Latest news with #Next-GenPlayeroftheSeason
The 42
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Players must make most of minutes in the Leinster machine
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE limited in a squad as deep and competitive as Leinster's. This is something assistant coach Robin McBryde warned about earlier in the season, admitting the Leinster coaches had discussed the issue of getting enough minutes into their promising young players. 'It is tough,' McBryde said. 'I feel for them sometimes because it does stunt their development. I don't know what the answer is there.' Leinster try to rotate their squad and use that depth to their advantage, but, particularly as the season rolls into the business end, selection tends to fall into a more settled pattern. It presents a challenging scenario for players trying to nail down a spot in the squad, most notably those who are also starting to push through at Test level. Generally speaking, if a player is good enough to get capped in a November window or Six Nations, they tend to be highly important players at their clubs. For example, it's hard to imagine Cormac Izuchukwu going back to Ulster after winning his first Ireland cap last November and struggling to get into the Ulster 23. Likewise Cian Prendergast at Connacht or players like Munster pair Calvin Nash and Jack Crowley when they were first called in with Ireland. Further afield, Lions-bound Henry Pollock won his first England cap in the Six Nations and has built on that momentum by getting more experience in big club games – starting seven times for Northampton since returning from England camp. However there's a group of Leinster players who have worn the Ireland jersey this year, yet still been left disappointed on the big days with Leinster. Take Jack Boyle, who earlier this week was the only Irish player on the 16-strong URC Next-Gen Player of the Season shortlist. The 23-year-old prop is highly rated and came off the bench twice for Ireland in the Six Nations. That would usually be a springboard for greater exposure at club level but he's been stuck in a tough battle for minutes. Since the Six Nations finished, Boyle has started three games for Leinster. He's on the bench again today for the URC quarter-final meeting with Scarlets [KO 3pm, TG4/Premier Sports], with Andrew Porter firmly established as the first-choice loosehead and the soon-to-be-retired Cian Healy also clocking up four starts since the Six Nations. Advertisement Gus McCarthy falls into a similar bracket. The 21-year-old hooker faces some of the stiffest competition imaginable, with Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, both set to tour with the Lions this summer, ahead of him in the queue. Gus McCarthy won't be involved against the Scarlets today. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO It's been a breakthrough season for McCarthy, who has played four times for Ireland – twice in November and twice in the Six Nations. Yet when Sheehan and Kelleher are both fit, McCarthy feels the squeeze at Leinster. Since the Six Nations he's played three games, with the URC round 15 win against Ulster his only start during that period. Earlier this month he lined out for Leinster A against Ulster A. McCarthy misses out again today, with Kelleher starting and Sheehan providing cover off the bench. A player like Jamie Osborne is in a slightly different situation, but can also fall on the wrong side of those selection calls. Osborne's versatility is one of his great strengths, and this season he's had starts at inside centre, outside centre, left wing and right wing. The 23-year-old is further along the line that many of Leinster teammates when it comes to international rugby. He memorably started both Tests against South Africa last summer and has added five caps across the November and Six Nations windows. In the Six Nations he earned two starts, at fullback v Wales and on the wing against France, and had been spoken about as an outside bet for the Lions. He's built on that with more time on the pitch at Leinster, starting five games since returning from the Six Nations, but notably he was left out of the Leinster 23 for their biggest game during that run – the Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton. Today he's back in the starting team, perhaps benefitting from the short-term injuries to Garry Ringrose (calf) and Tommy O'Brien (foot), who both miss out. It's a challenge not just confined to the province's younger squad players. Jimmy O'Brien, 28, is another Ireland international who watched the Northampton game from the stands, despite enjoying a good run in the team in the URC. At 27, Ciarán Frawley has been on the scene for some time now and looked to be hitting a new level last season. He was an important part of Leinster's run to the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse and played a starring role off the bench on Ireland's tour to South Africa. His form dipped earlier in this season and it's been a mixed bag since. Frawley was in the Six Nations squad but only got to pull on the Ireland jersey in an 'A' game against England. Lose ground, and it can be tough to claw your way back in. The Skerries man has had starts at 10 and 15 for Leinster over the last two months but has started the last three games – including today's quarter-final – on the bench. Frawley looked set for a big season coming out of that South Africa tour but as it stands at Leinster, Hugo Keenan is the locked-in first choice fullback, with Sam Prendergast the same at out-half. That fierce competition is part of the package when it comes to being a Leinster player, but it means that on days like today, they have to step up and make the most of their gametime. Leinster are expected to get the job done at Aviva Stadium and secure a home semi-final next week. Leo Cullen's side have three games to hurdle if they are to end their trophy drought. For some of those players who have been involved in tight selection calls across the campaign, there's still time to have a big say in how the season ends. LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley. SCARLETS: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Arhie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas; Alex Craig, Sam Lousi; Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree. Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page. Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
URC Next-Gen Player of the Season award: Six South African rugby players nominated
Thanks to his breakthrough season at the Bulls, star No 8 Cameron Hanekom received a second United Rugby Championship award nomination this past week. He is up for the Next-Gen Player of the Season accolade, that recognises young talent in the competition, after also being shortlisted for SA URC Player of the Season. Image: BackpagePix Six South African rugby players have been nominated for the coveted Next-Gen Player of the Season award in the United Rugby Championship (URC). They hail from three local franchises: the Bulls, Stormers, and Lions, each fielding two contenders looking to claim this prestigious title for breakthrough talents. Among those vying for the award is promising talent from the Bulls Cameron Hanekom, who with the Stormers' Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and teammate Wilco Louw, earned the honour of being nominated as the SA URC Player of the Season this past week as well. Hanekom has had an outstanding season with the Bulls that saw him make his Springboks debut, and despite some niggles that interrupted parts of his season, the versatile No 8 has continued his upward trajectory. The 23-year-old will play a key role in the Bulls' search for that elusive URC title as they prepare for the play-offs. His local competition for the Next-Gen Player prize includes Loftus Versfeld teammate, prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels, standout Stormers duo André-Hugo Venter (hooker) and Suleiman Hartzenberg (utility back), as well as the Lions' rising backline stars, centre Henco van Wyk and fullback Quan Horn. The Next-Gen Player of the Season award shines a spotlight on emerging players who demonstrate exceptional promise on the field during the season. Eligibility criteria dictate that nominees must be aged 23 or under at the commencement of the tournament and must have earned no more than five international caps before the kick-off. Furthermore, contenders are required to have made at least nine appearances in the URC during the current season, making the competition more rigorous. This year's shortlist features an impressive 16 nominees from various teams. In addition to the six players from South Africa, the list includes six nominees from Wales, two from Scotland, and one each from Ireland and Italy.
The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Leinster's Jack Boyle nominated for URC award
LEINSTER'S JACK BOYLE has been nominated for the URC Next-Gen Player of the Season. The 23-year-old prop is the only Irish player on the 16-strong shortlist, with six apiece from South Africa and Wales, two from Scotland, and Italy the other nation with a sole representative. Scarlets are the leading club with three nominees. Boyle helped Leinster top the URC table this year, having made his Ireland debut during the Six Nations. Leo Cullen's side face Scarlets in the quarter-finals at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Powerful scrummager Boyle made 12 appearances during the URC's regular season, scoring a try against Cardiff in March. He is third in the Leinster squad for attacking ruck arrivals (170), is credited with three breakdown steals, and has averaged over five metres per carry. Advertisement The award is open to players who were aged 23 and under at the beginning of the URC campaign and who had won no more than five international caps at that point. They also need to have made nine appearances in the league this season. The winner will be determined by a media vote. Luke Marshall (2013), Joey Carbery (2017), Jordan Larmour (2018), Caelan Doris (2020), Scott Penny (2021), Tom Stewart (2023), and Jack Crowley (2024) are the previous Irish winners. URC Next-Gen Player of the Season nominees Quan Horn – Emirates Lions Jan-Hendrik Wessels – Vodacom Bulls Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby Gabe Hamer-Webb – Cardiff Rugby Henco van Wyk – Emirates Lions Ellis Mee – Scarlets Jack Boyle – Leinster Rugby Cameron Hanekom – Vodacom Bulls Suleiman Hartzenberg – DHL Stormers Andre-Hugo Venter – DHL Stormers Macs Page – Scarlets Simone Gesi – Zebre Parma Aneurin Owen – Dragons RFC Paddy Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby Blair Murray – Scarlets Dan Edwards – Ospreys.
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springbok Evan Roos ‘rejuvenated' after six-month injury lay-off
'The bottom line is I am really enjoying playing rugby again. I was gone for half a year and it does put things into perspective so I am very blessed to be back.' Evan Roos (pictured in action against Wales in 2024) says his long injury lay-off gave him a new perspective on the game. Picture:Springbok and Stormers No 8 Evan Roos said his six-month injury lay-off gave his body a break and offered him a new perspective on the game, helping him play at his best and enjoy rugby even more. Roos played his seventh match for the Springboks in the Test against Portugal in July last year. But it would be his last match for half a year, with surgery and rehab needed for a long-standing shoulder issue. Returning to the game in January, Roos has been invaluable to the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign. He's started all seven of his URC outings, scoring six tries in them. His latest try came from a scrum in the Stormers' 34–29 bonus-point win against Connacht in Cape Town last weekend. Evan Roos motivated and energised 'It's a new angle and kind of looking at things differently in terms of how I play,' the 25-year-old said of his return from injury. 'I think it was very good. I came back motivated, rejuvenated and energised to play again. 'The bottom line is I am really enjoying playing rugby again. I was gone for half a year and it does put things into perspective so I am very blessed to be back.' The 2022 URC's Players' Player of the Season, Next-Gen Player of the Season, and Fans' Player of the Season said he wasn't concerning himself too much about trying to get back into the Springbok squad at the moment, though he did attend this year's first Springbok alignment camp, in March. 'In terms of the Springboks, one of the reasons why I am enjoying my rugby, or doing a bit better than usual, is because I am really enjoying being here – kind of being present in the moment and trying to do my best for the Stormers, not worrying too much about the future. 'I'm just trying to control what I can. The rest is not in my hands.'
