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Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
O'Connell names 11 uncapped players for Ireland tour to Georgia and Portugal
Paul O'Connell has revealed a 32-strong squad for the forthcoming tour to Georgia and Portugal packed with 11 new caps in the 32-strong panel to be captained by Craig Casey. These include Shayne Bolton, Nathan Doak, Hugh Gavin, Ben Murphy and Tommy O'Brien in the backs. And forwards Stephen Smyth, Michael Milne, Paddy McCarthy, Darragh Murray, Tom Ahern and Alex Kendellan. Smyth, a 20 year-old hooker, has made just four appearances for Leinster this season, all of them from the bench and totalling just 65 minutes of competitive action. Their common denominator is that O'Brien, Gavin, Bolton, Doak, Murray and Kendellan started Ireland's A game against England at Bristol in late February while Smyth (who came on in the sixth minute) and McCarthy were on the bench. Elsewhere there will be satisfaction in Ulster that Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale made the cut while Munster fans will be happy to see both their cause celebres, Tom Ahern and Gavin Coombes, in the fold. Leinster, who have 11 players down for Lions duty and for whom Caelan Doris and Robbie Henshaw are injured, provide a further dozen to this squad although only Sam Prendergast, Jimmy and Tommy O'Brien and Jamie Osborne could be considered 'front-liners'. Osborne travels as the most 'complete' back in the history of Irish rugby - nobody has ever started at full-back, left and right wing, inside and outside centre for a province in one season before. This was part possible when following playing on the right-wing for Ireland against France in the Six Nations, he started the Champions Cup Last 16 game against Glasgow in the same position, the first time he had won that shirt for the club. However it took until last Saturday to complete the full-hand when selected at no13 against Scarlets, playing outside Jordie Barrett in the absence of Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw through injury. Not that Osborne was seen simply as a 'fill-in' as the option was there to use Barrett as the outside centre but not exercised, possibly because management likes to keep the All Black on Sam Prendergast's shoulder, near his ear. 'Jamie came on for Garry in the game against Zebre, so he played there. He has had repetitions in there, it is something he has been exposed to since the Zebre game so he naturally continued on there.' 'He did really well," said Jacques Nienaber. "So last year he played mostly no12 for us and he did really well last weekend. "I had seen him in training there before and maybe if there was a little bit of injuries there during other games he would move there towards the end. "But this is the first time I saw him playing there and I just monitored him defensively, Tyler (Bleyendaal, Attack Coach) will have opinions on his attack, but defensively I thought he did really well.' Farrell and Osborne had been smiling earlier in the day too when they were named in the URC 2024/25 Elite XV alongside clubmates Craig Casey, Tadhg Beirne and RG Snyman. Meanwhile there is set to be a fantastic battle to see who will prosper at no6 in Portugal and Georgia, to lay a claim to the retiring Peter O'Mahony's spot, between Cormac Izuchukwu and Ryan Baird. The Ulster player was handed the no6 in the Autumn Series game with Fiji but it was his Leinster rival who started the opening Six Nations game against England and who remained on the bench for the next four games. Baird has been growing into the Leinster season and is expected to start against Glasgow in the URC semi-final at the Aviva. "I just kept my head down, kept pounding the rock, as Stu Lancaster would have preached to us many years ago," says Baird. 'Are they actually downs in the grand scheme of things? If you ask me, how has my year been compared to last year in which I would have played a lot more games, Ryan Baird has had as good of a year as a person than he has had last year. 'As a rugby player, I've grown, I've learned loads. I'm not a pessimist, I'm an optimist but there's a realism in there as well. But for sure I just try to see the positives in things. 'I would be a believer that not so much everything happens for a reason but you have a choice when something happens how you react and if you react in a positive way, you're more likely to get a positive reaction and then you just bounce off that. Overall, another great year, but we are not done yet.' Meanwhile of those left out, Munster's Tom Farrell must feel most hard done by following truly remarkable season where he stood out week in, week out for th Reds, starting all 26 of their games and gaining one of the four nominations for Rugby Players Ireland's Player of the Year. He was also the winner of the URC's Playmaker of the Year, a new category for 2024/25, selected by awarding three points for try assists, two points for offloads and one for defenders beaten. Notwithstanding Farrell's crossing for nine URC tries (a hat-trick at Ulster), there were five assists, 41 offloads and 61 defenders left behind finishing with nearly 50 per cent more points than nearest rivals Warrick Gelant (Stormers) and Quan Horn (Lions). 'I'm delighted to announce the Ireland squad for the Summer Tour," says O'Connell, "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. '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.' Ireland Men's Squad - Summer Tour 2025: Player/Club/Province/Caps Forwards (18): Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster)* Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(27) Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(51) Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(2) Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(6) Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster)(2) Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(2) Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(1) Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster)* Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(4) Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)* Michael Milne (UCD/Munster)* Darragh Murray (Buccaneers /Connacht)* Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16) Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4) Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster)* Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(2) Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster)(3) Backs (14): Shayne Bolton (Connacht)* Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(captain)(18) Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(24) Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)* Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8) Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)* Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(19) Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)* Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(10) Jimmy O'Brien (Naas/Leinster)(8) Tommy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)* Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(7) Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(8) Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(38) Training Panellists: James McNabney (City of Armagh/Ulster)*, Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh/Ulster)*, Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)* Ireland Summer Tour 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)
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Dragons recruit Tonga centre Paea
Tonga centre Fetuli Paea will join Dragons this summer after agreeing a move from Italian side Zebre 30-year-old has been capped 12 times by his country and becomes the Welsh regional side's ninth new signing for the 2025-26 who joined Zebre in 2023 from New Zealand side Highlanders, said his aim is "to put myself in a position where I'm able to continue to learn and gain more experience".Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said: "We are excited that Fetuli will be joining us at Dragons this summer."He's a very talented centre who has played international rugby for Tonga and Super Rugby for Crusaders and the Highlanders. He'll bring a wealth of experience to the group."Fetuli is a player I've followed closely for some time. He has good footwork pre-contact, is a gain-line winner and will be eager to bring success to our club."
Scotsman
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Inside knowledge, attack blueprint, attitude - expert's guide to how Edinburgh can upset star-studded Bulls
'Big chance' in Everitt's team could make all the difference in South Africa Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Edinburgh have faced the Bulls twice this season and there has been little between the sides. In fact, the aggregate score stands at 50-50. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When the pair meet for a third time on Saturday in the URC play-offs it is the Bulls who will have home advantage but Chris Paterson believes Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt's intimate understanding of the opposition can help swing the quarter-final tie in their favour. Canan Moodie of Vodacom Bulls is tackled by Edinburgh's Ross Thompson during the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final at Hive Stadium on April 12. | Getty Images 'I think Sean Everett's knowledge of the South African players, the South African system, has been really important,' said the Edinburgh and Scotland great. 'Sean seems to have a really good understanding of the South African game and I think that Edinburgh's performances against South African teams have been pretty good, with the obvious exception of the Lions match early in the season.' Big change in Edinburgh after nadir in Joburg That was the nadir of their campaign; a 55-21 loss in Johannesburg which prompted much soul-searching within the camp. It hasn't all been plain sailing since - the home defeat by Zebre was another low point - but Edinburgh have been a more durable outfit since that loss in February, particularly in recent weeks as they secured the back-to-back bonus-point wins over Connacht and Ulster they needed to make the play-offs for the first time in three years. 'I've seen a big change in Edinburgh,' said Paterson, who will be working as an analyst for Premier Sports' coverage of the Bulls quarter-final. 'Even in games they've lost there's a shape and an attitude, and there's a desire and a hunger. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'If somebody was going to beat them, they were going to have to do well to beat them. I think that stemmed from the Zebre game at home. I think that almost forced Edinburgh into playing knockout-style rugby in every game, so it really focused the mind. It basically meant there was a consequence to everything. Every training session, every performance, every result. 'So from the middle of March, it was like all or nothing and I think that extra pressure actually brought the best out of them. I think their attacks looked really good, well balanced, and I think Wes [Goosen] and Darcy [Graham] have been brilliant. Players like Jamie Ritchie have been outstanding as well, as has Magnus Bradbury, so the components are there. Jamie Ritchie of Edinburgh challenges Sergeal Petersen of Vodacom Bulls during the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final. | Getty Images 'In a strange way, it's brought - not the best because I think there's more to come from Edinburgh - but it's brought a real hard edge. And they'll need to be at their best this weekend to progress because I think the Bulls are a top, top side.' The two Bulls game-changers who threaten Edinburgh Everitt has stressed the need for accuracy and discipline in what is likely to be a hostile environment at Loftus Versfeld. There is an expectation among the Bulls support that the club will atone for last year's shock home defeat by Glasgow Warriors in the URC final. Edinburgh will also have to cope with the altitude and warm weather but no rival coach knows the Bulls better than Everitt who is good friends with their coach Jake White and who worked with them prior to his appointment in Scotland in 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Sean knows their structures,' said Paterson. 'He knows what we're trying to do because he was a part of it 18 months ago. But it's a massive challenge playing at Loftus, of course it is. If you look at the two games Edinburgh have played against the Bulls this year, it's one home win each and the aggregate score is 50-all, so there's not a lot between them. Bulls head coach Jake White, left, and his Edinburgh counterpart Sean Everitt are good friends. | Getty Images 'The game in round two was disappointing for Edinburgh because they were actually leading after the hour mark and they got turned over on the Bulls' line and the Bulls went the length and scored what turned out to be the decisive try. I think the Bulls are better now than they were then.' In a talented squad, Paterson picks out Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux as two who can be game-changers for the Bulls. Moodie, the lavishly gifted Springboks centre, made a massive impact off the bench against Edinburgh last month, and the home team endured some nervy moments as a 31-7 lead after 45 minutes was whittled down to 34-28. Willie le Roux, right, is a wily operator for the Bulls. | Getty Images 'He made a big difference,' said Paterson. 'And Willie le Roux didn't play that day, but he's really important in terms of their kick strategy. When it comes to knockout rugby, he's got so much nous and understanding and can be really quite clinical with his left foot. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh know how to trouble Bulls' defence 'And if the Bulls want to try to strangle you and play a kicking game and try and turn you over at the lineout and maul you then they're built for that. But then they've also got guys like Canan Moodie who did make a massive impact in the last game. 'It's a star-studded team playing at home, so Edinburgh will be underdogs. But the first half of that game against the Bulls was, I think, a really good blueprint for Edinburgh in terms of attack and moving the ball quickly, getting numbers in the line. Matt Currie had a couple of really good line breaks and James Lang scored a couple of early tries. 'It seemed to be the biggest concern for the Bulls that day was their defence, so it's be interesting to see if they change the defence or change personnel because Edinburgh seemed to find space. Rather than take the direct route against a team that's physically bigger than you, Edinburgh were prepared to put two or three bodies at the line and then deliver a late pass, try and find an edge to give you a quick ball. And I thought Edinburgh executed that pretty well. Former Scotland international Chris Paterson will be on duty for Premier Sports as they cover the Bulls v Edinburgh. | ©INPHO/Tom Maher 'So although the second half will have encouraged the Bulls and make Edinburgh aware, that first 45 minutes for Edinburgh were excellent. And I hope Saturday's match lives up to that because that was a cracking game.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Belfast Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
The five things in most need of urgent repair after Ulster's season to forget
Way more losses than wins, no knockout rugby in the URC, and with it being barred from next season's Champions Cup, losing at home to Zebre, struggling to beat Dragons, shipping five defeats in a row on two occasions… it's been horrible.
The 42
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Connacht finish disappointing season with win over Zebre
Zebre 12 Connacht 22 CONNACHT WRAPPED UP a disappointing season by winning their first URC game in six and they were good value for their victory at Stadio Lanfranchi. The next few weeks will be a huge reset for them with coaching appointments top of the agenda but at least they head into the summer on the back of a win. Fetuli Paea chases Shayne Bolton. Roberto Bregani / INPHO Roberto Bregani / INPHO / INPHO It sees them finish 13th in the table, nine points off the qualification places with just six wins from 18 league games. Connacht, having enjoyed 65% possession, led 12-7 at the break but should have been much further ahead after dominating large parts of the opening half in Parma. It was obvious from the outside that while this was a dead rubber Connacht were fired-up to make an impression with skipper Cian Prendergast leading the charge. It was appropriate then that it was the Kildare man who finally broke the deadlock after 17 minutes when he bumped through one tackle, slipped through another and fended off a try effort down the left to score after good work by David Hawkshaw and Finn Treacy. Advertisement JJ Hanrahan added the extra points from the wing and with Connacht enjoying dominance in the scrum where Finlay Bealham was superb, they pushed forward from there. A penalty advantage from a scrum gave them the platform for their second try and quick hands from Hanrahan after scrum-half Ben Murphy went wide close to the lines sent Shayne Bolton over in the right corner after 29 minutes to make it 12-0. But Zebre got a foothold. Out-half Giovanni Montemauri hit the left post with a penalty from 35 metres two minutes later, but they began to build the phases and work their way into the game. And they struck two minutes from the break, working the ball from deep before Argentine flanker Bautista Stavile finished in the right corner despite the best efforts of Treacy to prevent him grounding the ball. Montemauri landed a superb conversion from the touchline to leave five between them at the interval. Connacht got on top again after the restart but despite some good probing runs from Ben Murphy, interval replacement Cathal Forde and winger Treacy, they were unable to increase their lead during the third quarter. But the pressure eventually told and with penalty advantage after a lineout in the right corner Shamus Hurley-Langton found a gap to barge through and score, with Hanrahan adding the conversion to make it 19-7 after 62 minutes. However, a yellow card to replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine for an offside infringement as Zebre went end to end through winger Simone Gesi and Stavile, was followed by a try from full-back Jacopo Trulla in the right corner with ten minutes remaining. That ensured a nervous finish for Connacht but a penalty from Hanrahan, awarded the man of the match in his final game for Connacht before returning to Munster, two minutes from time ensured Connacht go into the summer on a winning note. Scorers for Zebre: Tries: B Stavile, J Trulla. Con: G Montemauri (1 from 2) Scorers for Connacht: Tries: C Prendergast, S Bolton, S Hurley-Langton. Cons: JJ Hanrahan (2 from 3). Pen: Hanrahan (1 from 1) Zebre: Jacopo Trulla; Scott Gregory (Gonzalo Garcia 57), Fetuli Paea, Damiano Mazza (Enrico Lucchin 61), Simone Gesi; Giovanni Montemauri (Luca Morisi 76), Alessandro Fusco; Danilo Fischetti (c) (Paolo Buonfiglio 65), Luca Bigi (Tommaso Di Bartolomeo 48), Muhamed Hasa (Juan Pitinari 54); Matteo Canali (Guido Volpi 67), Leonard Krumov; Davide Ruggeri (Giacomo Ferrari 60), Bautista Stavile, Giovanni Licata. Connacht: Santiago Cordero; Shayne Bolton, David Hawkshaw (Cathal Forde half-time), Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy (Piers O'Conor 61); JJ Hanrahan, Ben Murphy (Matthew Devine 64); Denis Buckley (Jordan Duggan 61), Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham (Jack Aungier 50); Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce (Darragh Murray 42); Cian Prendergast (c), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle (Sean Jansen 51). Ref: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).
