Argentina

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 squad for Argentina tour named: Madigan misses out

/ Alan Keane / Leave a comment

Joe Schmidt has named the Ireland squad for the two-test tour of Argentina next month.

Leinster out-half Ian Madigan misses out on the trip to the Southern Hemisphere, and instead will travel with the Emerging Ireland squad to Romania.

The move may surprise some supporters as Jonny Sexton could probably do with a rest after a long season. His first campaign as  Racing Metro player was preceded by the victorious Lions tour, and he’s also been on Ireland duty last November and during the Six Nations.

Paddy Jackson has been named as the second out-half on the Argentina tour. Schmidt named four uncapped players for the trip. They are Ulster forward pair Rob Herring and Robbie Diack, Munster front row Dave Cronin and Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion. Herring and Diack qualify for Ireland through residency.

Some experienced campaigners have been given the chance to rest and recuperate after a gruelling campaign. Tommy Bowe, Sean Cronin, Gordon Darcy, Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy won’t be on the plane.

Dave Kearney’s injury he picked up against Ulster at the weekend sees him miss out, with Munster’s Simon Zebo given the opportunity to show his worth to Joe Schmidt after playing no part in the Six Nations victory this spring.

Captain Paul O’Connell travels, but this is the first Ireland squad of the post Brian O’Driscoll era, with the talisman having retired from international rugby following the Six Nations.

In his absence, the outside centre spot is up for grabs. With Keith Earls, Darren Cave and Robbie Henshaw all on the plane and mooted as possible replacements at 13, it will be interesting to see who Schmidt auditions in Argentina.

The tests take place on the 7th of June in Resistencia and the 15th in Tucuman.

Ireland Squad:

Forwards:

Rory Best (Ulster), James Cronin (Munster), Robbie Diack (Ulster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Paul O’Connell (Munster, captain), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Damien Varley (Munster).

Backs:

Darren Cave (Ulster), Keith Earls (Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Felix Jones (Munster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathon Sexton (Racing Metro), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster).