URC
Evans calls for response as Cardiff return to home comforts
Jarrod Evans has called upon Cardiff to feed off the intensity and passion of the Arms Park crowd to get back to winning ways in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The Blue and Blacks host Emirates Lions on Friday night (7.35pm) following a mixed start to the Championship season. They kicked-off with a thrilling victory over Munster before falling to a heavy defeat on the road to Glasgow Warriors.
The fly-half admits his side must learn to deal with adversity better in games but is also buoyed to return to the Arms Park, where the home side have won six of their last eight URC fixtures.
He said: “We have a big focus on trying to improve our away form and Glasgow is a tough place to go. I’m not sure but I think they lost maybe once or not at all at Scotstoun last year.
“But I thought we started well, we weathered the storm and kept the home crowd out of it. We took a good 7-0 lead but didn’t help ourselves with the cards. We didn’t deal with them or control the game when they happened and they scored 21 points. From there we struggled to get our momentum back.
“Again, we came out in the second-half again quite well and similar thing happened so it’s quite disappointing because I felt like we started the game pretty well.
“It’s hard to put your finger on anything in particular, but I think it’s just about trying to control those key moments. When one thing happens, we have just got to park it and move on. We can’t let it affect our game because it seems like at times when one thing happens that has an effect on the team.”
Looking ahead to this weekend’s fixture, he continued: “We know what South Africans have brought to this competition. But we’re at home and we would rather big focus on ourselves. We love coming to the Arms Park.
“Our home form is is pretty good. We’re all really excited to get into it Friday and right the wrongs from last Friday.
“The boys get real big buzz from the crowd here at at Arms Park. The intensity and the noise they make gives us a big lift throughout the game,
“Every game is an important one but our home games are definitely something we need to keep on top of as well as trying to obviously put our performances in and get our results away from home as well.”
Cardiff have bagged three tries on each of their previous encounters this season and were frustrated to leave Scotstoun empty-handed last weekend.
The back-line have created opportunities and Evans hopes that will only increase as the campaign progresses with the clinical edge to finish chances also sharpening.
He added: “It’s never gonna happen straight away, everything takes time. I feel like we got off to a pretty good start and Munster was a pretty good performance.
“We probably could have converted a lot more scores and we were close to getting a bonus point up in Scotland as well through four tries
“So I feel like when we’ve had our chances we’ve been pretty clinical, but I feel like we probably just need to create a little bit more of them and that will come with time and different combinations.”
Tickets for Cardiff Rugby versus Emirates Lions are available now. Call 029 20 302030 or click here to purchase yours today.
Content & Images from – Cardiff Rugby
The Munster squad are preparing at the HPC ahead of Saturday night’s URC Round 13 clash against Cardiff at Thomond Park.
The game kicks off at 7.35pm with tickets from €20 available here.
In player news, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Peter O’Mahony have all returned to the HPC after helping Ireland to the 6 Nations title.
On the injury front, Academy back-row forward Ruadhán Quinn suffered a hand injury against Ospreys on Friday night and will be sidelined for a number of weeks.
Oli Jager and Fineen Wycherley have started their rehab following minor procedures for respective knee injuries.
Alex Nankivell is completing the RTP protocols and his availability will be determined later this week.
Simon Zebo was unavailable for the Ospreys game due to a low-grade hip injury and is due to return to training this week.
Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Roman Salanoa (knee), Jean Kleyn (knee/eye), Paddy Patterson (knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Patrick Campbell (shoulder).
There were 15 Munster players in AIL action at the weekend.
In Division 1A, Fionn Gibbons and Chris Moore helped Young Munster beat Dublin University with Gibbons among the tries.
Mark Donnelly lined out for Cork Constitution as they were beaten by Terenure College.
Kieran Ryan, Darragh McSweeney and Daniel Okeke couldn’t prevent Shannon falling to a defeat to City of Armagh.
In Division 1B, Colm Hogan, Jack Oliver, George Hadden, Max Clein, Cian Hurley and Jack Daly helped Garryowen to a win over Queen’s University. Hogan, Clein and Cronin were among the tries with Oliver kicking a conversion.
Scott Buckley and Andrew O’Mahony were in action for UCC as they lost to St Mary’s College.
Tickets
URC Round 13: Saturday, March 30
Munster v Cardiff Rugby, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Women’s 6 Nations Round 3: Saturday, April 13
Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 16: Saturday, May 11
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Saturday, June 1
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
The Munster squad are continuing preparations ahead of Friday night’s URC Round 12 clash against Ospreys in Swansea (7.35pm).
On the injury front, there is good news for John Hodnett (finger), Jack O’Donoghue (knee) and Simon Zebo (knee) as they all return to training this week.
Oli Jager (knee) and Fineen Wycherley (knee) are both due to see specialists this week for possible surgery.
Alex Nankivell is following the return to play protocols following a head injury in training last week.
On the international front, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman have returned to the squad after Ireland’s 6 Nations triumph at the weekend.
Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Roman Salanoa (knee), Jean Kleyn (knee/eye), Paddy Patterson (knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Patrick Campbell (shoulder).
Tickets
URC Round 13: Saturday, March 30
Munster v Cardiff Rugby, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Women’s 6 Nations Round 3: Saturday, April 13
Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 16: Saturday, May 11
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Saturday, June 1
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Sutherland to join Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors can confirm that Scotland prop Rory Sutherland will join the club this summer.
The British and Irish Lion joins the Scotstoun-outfit from French side Oyonnax, making the move to Scotstoun on a two-year deal as Franco Smith’s squad continues to take shape.
The confirmation of the loose-head prop’s move to Glasgow also comes on the eve of his involvement in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin, where he is in contention to win his 30th cap for Scotland, part of the match day squad.
The 31-year-old Sutherland will bring a dynamic ball-carrying presence to the Warriors in addition to a solid platform at the set-piece.
After making his debut for Edinburgh in 2014, the prop went on to make 91 appearances in the capital before a summer switch to Worcester Warriors in 2021.
A short-term stint with Ulster followed after Worcester’s demise in 2022, running out on 12 occasions for the Irish province.
Sutherland’s form for Scotland across the 2020 and 2021 campaigns saw him selected for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa, joining future Glasgow team-mate Zander Fagerson amongst the front-row options.
He became the first Scottish prop to represent the invitational squad since the late Tom Smith when selected for the first Test, playing just under an hour in the 22-17 victory over the Springboks.
Sutherland said: “The past couple of years have been tough since I had to leave Worcester. I’ve been at a few clubs and I haven’t had the consistency I’d have liked in my game. This move to Glasgow, and back to Scotland, offers me the chance to work on getting that back into my rugby.
“Glasgow is a really successful team, so to be offered the chance to come to Scotstoun is attractive for any player. For me, it allows me to come back home, and be closer to my family, which will work wonders for me.
“I’ve gotten close to some of the Glasgow players while in camp with Scotland and they talk highly of Franco and the culture in the club. I’m looking forward to that and getting back to the homeland!”
Head Coach Smith added: “We are pleased to be able to add a prop of Rory’s calibre to our squad ahead of next season.
“His qualities will make him a real asset to our playing group, as we continue to develop our strength in every position.
“We look forward to seeing him in action at Scotstoun over the next couple of seasons and we know that the Warrior Nation will welcome him to our club.”
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