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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Unlucky trio to miss out on selection for Ireland
Lee Barron The Leinster hooker has impressed on loan with Munster in his two appearances off the bench since joining alongside Michael Milne for the final weeks of the season ahead of their permanent moves to the southern province this summer and Wednesday's Ireland selection may confirm the reasons for his departure. Barron had already been passed out in the pecking order by academy hooker Gus McCarthy, who was first capped by Ireland in November but now he has been overlooked in favour of another Leinster academy player in Stephen Smyth. No wonder the 24-year-old has left Leinster in search of quality game time with Munster. John Hodnett With another impressive, 22-game, seven-try campaign for Munster now in the books, it would not have been a surprise to see the 26-year-old former Emerging Ireland flanker named in a touring party alongside fellow back-rowers from his province Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes and Alex Kendellen. Yet Hodnett's niche as a genuine, out and out openside, and his comparative height at 6ft 0ins, may have counted against the West Cork man, which a real shame for talented forward with a huge appetite for the hard yards. Tom Farrell Perhaps the cruellest omission of all, Farrell's snub came a day after the uncapped Munster centre was named the URC's Playmaker of the Year, and on the same day he was voted the outstanding number 13 in the URC Elite XV of the year. The citation for the former award reads: 'Adaptability, creativity, and composure under pressure define a true playmaker. The Playmaker award is given to the player who creates chances and tries for his team, with three key metrics used to decide the winner – try assists for his team, successfully completed offloads, and defenders beaten on the pitch.' Throw in a joint league-leading nine tries, then consider the absences of Ireland's three frontline midfielders, Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose, and one wonders what more Farrell could have done to make this squad.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Munster's Craig Casey to captain Ireland as Paul O'Connell names squad for summer tour
Interim Ireland head coach Paul O'Connell has named a 32-man squad for the two-Test summer tour of Georgia (5th July) and Portugal (12th July). The touring party will be led by Munster scrum-half Craig Casey who is set to become the 112th captain of Ireland. O'Connell has included 11 uncapped players in the panel as the tour provides the Ireland management with an invaluable opportunity to build squad depth and expose high-potential players to meaningful game time in a green jersey. Tom Ahern, Michael Milne, Shayne Bolton, Nathan Doak, Ben Murphy and Tommy O'Brien all have recent experience in the national team environment and will be hoping to push for their debut caps this July, while Alex Kendellen, Darragh Murray, Paddy McCarthy, Stephen Smyth and Hugh Gavin all earn their first senior call ups after impressing for their Provinces and the Emerging Ireland squad earlier this season. Additionally, Ulster trio James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward have been included as training panellists and will link up with the squad at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday, 23 June. After only recently returning from long-term injuries, Iain Henderson and Rob Herring were not considered for selection to allow them to focus on a full pre-season programme, while Robbie Henshaw was not available due to injury. This will be the sixth time that Ireland will face Georgia, while it will be the inaugural international senior men's match against Portugal. The Ireland squad will gather for a training camp in Dublin ahead of the departure to Tbilisi on Wednesday, 2 July. The Ireland Match Day Squad for the opening Test against Georgia will then be announced on Thursday, 3 July. Broadcast details for both matches will follow once confirmed by the host unions. O'Connell said: 'I'm delighted to announce the Ireland squad for the Summer Tour and I believe we have a strong blend of youth and experience for what will be a trip into relatively uncharted territories this July. 'Georgia have made great strides in recent years, and they have made significant investment in their rugby programme which has established them amongst the leading emerging sides in international rugby. Under the experience of Richard Cockerill they have built on a traditionally strong forward unit with a talented backline and they will provide a tough test for us. "Portugal showcased their attacking prowess during the Rugby World Cup 2023 and Simon Mannix is a Coach I know having worked with him previously (at Munster). They play with confidence and we're expecting another tough test." He continued: 'With 15 players away with The British & Irish Lions, this tour presents an opportunity for those on the fringes to impress the coaching team. A number of players have been really close to selection in recent times and it's important that everyone grasps the challenge that's ahead of them. Every moment on the training field and across the two-match Series will count and there's a great opportunity for players to step up and impress. 'In welcoming the squad, I would like to congratulate Craig (Casey) on his selection as captain. He is a real leader with a strong personality and it is a huge personal honour for him and an opportunity that I know he will relish over the coming weeks.' Fixtures: Saturday, 5th July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 9pm local time, 6pm Irish time). Saturday, 12th July: Portugal v Ireland, Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 7pm local, same Irish time). Squad: Forwards (18): Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht), Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster), Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster), Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster), Michael Milne (UCD/Munster), Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht), Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster). Backs (14): Shayne Bolton (Connacht), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster, captain), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster), Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht), Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Naas/Leinster), Tommy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster). Training Panellists: James McNabney (City of Armagh/Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh/Ulster), Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster).
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Casey captain as Ireland pick 11 uncapped players
Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak is one of 11 uncapped players named in Ireland's squad for July's matches with Georgia and Portugal. The inclusion of 15 Ireland internationals in Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad has opened the door for Ireland hopefuls. Paul O'Connell will lead Ireland in the absence of Lions coaches Farrell and Simon Easterby, and Munster scrum-half Craig Casey, 26, is set to captain the team for the first Ahern, Michael Milne, Shayne Bolton, Ben Murphy and Tommy O'Brien have all had experience in the senior environment but have yet to be capped at that level. Alex Kendellen, Darragh Murray, Paddy McCarthy, Stephen Smyth and Hugh Gavin are the other potential debutants and have earned call-ups after impressing in the United Rugby Championship and the Emerging Ireland squad, which toured South Africa in September. After missing out on Lions selection, Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast are set to battle it out for the staring fly-half jersey for is the youthful nature of Ireland's 32-strong squad, prop Finlay Bealham and centre Stuart McCloskey are the only players included over the age of and Doak join team-mates join prop Tom O'Toole, hooker Tom Stewart, versatile forward Cormac Izuchukwu, back row Nick Timoney and wing Jacob Stockdale in the Ulster trio of James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward have been included as training panellists, but hooker Rob Herring and second row Iain Henderson have not been named as they have recently returned from centre Robbie Henshaw has missed out of selection after being sidelined through injury. O'Connell, who won 108 Ireland caps as a player, said the tour "presents an opportunity" for fringe players to impress the coaching set-up."I believe we have a strong blend of youth and experience for what will be a trip into relatively uncharted territories this July," he said."A number of players have been really close to selection in recent times and it's important that everyone grasps the challenge that's ahead of them.""Every moment on the training field and across the two-match Series will count and there's a great opportunity for players to step up and impress."O'Connell added that Georgia have made "great strides" in recent years and he is expecting "another tough test" with Portugal, who Ireland will face for the first added that scrum-half Casey "is a real leader" and warranted his selection as captain for the tour. "He is a real leader with a strong personality and it is a huge personal honour for him," O'Connell added."It's an opportunity that I know he will relish over the coming weeks." Ireland squad and fixtures Forwards: Tom Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Max Deegan (Leinster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Alex Kendellen (Munster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Darragh Murray (Connacht), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Stephen Smyth (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster).Backs: Shayne Bolton (Connacht), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Connacht), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Ben Murphy (Connacht), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Tommy O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).Training panellists: James McNabney (Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Zac Ward (Ulster).FixturesSaturday, 5 July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 18:00 BST)Saturday, 12 July: Portugal v Ireland, Estadio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 19:00 BST)
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
IRFU's ‘A' Interprovincial Championship providing valuable game time for players
Last weekend Leinster won the reconstituted 'A' Interprovincial Championship by beating Ulster 35-21 at Gibson Park, a result that went unheralded in the media – not even worth a brief with the scoreline, never mind a report. The teams contained a liberal sprinkling of outstanding young talent alongside several names that will be familiar from the senior provincial match day squads. The IRFU relaunched the competition with a view to not only celebrating its 150th anniversary but also as a playing outlet going forward to provide game time. The IRFU's performance director David Humphreys said at the time: 'With the success of the Emerging Ireland tours, coupled with the return of an 'A' international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows. 'Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local clubs.' READ MORE Despite the lukewarm reaction from mainstream media and supporters, the tournament has proved to be a godsend for academy players in the four provinces, for whom the majority would otherwise have been largely limited to playing AIL club matches. Nothing wrong with that if a player is lining out in Division 1A but there's a significant drop-off in standard for every rung of the ladder beneath. There is no substitute for matches, where practice examines theory. All the training and gym work in the world can help to nurture, but won't refine, a player's rugby IQ. But matches, specifically URC and either Champions Cup or Challenge Cup, were in relatively short supply for many players in the four provincial academies. At the start of the 2024-2025 season there were 74 players listed in provincial academies across a three-year cycle. They were ascribed as follows: Leinster 22 (Year 1 – 10, Year 2 – 7, Year 3 – 5); Ulster 20 (7, 11, 2), Munster 19 (7, 6, 6) and Connacht 13 (4, 5, 4). In macro terms Connacht played the fewest academy players in URC and Challenge Cup games, three of 13 (23 per cent). Ulster, in URC and Champions Cup, gave competitive game time to five of 20 (25 per cent); Munster, likewise, to seven of 19 (37 per cent); while Leinster provided the most opportunities to academy players with 14 of 22 (64 per cent), seeing game time in URC and Champions Cup. Leinster academy hooker Gus McCarthy made his Ireland debut against Fiji in the November internationals. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Taken in an overall context, roughly 60 per cent of academy players in the four provinces – 45 out of 74 – did not see a single minute in either the URC or Champions and Challenge Cups in Europe. A magnificent seven first-year academy players played senior provincial tournament rugby, with the standout performer Ulster outhalf Jack Murphy, who notched 894 minutes across 13 matches with 11 starts. Four Leinster players, hooker Stephen Smyth (five games – 65 minutes), scrumhalf Oliver Coffey (two games – 14 minutes), wing Reuben Moloney (one – three minutes) and secondrow Alan Spicer (one – two minutes); one Munster player, hooker Danny Sheahan (one – 15 minutes); and two Ulster players – Murphy and centre Wilhelm de Klerk (two – 104 minutes) also managed the landmark achievement. US-born tight head prop Niall Smyth has gone from year-one academy to a senior contract for next season despite missing most of the season following shoulder surgery. There were other eye-catching numbers, not least Murphy's former Pres Bray team-mate Finn Treacy (eight matches – 489 minutes) who had a brilliant season with Connacht, while in Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy (14 – 583 minutes), who was also capped by Ireland, secondrow Diarmuid Mangan (12 – 667 minutes), wing Andrew Osborne (10 – 669 minutes) and centre Charlie Tector (10 – 589 minutes) all enhanced their status. It is germane to point out that Munster prop Darragh McSweeney, backrow Luke Murphy, centre Fionn Gibbons and prop Ronan Foxe had seasons curtailed by injury; so too prop Alex Usanov (Leinster) and secondrow Spicer (Leinster). The pointy end of the decision-making process comes in year three where, if a player hasn't already received a senior contract, it is the end of the line with the buffers in view. Only scrumhalf Jack Oliver of that cohort hasn't progressed at Munster, released early to take up a contract with the Glasgow Warriors. In Leinster, centre Ben Brownlee, Aitzol Arenzana-King and Rory McGuire leave the province, with the latter two heading for contracts with Richie Murphy's Ulster. The other year-three players, Mangan and Tector, have upgraded to senior contracts as have a plethora of year-twos in Munster and Leinster. The new intake to the academies will be announced shortly (Ulster have released five players) but, as this season has proved, trying to find space to expose them to elite-level rugby is a difficult challenge and for many a composite itinerary of A interpros and club matches will have to suffice. Leinster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Aitzol Arenzana-King (Year 3) 22 Wing 2 (1) 62 Ben Brownlee (3) 22 Centre 0 0 Oliver Coffey (1) 20 Scrumhalf 2 (0) 14 Hugh Cooney (2) 21 Centre 5 (4) 325 Billy Corrigan (1) 19 Secondrow/Backrow 0 0 Casper Gabriel (1) 20 Outhalf 0 0 Fintan Gunne (2) 21 Scrumhalf 12 (3) 368 Diarmuid Mangan (3) 22 Secondrow/Backrow 12 (8) 667 Gus McCarthy (2) 21 Hooker 14 (7) 583 Henry McErlean (2) 22 Fullback 2 (1) 80 Rory McGuire (3) 22 Prop 5 (0) 51 Hugo McLaughlin (1) 20 Fullback 0 0 Reuben Moloney (1) 21 Fullback 1 (0) 3 Liam Molony (2) 21 Flanker 0 0 Conor O'Tighearnaigh (2) 22 Secondrow 1 (1) 50 Andrew Osborne (2) 21 Wing 10 (9) 669 Niall Smyth (1) 19 Prop 0 0 Stephen Smyth (1) 20 Hooker 5 (0) 65 Andrew Sparrow (1) 20 Prop 0 0 Alan Spicer (1) 20 Secondrow 1 (0) 2 Charlie Tector (3) 23 Outhalf/Ccentre 10 (7) 589 Alex Usanov (1) 19 Prop 0 0 Munster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Max Clein (2) 21 Hooker 0 0 Seán Edogbo (1) 21 Backrow 0 0 Ronan Foxe (2) 22 Prop 3 (0) 15 Michael Foy (1) 19 Secondrow/Backrow 0 0 Fionn Gibbons (3) 22 Centre 0 0 George Hadden (2) 22 Prop 0 0 Dylan Hicks (2) 20 Outhalf 0 0 Shay McCarthy (2) 22 Wing 6 (3) 307 Darragh McSweeney (3) 22 Prop 0 0 Luke Murphy (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Evan O'Connell (3) 21 Secondrow 5 (3) 213 Ben O'Connor (2) 20 Fullback 7 (5) 414 Gene O'Leary Kareem (1) 19 Centre 0 0 Jake O'Riordan (1) 20 Scrumhalf 0 0 Jack Oliver (3) 22 Scrumhalf 0 0 Ruadhán Quinn (3) 21 Backrow 11 (2) 306 Kieran Ryan (3) 23 Prop 8 (0) 113 Danny Sheahan (1) 21 Hooker 1 (0) 15 Gordon Wood (1) 20 Centre 0 0 Ulster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Sam Berman (1) 21 Centre 0 0 Jack Boal (2) 22 Prop 0 0 Jacob Boyd (2) 20 Prop 1 (1) 48 Tom Brigg (2) 20 Backrow 0 0 Wilhelm de Klerk (1) 20 Centre 2 (0) 104 Cameron Doak (2) 20 Prop 0 0 Ethan Graham (2) 21 Wing 0 0 Joe Hopes (3) 21 Secondrow 0 0 Charlie Irvine (2) 22 Secondrow 1 (1) 80 Lukas Kenny (2) 20 Wing 0 0 Clark Logan (1) 19 Scrumhalf 0 0 Ben McFarlane (2) 20 Fullback/wing 0 0 James McKillop (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Jack Murphy (1) 20 Outhalf 13 (11) 894 Jonny Scott (1) 20 Centre 0 0 Zac Solomon (2) 20 Hooker 0 0 Josh Stevens (2) 20 Backrow 0 0 Rory Telfer (3) Wing 4 (1) 151 Henry Walker (2) 19 Hooker 0 0 Bryn Ward (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Connacht Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Fiachna Barrett (2) 22 Prop 1 (0) 20 Billy Bohan (1) 19 Prop 0 0 John Devine (3) 21 Centre 0 0 Tomás Farthing (1) 19 Scrumhalf 0 0 Max Flynn (1) 20 Flanker 0 0 Daniel Hawkshaw (3) 23 Centre 0 0 Shane Mallon (3) 23 Wing 0 0 Éanna McCarthy (1) 20 No 8 0 0 Seán Naughton (2) 20 Outhalf 1 (0) 21 James Nicholson (2) 21 Fullback/Wing 0 0 Finn Treacy (2) 20 Wing/Centre 8 (7) 489 Matthew Victory (2) 21 Hooker 0 0 Harry West (3) 22 Outhalf 0 0
The 42
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Turner and Russell to leave Leinster at the end of the season
LEINSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that centre Liam Turner and wing Rob Russell will leave the province at the end of this season, while academy wing Aitzol Arenzana-King and academy tighthead Rory McGuire will also move on. Turner, Russell, Arenzana-King, and McGuire were among the departing players who were acknowledged and thanked at last night's Leinster Rugby awards ball in UCD. It had already been confirmed that Ross Byrne will join Gloucester this summer, while Cian Healy had previously announced his retirement at the end of the campaign. Michael Milne and Lee Barron have already moved on to Munster, while academy centre Ben Brownlee has had a stint with the southern province. Jordie Barrett's short-term deal expires at the end of the season. Advertisement 25-year-old centre Turner has played for Leinster 39 times, including eight starts during the current season. Turner is a former Ireland U20 international, as is 26-year-old wing Russell. The latter was also part of the Emerging Ireland tour earlier this season, although an injury on that trip proved to be a big setback. Russell has made 34 appearances for Leinster, scoring 18 tries. 22-year-old academy tighthead McGuire has earned eight senior appearances for the province, while 22-year-old wing Arenzana-King has three senior caps. Meanwhile, RG Snyman won the players' player of the year and supporters' player of the year awards at the Leinster event last night. Snyman has made 21 appearances in his first season with the province. Out-half Sam Prendergast was named young player of the year, while Brian O'Driscoll was inducted into the hall of fame. Ireland prop Linda Djougang was announced as women's player of the year, with Robyn O'Connor scooping the women's young player of the year award.
