6 Nations
Wales name team to play Argentina
Head coach Wayne Pivac has named the Wales senior men’s team to face Argentina in the second round of the Autumn Nations Series.
Wales play Los Pumas under a closed roof at Principality Stadium on Saturday ( KO 5.30pm). The match is live on Amazon Prime, with English and Welsh broadcasts available. There are also highlights on S4C.
Captain Justin Tipuric, who marked his return to international rugby last weekend with a try, starts at openside flanker. Dan Lydiate is selected at blindside flanker. He makes his first appearance in this Autumn Nations Series having started from that position for all three matches in the July Test series against South Africa. Taulupe Faletau is again named at No. 8.
Dillon Lewis (tight-head prop) will make his 17th start for Wales, joining Gareth Thomas (loose-head prop) and Ken Owens (hooker) in the front row. Adam Beard and Will Rowlands continue their partnership in the second row.
Alex Cuthbert also returns to the Wales starting XV for the first time this autumn taking a position on the wing, with Rio Dyer following up his try-scoring debut against New Zealand with another start in the number 11 jersey.
Louis Rees-Zammit completes the back three with his first international appearance at full back.
Gareth Anscombe, who faced the All Blacks at full back following the late withdrawal of Leigh Halfpenny, will revert to fly half this weekend. Tomos Williams is at scrum half. Nick Tompkins and George North partner up for the fifth time in the centres.
Rhodri Jones (loose-head prop) is named among the replacements and in line to win his first cap since the summer of 2021. Sam Wainwright (tight-head prop), who made his senior international debut during the July Test Series in South Africa, also features on the bench.
Ben Carter and Jac Morgan provide the second and back-row cover respectively, with both having last featured for Wales in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations. Kieran Hardy, Rhys Priestland and Owen Watkin are the replacement backs.
Pivac said: “Last week we had Leigh Halfpenny unavailable at the last minute and we’d trained a certain way so we went with Gareth Anscombe at full back who’s done that before at this level.
“We’re back to Gareth at 10 and we have Louis Rees-Zammit at full back. He’s trained there the entire week. He’s looked good in training and it’s something we’ve explored in the background, so it will be good information going forwards with the Six Nations around the corner and the Rugby World Cup.
“Dillon had done well in South Africa. This is probably the last opportunity to give guys starts and learn as much as we can. Both Dillon and Dan Lydiate have trained well.
“There are some changes among the replacements. There are some niggles that players pick up in games and in training, so some guys have been left out to get themselves 100% right for next week. Some boys we want to have a look at across the competition so in the case of Nicky Smith and Rhodri Jones that’s certainly what we wanted to do the first couple of games.
“We saw last week what Argentina are capable of. They’re a very big team, very strong up front. They have expanded their attacking game and they took an excellent try against England from the set play. They’ve knocked over some big scalps in the last 18 months, New Zealand being one of them.
“They are going to be a big challenge but one we’re looking forward to. After last week’s performance we need a reaction from our team.”
Wales senior men’s team to play Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series. Saturday 12 November, KO 5.30pm GMT. Live on Amazon Prime (English and Welsh broadcasts) with highlights on S4C.
15 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 20 caps)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 52 caps)
13 George North (Ospreys – 106 caps)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 24 caps)
11 Rio Dyer (Dragons – 1 cap)
10 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys – 33 caps)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 37 caps);
1 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 14 caps)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets – 83 caps)
3 Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 42 caps)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons – 22 caps)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys – 38 caps)
6 Dan Lydiate (Ospreys – 68 caps)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys – 86 caps) captain
8 Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 92 caps)
Replacements
16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 31 caps)
17 Rhodri Jones (Dragons – 21 caps)
18 Sam Wainwright (Saracens – 2 caps)
19 Ben Carter (Dragons – 6 caps)
20 Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 3 caps)
21 Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 15 caps)
22 Rhys Priestland (Cardiff Rugby – 53 caps)
23 Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 34 caps)
Images & Content – Wales 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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