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Irish Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland combined player ratings from summer clashes with Georgia and Portugal
What were the Ireland summer tour takeaways, who were the star performers, who has enhanced their reputation... The trip to Georgia and Portugal may have been undertaken without four senior coaches, 16 players away on Lions and having to 'find' a new captain. But with a convincing win over the team ranked 11th in the world and a record score, a ton-up against the other in the second game, this may be a trip referenced for a long time to come. We take a post-mortem look at the most important things, and we counted seven, about the last two weekends and the Ireland squad. TOMMY O'BRIENLeinster 10-year project but overnight sensation has had a sensational 2025 to here and will be first choice right-winger for Leinster next season and for Ireland though the 2025 Six Nations.O'Brien first surfaced making his Leinster debut in 2019, with the footnote he was a Leinster Schools 110m hurdle champion - however, getting his rugby career to the starting blocks was continually stalled by delivered last Christmas though, as he started only his second game of the season, against Munster on Dec 27 and was starring for Ireland A by had the no14 shirt the Champions Cup quarter and semi-final, URC quarter, semi and final and, in between among his URC starts there was a Man of the Match display against Ulster.O'Brien four tries on the 2025 Ireland summer tour is just a beginning. PAUL O'CONNELLHome alone and left to his own devices Paul O'Connell put down his had been valid scepticism when the former Lions and Ireland captain was parachuted onto the national coaching roster without having to do any rites of passage at AIL or provincial if a tour is about picking a squad, logistics, cohesion, choosing the right staff to delegate to and then picking the team, it would seem O'Connell got it Prendergast and Denis Leamy have worked well with him while choosing Craig Casey as captain was inspired. That's both off and on the pitch by the way, Casey's press conferences were cracking insight/infotainment while he was outstanding in both Tbilisi and Lisbon. WELCOME ABOARD - NINE DEBUTS There were two new caps in the starting line-up for Georgia, Tommy O'Brien and Connacht second-row Darragh Murray. Connacht's Ben Murphy, Jack Aungier, Munster's Tom Ahern and Michael Milne made debuts from the bench. There were three new caps starting the Portugal game, Connacht's Hugh Gavin, Shayne Bolton and Munster's Alex Kendellen with none making a debut from the bench. A lot good news there for Connacht, five new Ireland internationals COMBINED RATINGS - (20 points = starting two games) Tommy O'Brien 17/20 Craig Casey, Ryan Baird 16/20 Thomas Clarkson 15/20 Jimmy O'Brien, Stuart McCloskey 14.5/20 Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Darragh Murray 14/20 also notable: Jamie Osborne 9 v Georgia, Gavin Coombes 8.5 v Geor, Cian Prendergast 8 v Port, Calvin Nash 8 v Georgia Alex Kendellen 7.5 v Port, Nick Timony 7.5 v Geor, Sam Prendergast 7.5 v Geor. SIX NATIONS Georgia's rise to 11th in the world rankings, their player presence in Top14/PROD2 rugby and EPCR's help in allowing a DD10 domestic league squad play in Challenge Cup rugby since 2022 has been a thing. Meanwhile Portugal had qualified for RWC 2023, beat Fiji, drew with Georgia and gave Wales a 60-minute scare. But an Ireland squad, demonstrably a 'B' team as 16 players were on the Lions tour and a further two big stars injured, demolishing both of them this past fortnight has put their Six Nations chances back 20 years. There has been lots made of Six Nations promotion/relegation and Georgia coach Richard Cockerill used the first game as a political tool to practically demand a play-off with Wales for a spot. Here's the thing, none of the Home Unions will hear of cutting themselves out of the Six Nations party, France's TV money never mind their quality, makes them a bulwark and that leaves Italy. The Six Nations committee might agree Georgia and Italy might be on a similar level but what they don't say out loud is that none of the unions, none of the sponsors, none of the TV stations want to swap Rome for Tbilisi. Ireland have saved them having to make any statements at all - it is as you were now and for a long Six Nations time to come. RECAP ONE Georgia 5 (Jalagonia try) Ireland: 34 (O'Brien 2 tries; Casey, Timoney try each; Prendergast 2 pens, 4 cons). Georgia: D Niniashvili; A Tabutsadze, D Tapladze (T Kakhoidze 60), G Kveseladze, S Todua; L Matkava, V Lobzhanidze; G Akhaladze (G Tetrashvili 53),, V Karkadze (I Kvatadze 53), I Aptsiauri (G Tetrashvili 53); M Babunashvili, L Chachanidze; L Ivanishvili (I Spanderashvili 77), B Saghinadze (capt), T Jalagonia (G Ganiashvili 53). Ireland: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, J Osborne, S McCloskey, J Stockdale (C Nash 36); S Prendergast (J Crowley 69), C Casey (capt) (B Murphy 69); J Boyle (M Milne 58), G McCarthy (T Stewart 58), T Clarkson (J Aungier, 67); C Izuchukwu (T Ahern 62), D Murray; R Baird, N Timoney, G Coombes (M Deegan 63). Referee: A Piardi (Italy) RECAP TWO PORTUGAL 7 (Martins try; Aubry con.) IRELAND 106 (T O'Brien, Bolton, Gavin, C Prendergast 2 tries each; McCloskey, Clarkson, Casey, Nash, Frawley, Kendellen, Murphy try each, Penalty Try; Crowley 12 cons.) Portugal: N Sousa Guedes; S Bento, V Pinto, T Appleton (capt) (G Aviragnet 20) (F Almeida 32), M C Pinto; H Aubry, H Camacho (A Campos 54); D Costa (P S Lopes 56), L Begic (A Cunha 56), D H Ferreira (G Costa 56); A R Andrade (M Souto 50), P Ferreira; D Wallis, N Martins, D Pinheiro (V Baptista 62). Ireland: J O'Brien; T O'Brien (C Nash 52), H Gavin, S McCloskey (C Frawley 51), S Bolton; J Crowley, C Casey (capt) (B Murphy 61); J Boyle (M Milne 51), G McCarthy (T Stewart, 51), T Clarkson (T O'Toole 51); T Ahern, D Murray (C Izuchukwu 59); R Baird (M Deegan 51), A Kendellen, C Prendergast. Referee: A Leal (England) Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
RTÉ News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ireland hit tonne in Test mismatch against Portugal
Ireland recorded their biggest ever Test victory, scoring 16 tries in a complete mismatch against Portugal in Lisbon. Shorn of 17 squad members on Lions duty, interim head coach Paul O'Connell's charges ran riot against a Portugal team out of their depth and looking nothing like the outfit that impressed at the 2023 World Cup. The final score read 106-7 to the visitors, who led 54-0 at the break, with debutants Hugh Gavin and Shayne Bolton scoring twice each, and fellow new cap Alex Kendellen getting on the scoresheet. Leinster wing Tommy O'Brien added another two on his second cap, while Stuart McCloskey, Thomas Clarkson, Craig Casey, Cian Prendergast (2), Calvin Nash, Ciarán Frawley and Ben Murphy also crossed with the final score coming from a penalty try to break the tonne for the first time ever. Out-half Jack Crowley landed 12 conversions on the night. After passing a relatively stiff test in difficult conditions against Georgia in Tbilisi last weekend, Ireland would have hoped for more of a challenge from Os Lobos, ranked 18th in the world, as the sides met for the first time. But it was more akin to a middle of the road training session than a full-blooded contest as Ireland scored off their first possession through Ulster centre McCloskey. The tries came thick and fast at the sun-kissed Estádio Nacional do Jamo, the venue where Celtic won the 1967 European Cup, with Portugal, who lost captain Tomás Appleton to a nasty leg injury in the 21st minute, outclassed throughout. By that point the score was 28-0 with Connacht's Gavin scoring after a lineout move in the 22, with Tommy O'Brien and Shayne Bolton running in tries that started in the Irish half. Portugal full-back Nuno Sousa Guedes had a try disallowed for a forward pass before Ireland crossed again, this time O'Brien coming off his wing to take a pop pass from Crowley. Leinster prop Clarkson ran over for another moments later after Casey tapped a quick penalty in midfield and Bolton grabbed his second following up on a hopeful punt with two Portugese defenders falling asleep in the backfield. With the TMO communications failing midway through the half, there was some confusion with the match clock but there was still time for Gavin, who was promoted to the starting XV when Jamie Osborne was called up by Lions coach Andy Farrell on Friday, to bash over for his second. It was more of the same on the resumption with captain Casey finishing off good work by Bolton and Munster flanker Kendellen, one of three debutants. Prendergast, who missed out last weekend due to a stomach bug, got Ireland's tenth try, taking Tom Ahern's pop pass on the short side after a smart lineout switch between Gus McCarthy and Jack Boyle. Simon Mannix's charges did manage to avoid a whitewash when flanker Nicolas Martins took advantage of a break by winger Manuel Cardoso Pinto to score, out-half Hugo Aubry converted. Ireland emptied the bench but there was no let-up for the hosts, who beat Fiji and drew with Georgia less than two years ago. Nash finished off in the corner when Ireland moved the ball quickly from a scrum, while he turned provider for Frawley moments later. Prendergast added a second with a fine assist from Casey, while Kendellen powered over for his debut try soon after. Portugal brought down a tryline-bound maul in overtime with referee Adam Leal awarding a penalty try to bring a miserable evening for the hosts to an end. The winning margin surpassed the 83-3 victory over USA in New Hampshire back in 2000 with 106 points and 16 tries also records for the senior team. Ireland next return to the Test arena when they take on New Zealand in Chicago on 1 November. Portugal: Nuno Sousa Guedes; Simão Bento, Vincent Pinto, Tomás Appleton (capt), Manuel Cardoso Pint; Hugo Aubry, Hugo Camacho; David Costa, Luka Begic, Diogo Hasse Ferreira; Antonio Rebolo de Andrade, Pedro Ferreira; David Wallis, Nicolas Martins, Diego Pinheiro. Replacements: Abel Cunha, Pedro Santiago Lopes, Martim Souto, Guilherme Costa, Francisco Almeida, Vasco Baptista, António Campos, Gabriel Aviragnet. Ireland: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Hugh Gavin, Stuart McCloskey, Shayne Bolton; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (capt); Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Thomas Clarkson; Tom Ahern, Darragh Murray; Ryan Baird, Alex Kendellen, Cian Prendergast. Replacements: Tom Stewart (for McCarthy 52), Michael Milne (Boyle 52), Tom O'Toole (Clarkson 52), Cormac Izuchukwu (Murray 60), Max Deegan (Baird 52), Ben Murphy (Casey 60), Ciarán Frawley (McCloskey 52), Calvin Nash (O'Brien 52).
Irish Examiner
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Paul O'Connell's Ireland make history by putting a tonne on Portugal in Lisbon
Portugal 7 Ireland 106 Paul O'Connell's second-string Ireland produced a record Test victory for the national men's team with a 16-try, 99-point spanking of a hapless Portuguese side at a picturesque Estadio Nacional on Saturday evening. A huge Irish contingent made up a major part of what was an estimated 8,000 crowd in a 37,000-capacity stadium where Jock Stein's Celtic had won their European Cup back in 1967. Not so much Lisbon Lions here as lambs to a slaughter. The scorers? We'll keep that as simple as possible. 1st half: Stuart McCloskey, Hugh Gavin, Tommy O'Brien, Shayne Bolton, Tommy O'Brien, Thomas Clarkson, Bolton, Gavin. 2nd half: Craig Casey, Cian Prendergast, Calvin Nash, Ciaran Frawley, Prendergast, Alex Kendellen, Ben Murphy, penalty try. This always looked like a mismatch, even with so many of Ireland's players, coaches and staff on duty in Australia with the British and Irish Lions. It wasn't long before we were reaching for the record books. Ireland's biggest win prior to this was an 83-3 hockeying of the USA in New Hampshire in 2003. Portugal's worst defeat before now had come four years later at the World Cup in Lyon where they lost 108-13 to the All Blacks. Add in Ireland's stroll against Georgia in Tbilisi last weekend and it all adds up to a two-match mini-tour of highly questionable value for a shadow touring side that handed out nine Test debuts in the absence of so many frontline stars. The cliché with games like this is to suggest that it was no more than a glorified training session, but then Portugal had given Andy Farrell's Ireland a right old scare during a behind-closed-doors game before the last World Cup. They've fallen off a cliff since. It took Ireland less than a minute to get off the mark, McCloskey doing the honours. Tone set. Seven more five-pointers followed in the first-half alone, by the end of which the visitors were 52-0 to the good. The ease with which most of the scores came, even the early efforts, was embarrassing. Just awful. Any semblance of a defensive line crumbled at the merest of prods or probes, vast acres of turf were there for gambolling all evening long. Portugal didn't help themselves with some risky stuff out of their own third. and there were rare glimpses of the flowing rugby that so captured the eye and the imagination at the last World Cup in France where they beat Fiji. Full-back Nuno Sousa Gedes was involved in much of what they did manage. It was the 15 who ran under the posts off the back of a clever crosskick from his ten and dizzying feet from Victor Pinto out wide. The problem was a forward pass and it was ruled out. Worse was to follow when Portugal's captain Tomas Appleton was stretchered off after lengthy treatment for what appeared to be a bad ankle injury, and his replacement followed shortly after coming on. All this well before the half-time pause in punishment. It never rains but it pours. The torrent continued on the restart. The only shaft of light for Portugal was a try for their openside Nicolas Martins after 53 minutes but it was a score off the back of a lineout maul from Alex Kendellen that took Ireland past the record margin set in the States 22 years ago. Ben Murphy's converted effort took them to the 99-mark with three minutes to go. They brought the ton up at the very last with English referee Adam Leal awarding a penalty try off a lineout maul in the corner. History made, but what a tough watch. Portugal: N Sousa Guedes; S Bento; V Pinto, T Appleton, M C Pinto; H Aubry, H Camacho; D Costa, L Begic, D H Ferreira; A R Andrade, P Ferreira; D Wallis, N Martins, D Pinheiro. Replacements: G Aviragnet for Appleton (21); F Almeida for Aviragnet (33); G Costa for Andrade (50); M Souto for Begic and A Cunha for Costa (both 57); PS Lopes for Begic (57); AR Andrade for Ferreira (60); V Baptista for Pinheiro 62). Ireland: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, H Gavin, S McCloskey, S Bolton; J Crowley, C Casey; J Boyle, G McCarthy, T Clarkson; T Ahern, D Murray; R Baird, A Kendellen, C Prendergast. Replacements: M Deegan for Baird, M Milne for McCarthy, T Stewart for Boyle, T O'Toole for Clarkson and C Frawley for McCloskey (all 52); C Nash for T O'Brien (54); C Izuchukwu for Murray (60); B Murphy for Casey (61). Referee: A Leal (RFU).
Extra.ie
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Jack Crowley pips Prendergast to start as Ireland march on to Lisbon
Ireland finish up their short summer tour this weekend as they face off against Portugal in the nation's capital Lisbon. With Andy Farrell and co away with the British and Irish Lions down under, Paul O'Connell has taken charge in this tour and they got off to a winning start in Tblisi. As the heavens opened, Ireland navigated the stormy conditions very well and with some excellent performances in the backline, they won 35-5. With so many players away, this tour has been used for player development, with the likes of Tommy O'Brien and Darragh Murray, among others, getting opportunities to debut in an Ireland jersey. However, the never-ending Sam Prendergast-Jack Crowley debate continued as both were included in the touring squad. Ireland's Craig Casey scores his side's third try Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady It's become a bit of a cliché at this point, but Ireland fans should just be delighted there are two genuinely viable options at 10 after an over decade-long Sexton monopoly in the spot, but they have and forever will be pipped against each other and have every aspect of their games compared. It was Sam Prendergast who was given the nod for the Georgia test, and after a ropy finish to his Six Nations in March, Prendergast was back to his best in Tblisi. From the start, he was dictating play and manipulating the Georgian defence as he found plenty of holes with some little kicks that lead to the two Tommy O'Brien tries early on. Ireland's Sam Prendergast Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady It wasn't just his kicking from hand that was great but from the tee too. Prendergast was 100% from the tee, slotting all six of his kicks. This was a welcome change from his end of season kicking form at Leinster which had begun to dip. However, O'Connell has made it clear that this weekend is Jack Crowley's chance with the Munster man getting the start for the test in Lisbon with Cíaran Frawley deputising on the bench with Prendergast out of the squad completely. It'll be a good chance for Crowley as it will be only his second start for Ireland this year and against a Portugal side Ireland should beat comfortably. Darragh Murray Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady This team has also seen O'Connell give Alex Kendellen and Shayne Bolton their Ireland debuts in the starting team while Connacht youngster Hugh Gavin is in line to make his debut off the bench. It's an unchanged front row as Leinster trio Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson start once again while Darragh Murray keeps his spot in the second row with Tom Ahern earning his first Ireland start after impressing off the bench in Georgia. Then it's Ryan Baird and Cian Prendergast, who missed Saturday's game through illness who join Kendellen in the back row. Crowley and Bolton are the only changes to the backline as Craig Casey continues as captain with Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne, Tommy O'Brien and Jimmy O'Brien completing the starting XV. Ireland's Calvin Nash Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady With many of Ireland's top players beginning to hit the wrong side of 30, tours like this are a great opportunity to give new players a chance to break into the test game. In the months and years to come, we could be seeing a lot more of the names set to take to the field in Lisbon.
Irish Independent
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tommy O'Brien: ‘I was thinking, this might be the end, my body is just not able for this'
Tommy O'Brien had never started a Champions Cup game for Leinster when he was finally named in the team to take on La Rochelle back in January. Then, in keeping with his luckless run up to that point, O'Brien picked up yet another injury in training, which ruled him out of making the trip to France. Instead, the winger had to wait until April for his first Champions Cup start, which he duly marked with a try in Leinster's quarter-final win over Glasgow.
