even if for now, he’ll keep who it is close to his chest.
It comes as Ben Donaldson prepares to be the fifth flyhalf to start for the Wallabies this year (Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley, James O’Connor, Noah Lolesio), preferred over Lolesio after the Brumby was an unused sub against the Irish.
Donaldson came on in the last five minutes of his debut against Italy, providing some nice touches before missing a tough game-winning conversion after the siren.
Rennie and the Wallabies are keen to get a further look at the Waratah, who has impressed with his speed and command of the backline.
As for Lolesio, consistency remains key for the young playmaker in Rennie’s eyes.
“(Noah) wants to start…We talk about earning the right to start and earning the right to play. He’s played a lot of good footy for us in some big games but you’ve got to back that up consistently,” Rennie notes.
“He played well against South Africa, he got a head knock, couldn’t play the first Test against the All Blacks. Bernard (Foley) played really well and he gives a lot of voice and a lot of experience and that’s helped.
“So they’re areas where Noah is trying to develop: his game awareness, his ability to implement and run a game. It was not easy for him against Italy, we didn’t go that well in front of him.
“We could easily have started Noah but want to find out a bit more about ‘Donno.’ He’s training really well, he’s got points of difference and we want to see what that’s like under the blow torch.”
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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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