International
What Would A Southern Hemisphere Lions Team Look Like?
The British and Irish Lions take over a month of the summer every four years for many rugby fans, and that doesn’t take into consideration the months of speculation over squads, starting XVs, coaches, and everything else possible. But what if the shoe was on the other foot? What if there was a representative side for the Southern Hemisphere that toured Britain and Ireland every four years?
For the purposes of this exercise, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Pacific Islands are included. For the sake of debate, it is not just an All Black XV
Loosehead:
Embed from Getty ImagesThe big ginger Bok has overtaken the Beast for the South African loosehead jersey. A great ball-carrier, and hard worker, he is a weapon at scrum time.
Hooker: Dane Coles
Embed from Getty ImagesA tight contest here with Malcolm Marx, but the South African’s set-piece difficulties see him take a bench spot. He was out of the game a while, but is hitting his pre-injury form again.
Tighthead: Owen Franks.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe All Black wont score many tries, but he won’t let you down at scrum time, and his work rate in the loose sees him take this spot ahead of Sekope Kepu, or their South African counterparts.
Lock: Brodie Retallick
Embed from Getty ImagesA former world player of the year, his all round game is second to none. Astounding work rate and a quality lineout operator sees him get in ahead of Eben Etzebeth
Lock: Leone Nakarawa
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Flying Fijian is astonishingly athletic for a second row. One of, if not the only lock in world rugby equally at home on the Sevens circuit. One of the best at offloading in the tackle in the game.
Blindside: Michael Hooper
Embed from Getty ImagesNormally on the other side of the scrum, he takes the 6 jersey in a new take on the Pocock-Hooper axis that dominated RWC 2015
Openside: David Pocock
Embed from Getty ImagesTo many, he is the best in the world. After taking a year out, he is back with the Brumbies and Wallabies and doing what he does best.
Number 8: Ardie Savea
Embed from Getty ImagesKieran Read may be one of the most skilful forwards ever to play the game, but he is getting older, and struggling for form. Ardie Savea on the other hand, has finally seemed to have cracked international rugby, transferring his dominant form for the Hurricanes to the world stage
Scrum-half: Aaron Smith
Embed from Getty ImagesThe only half-back duo in the world that rivals Murray and Sexton. Tight call between him and TJ, but form dictates the winner.
Out-half: Beauden Barrett
Embed from Getty ImagesMaybe a better option at full-back after the emergence of Richie Mo’unga, but for this team you want all your best players on the field
Wing: Rieko Ioane
Embed from Getty ImagesHe’s the best winger in the world and that’s just that.
Inside Centre: Sonny Bill Williams
Embed from Getty ImagesProne to the odd brain fade, but he is a classy operator, rock solid defensively with a great offloading game to compliment his centre partner. SBW seems to be hitting a run of good form at exactly the right time for the All Blacks
Outside Centre: Tim Nanai-Williams
Embed from Getty ImagesSonny’s cousin, the Samoan is one of the most talented backs in the world, equally adept anywhere from 10-15. Running onto Sonny Bill’s offloads, Tim would do serious damage
Wing: Istrael Folau
Embed from Getty ImagesRegardless of his personal views, Folau is one of the most complete athletes not just in rugby but in the world. An absolutely ridiculous aerial leap, wicked step, and searing pace; when he’s on, he is unplayable.
Full-Back: Damian McKenzie
Embed from Getty ImagesThere is quite simply nobody more exciting than the Chiefs’ little dynamo. You just never know what could happen when DMac sees a gap.
Replacements
16. Malcolm Marx
17. Joe Moody
18. Sekope Kepu
19. Eben Etzebeth
20. Sam Cane
21. TJ Perenara
22. Jack Goodhue
23. Cheslin Kolbe
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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