Change to Irish team to face France

Posted on Aug 19, 2011 in Ireland, Irish Rugby

Shane Jennings has been included to start at openside on the Ireland team to play France tomorrow in the opening game of the Guinness Summer Series.  Jennings comes into the side in place of David Wallace, who picked up a slight hamstring strain during the week and has been stood down from the team as a precaution. It is expected that Wallace will be available for selection for next week’s game against England.

There are a limited number of tickets left for the game against France tomorrow and these can be purchased from Ticketmaster booths located at the junction of Northumberland Road and Lansdowne Road from 1.00pm on the day of the game..

Ireland Team & Replacements (v France, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday, August 20^th, kick-off 5.00pm local):

15 – Felix Jones (Shannon/ Munster)
14 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)

9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
7 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/ Munster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
19 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/ Leinster) 

Ireland teams to play France and Connacht

Posted on Aug 17, 2011 in Connacht, French Rugby, Ireland, Irish Rugby

In what is a busy week for the Ireland squad, two Irish teams will play games in the space of three days.  An Ireland Select XV will take on Connacht on Thursday evening in Donnybrook Stadium followed by Ireland playing France in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

In the Guinness Summer Series international against France, the test match team will take the field with 10 changes to the run on side from the team that played the previous week.

There are six changes in the backline, one of which is positional. Felix Jones will make his first start for Ireland at full back and Keith Earls moves from the centre to left wing.  With Earls moving into the back three, Gordon D’Arcy comes into the midfield alongside Captain Brian O’Driscoll, who will both be making their debuts for the season.  Jonathan Sexton will start at No.10 and he will be partnered at half back by Tomas O’Leary.

Paul O’Connell and Jamie Heaslip come into the starting team after being second half replacements last weekend and Sean O’Brien moves to No.6.

Ireland Team & Replacements (v France, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday, August 20^th, kick-off 5.00pm local):

15 – Felix Jones (Shannon/ Munster)
14 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)

9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/ Munster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
19 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/ Leinster)

In the Connacht game, several players who were involved in the test match against France last week get another chance to play in Donnybrook tomorrow evening.

Leo Cullen will captain the side and will be partnered in the second row by Mick O’Driscoll, with Tony Buckley, Sean Cronin, John Hayes completing the front five.  Shane Jennings will have his first outing of August after returning from a broken arm alongside Kevin McLaughlin and Denis Leamy in the back row. 

Isaac Boss and Paddy Wallace will make up the half back partnership with Fergus McFadden, Johne Murphy and Geordan Murphy in the back three.

Ireland Select XV Team & Replacements (v Connacht, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin, Thursday, August 18th, kick-off 6.30pm local):

15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 – Johne Murphy (Munster)
13 – Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
12 – Ian Keatley (Munster)
11 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
10 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
9 – Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
1 – Tony Buckley (Sale)
2 – Sean Cronin (Leinster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
6 – Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
7 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
8 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 – Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
17 – Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
20 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
21 – Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Ian Whitten (Ballymena/Ulster)

HEC returns to Dublin for 2012

Posted on Jun 10, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Tournament organisers, ERC, announced today (9 June, 2011) that the Heineken Cup final will be returning to Dublin in 2013 following the selection of the Aviva Stadium as the venue for European club rugby’s 18^thshowpiece occasion.

The Heineken Cup final was last held in Dublin in 2003 when Toulouse beat Perpignan 22-17 at Lansdowne Road although since then the stadium, both old and new, has staged an array of classic European contests.

Only last season on their march to a second Heineken Cup final triumph, Leinster defeated both Leicester Tigers and Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium as attendances at the home of Irish rugby surpassed the 600,000 mark for European matches.

“The Aviva Stadium is a world-class venue which has quickly established a close affinity with the Heineken Cup having staged three matches last season, including two magnificent knock-out games,” said ERC Chief Executive Derek McGrath.

“The Heineken Cup final has become one of the most prestigious sporting fixtures in the European calendar and it now requires long-range planning in order to deliver the spectacle we enjoyed in Cardiff just over a fortnight ago.

“Last year we confirmed the final venues for the following two seasons, and today’s announcement allows ERC to prepare the way for Dublin in 2013 while we continue to work with Twickenham Stadium on next season’s final in May 2012.

“Ireland has provided four Heineken Cup champions in the past six seasons and Irish rugby is steeped in the history of the tournament since it began 16 years ago. The decision of the ERC Board to bring the Heineken Cup final back to Dublin for the first time since 2003 is further recognition of the passion that Irish fans have for the tournament and we are confident that our showpiece game in 2013 will be another landmark occasion in the history of Irish rugby and sport.”

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said: “The Aviva Stadium has hosted some memorable international and Heineken Cup games in its short lifetime and is now firmly embedded as the home of Irish rugby.  We felt it was important for the stadium that it would get this opportunity to host the pinnacle game of European club rugby and this is not only good news for the game in this country, but also for Dublin.

“It is estimated that rugby contributes over €200m to the Irish economy, and the recent Ireland-England Six Nations game generated just over €51m to the Dublin economy. While the financial benefits are particularly strong, the prestige and exposure for the game in this country are just as powerful, and in hosting the first Heineken Cup final since 2003, I am sure that Irish rugby and the city of Dublin will deliver yet another memorable occasion.”

Gerry Breen, Lord Mayor of Dublin said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the finalists and fans to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in May 2013 for the Heineken Cup final. It will give us a great opportunity to showcase the many delights that are Dublin. I would like to congratulate the IRFU on being awarded the honour of hosting the final in the city of Dublin.”

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD said: “Dublin is ideally suited to hosting such a prestigious event. It is a city known for its warm welcome to visitors and will be a familiar destination for rugby supporters. I have no doubt that our proud sporting heritage, our knowledgeable and enthusiastic fan base, and our proven ability to successfully host major sporting events will guarantee a Heineken Cup final to remember.

“Rugby is an increasingly popular sport in Ireland. Irish rugby has enjoyed some great successes in recent times. Leinster’s sensational comeback victory over the Northampton Saints in last month’s Heineken Cup final at the Millennium Stadium was the fourth time in the last six years that an Irish team has triumphed in Europe’s top club competition. I believe that being afforded the privilege of hosting a Heineken Cup final in 2013 will be a fitting tribute to all those who have worked so diligently and so imaginatively to bring Irish rugby to its current level of success.”

NOTES

Leinster made their home debut in the Heineken Cup at Lansdowne Road on 6 December, 1995 when they beat Pontypridd 23-22 – the first of 22 top-flight European matches played at the ground.

Since then, the Dublin venue has hosted some of the most famous Heineken Cup matches of all-time:
1999 – Ulster became the first Irish province to win the Heineken Cup by beating Colomiers in the final.
2004 – London Wasps defeated Munster 37-33 in a semi-final that still ranks with many as the greatest Heineken Cup game of all-time.
2006 – Munster stormed to a 30-6 semi-final victory over arch-rivals Leinster on their way to a first Heineken Cup title.
2010/11 – Leinster defeated the reigning French champions, ASM Clermont Auvergne, English champions, Leicester Tigers, and Heineken Cup champions, Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium, on the road to a second Heineken Cup triumph

HEINEKEN CUP MATCHES AT LANSDOWNE ROAD / AVIVA STADIUM

1995-2011   22 MATCHES – Total attendance: 635,703
Date                                       Fixture                                               Attendance
30/04/2011    Leinster          32-23  Toulouse                               50,073            S-F
09/04/2011    Leinster          17-10  Leicester Tigers                   49,762           Q-F
18/12/2010    Leinster          24-8    ASM Clermont Auvergne     44,873
09/12/2006    Leinster          26-10  Agen                                       18,652
21/10/2006    Leinster          37-20  Gloucester                             22,530
23/04/2006    Leinster          6-30    Munster                                  47,800            S-F
01/04/2006    Munster         19-10  Perpignan                               48,500            Q-F
02/04/2005    Leinster          13-29  Leicester Tigers                   48,500
15/01/2005    Leinster          57-17  Benetton Treviso                  12,750
04/12/2004    Leinster          92-17  Bourgoin                                 9,100
30/10/2004    Leinster          30-11  Bath Rugby                           13,850
25/04/2004    Munster         32-37  London Wasps                      49,000            S-F
23/01/2004    Leinster          20-17  Cardiff Blues                         23,463
09/01/2004    Leinster          22-23  Sale Sharks                          14,200
06/12/2003    Leinster          32-6    Biarritz Olympique                  7,200
24/05/2003    Toulouse       22-17  Perpignan                              28,600            FINAL
27/04/2003    Leinster          14-21  Perpignan                             37,000            S-F
12/04/2003    Leinster          18-13  Biarritz Olympique               46,000            Q-F
30/01/1999    Ulster              21-6    Colomiers                              49,000            FINAL
16/10/1996    Leinster          10-27  Leicester                                  3,500
30/12/1995    Leinster          14-23  Cardiff                                       7,350            S-F
06/12/1995    Leinster          23-22  Pontypridd                               4,000

HEINEKEN CUP FINALS
2012 – Twickenham Stadium, 19/20 May
2013– Aviva Stadium, 18/19 May

Magners League Award Winners

Posted on May 9, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

MAGNERS LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS 2010 / 11.

There were pre-Play-Off boosts for all four Magners League semi-final teams as they picked up trophies at the annual Magners League Awards dinner in Dublin.

Table-topping Munster led the way as they picked up three major awards on the night with head coach Tony McGahan picking up the Coach of the Season title from one of his predecessors, Irish coach Declan Kidney.

Ronan O’Gara won the ‘Gilbert Golden Boot’ after emerging as the league’s most consistent marksman during the regular season, while Munster stalwart Alan Quinlan was named as the recipient of Andy Irvine’s ‘Chairman’s Award’ following his remarkable 15 year career.

Munster host reigning champions the Ospreys at Thomond Park on Saturday, 14 May in the second Play-Off semi-final and the Welsh region also left Dublin with a trophy after centre Ashley Beck was voted as the winner of the ‘Try of the Season’ for his effort against Glasgow Warriors at the Liberty Stadium.

Leinster, who welcome Ulster to the RDS on Friday, 13 May for the first semi-final, left the Awards ceremony at the Carton House Hotel with the ‘Specsavers Fairplay Award’. That title, which comes with a £10,000 prize to put towards youth development, is given to the team that gathers the fewest yellow and red cards over the 22 rounds of the regular season.

But there was also a major fillip for Ulster ahead of one of their biggest assignments of the season as South African recruit Ruan Pienaar was handed the top prize on the night after being voted ‘Players’ Player of the Season’.

“It has been an unbelievable first season for me at Ulster. I came to a place that I didn’t know but, thanks to the team, I settled in very quickly and enjoyed myself,” said Pienaar.

“It is going to be a massive challenge for everyone this weekend, but we will go to Dublin and enjoy the whole experience.”

The final award went to the rising forward star of Welsh rugby, Toby Faletau. The Newport Gwent Dragons back row man was voted as the ‘Young Player of the Season’ by a panel of 19 journalists from around the four nations involved in the Magners League.

PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE SEASON – Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)

COACH OF THE SEASON – Tony McGahan (Munster)

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE SEASON – Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)

CHAIRMAN’S AWARD – Alan Quinlan (Munster)

TRY OF THE SEASON – Ashley Beck (Ospreys)

GILBERT GOLDEN BOOT – Ronan O’Gara (Munster)

SPECSAVERS FAIRPLAY AWARD – Leinster

RFU Podcast: Care on England, Quins and Youngs

Posted on Apr 1, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

England and Harlequins scrum half Danny Care says that the disappointment felt by the England squad after their RBS 6 Nations loss against Ireland in Dublin should stand Martin Johnson’s side in good stead come the Rugby World Cup in September.

Care came off the bench in the 45^th minute in Dublin, but was unable to halt the Irish charge as the hosts ran away to a 24-8 win, ending England’s Grand Slam aspirations in the process.

“If we had won the Slam then some people may have put our name on World Cup trophy without us even playing a game,” Care said. “So looking back, I think it’s a good thing that we have felt that disappointment and we should be able to learn a lot from that.”

The 24-year-old Quins No. 9 comes head to head with international teammate Ben Youngs this weekend at the Twickenham Stoop for the visit of Aviva Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers. Care says that the competition between the pair spurs him on to better himself and he can’t wait for the game on Saturday.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Ben’s the guy who has the shirt at the moment and you always want to play against your rival. If I can play my part and help us win the game then I’ll be very happy.”

Also on this week’s Podcast:

• Ready to rumble – IRB head of communications Dominic Rumbles talks us through the decision to move RWC games from Christchurch to Dunedin in New Zealand
• Round 6 for 7s – England Sevens Head Coach Ben Ryan gives us the insight from within the Sevens camp as they prepare for the Adelaide leg of the HSBC World Series
• Climbing the Hill – Worcester Warriors Head Coach Richard Hill says that it’s important to peak at the right time in the Championship play-offs