Connacht

Munster and Ulster handed tough pool fixtures in inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup

/ Alan Keane / Leave a comment

The Irish provinces learned today of their pool opponents in the new European club competitions.

Munster and Ulster face an uphill task to qualify for the knock-out stages of the European Rugby Champions Cup. It’s a big ask for Anthony Foley in his first year as Munster head coach to lead the Reds out of Pool 1, which contains two other Heineken Cup semi-finalists from last season. Clermont Auvergne and beaten finalists Saracens join Munster and Sale Sharks in the pool.

Ulster’s task is no easier. They must face two time and final Heineken Cup champions Toulon, as well as Leicester Tigers and Llanelli Scarlets in Pool 3.

Leinster look to have the best draw out of the 3 provinces competing in the European Rugby Champions Cup, albeit their task is far from easy either. They face Castres, Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins side and London Wasps in Pool 2.

Jonny Sexton’s Racing Metro must negotiate Pool 5, which contains Northampton, the Ospreys and Benetton Treviso.

Pool 4 contains Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, Bath and former French powerhouses Toulouse.

The first round of fixtures takes place the 17th, 18th and 19th of October.

In the European Rugby Challenge Cup (the remodel of the Amlin Challenge Cup), Connacht will take on the Exeter Chiefs, Bayonne and La Rochelle in Pool 2.

The remaining pools are as follows:

Pool 1 – Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, (Italian team TBC)

Pool 3 – Stade Francais, Newport-Gwent Dragons, Newcastle, (Italian team TBC)

Pool 4 – Edinburgh, Bordeaux-Begles, London Welsh, Lyon

Pool 5 – Gloucester, Brive, Zebra, Oyonnax.

Robbie Diack to make his debut against Argentina

/ Alan Keane / Leave a comment

Ulster back row Robbie Diack is the only uncapped player Joe Schmidt has named to start against Argentina on Saturday afternoon. The 28 year old Johannesburg native has been at Ulster since the 2008/9 season and can play in all three positions at the back of the pack.

Other players in line to make their Irish debut this weekend are the Connacht pairing of number 9 Kieran Marmion and prop forward Rodney Ah You. Both men start from the bench.

Joe Schmidt has chosen seasoned Irish performers to steer the ship, with Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton occupying the half back positions. Ulster duo Darren Cave and Luke Marshall begin in the centre.

Jordi Murphy wins his third cap, taking his provincial teammate Jamie Heaslip’s spot at number 8. Fellow Leinster man Jack McGrath packs down beside veterans Mike Ross and Rory Best in the front row.

There’s a recall for Simon Zebo, overlooked for the successful spring Six Nations campaign. Andrew Trimble takes his place on the other wing. Felix Jones wins his sixth cap for Ireland at full-back, with Rob Kearney not even included on the bench.

Kick-off is at 7.40pm Irish time Saturday (3.40pm in Argentina) and the game is live on Sky Sports.

Teams:

Ireland: 

F Jones, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall; S Zebo J Sexton, C Murray: J McGrath, R Best, M Ross; I Henderson P O’Connell (Capt); R Diack, C Henry, J Murphy.

Subs: D Varley, D Kilcoyne, R Ah You, D Toner, J Heaslip, K Marmion, I Madigan, F McFadden.

 

Argentina:

J Tuculet; S Cordero, J De La Fuente, G Ascarate, M Montero; N Sanchez, M Landajo (Capt): L Noguera Paz, M Cortese, R Herrera; M Carizza, T Lavanini; R Baez, T De La Vega, B Macone.

Subs: J Montoya, B Postiglioni, N Telaz Chaparo, M Alemanno, J Ortega Desio, T Cubelli,, S Gonzalez, Iglesias, L Gonzalez Amorisino.

 

Ireland clinch Six Nations in Paris

/ Alan Keane / Leave a comment
2014 Six Nations Champions 

There would have been no shame in defeat, and yet no solace either. All week the question was which France would turn up; the clueless team of individuals or a ruthless try-scoring operation. The truth was somewhere in between. Individual brilliance with just enough cohesion to make Ireland sweat to the last.
Ireland gave themselves headaches at times, particularly in the first half. The kicking out of hand, which Ronan O’Gara stressed beforehand would be so important, was marginally off. In a game to decide the outcome of the Six Nations, small margins can be crucial.
Two tries and two awful kicks at goal. If it wasn’t for the elbow to the head from the 18 stone Mathieu Bastereaud, Jonathon Sexton would remember this game for a long time. Thankfully he was able to join in the post-match celebrations even after being stretchered off in the 65th minute. Irish fans chewed nails as his replacement Ian Madigan took to the field. Preferred on the bench to Paddy Jackson today, this was his first appearance in the 2014 Six Nations. 
With Jordi Murphy the only sub not to take to the field of play, Ireland were left with a good deal of inexperienced players to close out the game. While the scrum lost some of its ballast after the withdrawal of Ross and Healy, in open play Ireland were to a man committed and disciplined until the end. It’s expected of the old hands. It’s a joy to see it from the next generation.
The French, as is their wont, woke up from their Six Nations slumber today. Switched on from the start, they took a 6-0 lead before two quickfire tries from Sexton and Trimble put Ireland ahead. The home side’s response was swift and sublime. A crossfield kick from Tales was parried beautifully by Huget back for Dulin to dot down. The second of Sexton’s missed kicks ensured France went in one point to the good at half time.
The second half was as tense as they come, with neither side letting up in the intensity. Ireland struck first, with a break from Trimble finished off by Sexton with assistance from the O-Apostrophes.
These are the players by which the golden generation of Irish rugby is defined. Captain Paul O’Connell was immense today. It’s a mark of the man that when you see blood on his face during battle you’re never quite sure if it’s his. He threw himself into tackles with the usual vigour, and made laughable last year’s notions that he was a spent force.
And then there’s O’Driscoll.  He was involved in much that was good about Ireland today. While there’s perhaps an argument that Andrew Trimble deserved the man of the match award today for replicating his Ulster form, it was only going to one person.If anyone thought he would go quietly into the international rugby retirement home they were mistaken. And if BOD himself thought he could waltz quietly into the Parisian night at full-time, he too was wrong. A French interviewer attempted to cajole the outside centre into “one more year.” O’Driscoll smiled and shook his head. As retirement parties go, this one takes some beating.
O’Driscoll held it together during his interview with RTE until he brought up the influence of Joe Schmidt. The respect he has for the former Leinster coach was clear to see. It’s a mutual respect, as evidenced by the Ireland head coach’s assertion that “we’ll get someone to fill (O’Driscoll’s) boots, but their feet might be a bit smaller.” Indeed.
Late on there was a sense that France might spoil the party. A try from hooker Szarzewski  had Irish fans covering their eyes. However a horrible penalty miss followed by a late forward pass with men over on the right wing denied Les Bleus a win that would have handed England the Six Nations championship.
In Rome, tears surely trickled down tuxedos as the English squad watched on helpless. Like Ireland in 2007, hammering Italy on the final day just wasn’t enough. Theirs is a good team with a capable manager. The World Cup next year is on their territory and they will not capitulate easily.
Ireland under Schmidt have raised the bar high for themselves. The New Zealand game showed they could compete with the best. Today showed they can concentrate for a full 80 minutes plus. There must be no let up between now and the World Cup. Those who have earned their first caps must muster such intensity every time they pull on the green jersey. The hardened veterans must hold on to the hunger for more silverware. For tonight though, it’s time to celebrate. Gordon Darcy’s beard will soon be no more.
A championship clinched in Saint Denis on St Patrick’s weekend. It doesn’t get much better than that.

A Crucial Season Ahead For Irish Rugby

/ Alan Keane / Leave a comment
Schmidt’s first season in charge (Pic: irishrugby.ie)
When it comes to Irish rugby all seasons are important, some are more important than others, and this is more important than most.
New Irish head coach Joe Schmidt will be looking to put his stamp on his team in the forthcoming November series. His Leinster sides played some outstanding attacking rugby which  the national side often lacked under Declan Kidney. The players are certainly there for Schmidt to usher Ireland into an exciting new era, with the likes of Madigan, Zebo and Gilroy providing stern competition for the elder statesmen of the national set-up.
The November series will be a baptism of fire for Schmidt however, with a game against Samoa followed by clashes with Australia and his native New Zealand. Ireland had the upper hand the last time they met the Wallabies back at the world cup 2 years ago, but while Australia lost the Lions series and made a poor start to this year’s Rugby Championship, they have an enviable list of attacking talent at their disposal.
Enviable to all except perhaps the World Cup holders themselves. The less said about Ireland’s last clash with the New Zealand the better, however Schmidt will hope that his charges can at the very least acquit themselves well when the All Blacks come to town on November 24th.
Brace yourselves… They’re coming.
Then comes next year’s Six Nations and the opportunity and necessity of consigning this year’s poor performances in the competition to history. Finishing in 5th place, below both Italy and Scotland is not something that Schmidt would countenance in his first season in charge. However the fact that both those sides finished ahead of Declan Kidney’s charges last spring highlights the fact there is no such thing as an easy game in the Six Nations. Schmidt’s squad must hit the ground running in their first two games (at home to Scotland and Wales) if they are to avoid a similarly underwhelming campaign.
If the national side is facing a year of transition, it perhaps pales in comparison to the changes at provincial level. Former Blues coach Pat Lam is challenged with taking Connacht forward following Eric Elwood’s resignation. The western province have enjoyed some great Heineken Cup nights in the Sportsgrounds on Elwood’s watch, and Lam’s task will be to ensure better showings in the bread and butter competition that is the Rabo Pro 12. Last year they finished a disappointing eighth, 12 points behind Treviso. Losing the influential Mike McCarthy to Leinster is a setback they must quickly overcome.
Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam
Looking eastwards, Leinster have to adjust to their own changes in personnel. With Schmidt leaving the set-up to take charge of the national side, it’s former Leicester Tigers head honcho Matt O’Connor who picks up the mantle. The Australian had a good record with the Tigers in the Premiership, guiding them to back to back titles. However he now faces the task of further filling the Leinster trophy cabinet. Without Jonny Sexton and with Brian O’Driscoll entering the final year of a glittering career. If Leinster are to hold on to other key players then O’Connor must hope the IRFU figure out a way to compete with the vast amounts of money on offer from French clubs.  Lions tourists Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip are the latest figures to be linked with a move away, with Clermont Auvergne reportedly interested in poaching the  back-rows once their contracts end next June.
Gone. Going? Going. (Pic: irishrugby.ie)
They knew the day was coming in Munster but it still hurt to say goodbye when Ronan O’Gara departed for Paris and a coaching role at Racing Metro. While the return of Paul O’Connell to full fitness after a frustratingly long spell on the sidelines last season will be a welcome boost, the question facing Rob Penney’s side is where the next group of leaders will come from. Peter O’Mahony has been given a vote of confidence in that regard, with the back-row taking over the captaincy for the season. However with O’Gara gone and Doug Howlett too, the issue is who will emerge as a leader in the back-line. It’s a big year for Ian Keatley and JJ Hanrahan as they battle it out to become O’Gara’s undisputed successor.
Ulster are perhaps the most settled of the Irish provinces, with coach Mark Anscombe in the job a year at this stage and little movement in or out during the summer. However even the most stable of Irish provinces will be thrown into chaos in the coming weeks. It appears that as of next season the Heineken Cup will cease to exist.
English and French clubs have both released statements in the past few days indicating an unwillingness to continue competing in the Heineken Cups in its current format. The present agreement for Europe’s premier competition ends after next year’s final. The French and English propose the establishment of a new 20 team tournament where qualification is gained solely on merit. They have stated that this new tournament will include teams from both countries but will also welcome sides from the other nations.
At present each country’s union has discretion in how to award the 24 allotted Heineken Cup places. France and England have six slots each, Ireland and Wales three and the Scots and Italy taking up the rear with two apiece. The winners of the competition and the Amlin Cup are also allocated a place in the top competition the following season.
Is the Heineken Cup coming to an end? 
These regulations have allowed Ireland to send all four provinces into Heineken Cup battle in the past two seasons  and again this season, as Leinster’s two Heineken Cup successes and their Amlin win back in May this year have allowed Connacht to dine at the top table. Undoubtedly this has been fantastic for Irish rugby as a whole and anything that will alter the current arrangement should be treated with caution.

The ERC have countered the statements of the English and French clubs by reiterating that they must approve any European competitions, and stating that all parties are working towards a deal to extend the agreement that ends in May next year. However if the Anglo-French demands are not met and the Heineken Cup ceases to exist, it is imperative that the IRFU choose their side carefully. The provinces cannot survive on the Rabo Pro 12 alone, and anything that hurts them hurts the national team too.