Benetton team vs Ulster

Posted on Nov 26, 2010 in Rugby News

MATCH: BENETTON TREVISO vs ULSTER
VENUE: STADIO COMUNALE DI MONIGO – TREVISO
DATE: 26th November 2010
K.O.: 19:05 (7:05 pm)

Benetton Rugby will face Ulster tomorrow at Stadio Monigo in Round 9 of the Magners League.

The Treviso team will be back in action after the November international window and the defeat against Edinburgh in Murrayfield.

All eyes will be on Benetton’s new signing Willem De Waal. The South African played with Western Province in the Currie Cup final and will play as fly half. Kris Burton will be moved to fullback.

Andrea Pratichetti (on his birthday) and Enrico Ceccato will make their appearances in the team for the first time, while lock Valerio Bernabò will play as open side flanker.

Last but not least, Italian international winger Michele Sepe could make his debut in the green and white jersey, starting from the bench.

Here is the team chosen by head coach Franco Smith for the match:

15 Kristopher Burton
14 Ludovico Nitoglia
13 Andrea Pratichetti
12 Gonzalo Garcia
11 Joseph Maddock
10 Willem De Waal
9 Tobias Botes
8 Marco Filippucci
7 Valerio Bernabò
6 Francesco Minto
5 Corniel Van Zyl
4 Antonio Pavanello (captain)
3 Pedro Di Santo
2 Enrico Ceccato
1 Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet

Replacements:

16 Franco Sbaraglini
17 Matteo Muccignat
18 Augusto Allori
19 Enrico Pavanello
20 Gonzalo Padrò
21 Benjamin De Jager
22 Fabio Semenzato
23 Michele Sepe

Ulster team vs Treviso

Chris Henry will captain the Ulster team to play Treviso at the Stadio Mongio this Friday (26th November, KO 7.05 local time) and the line-up also includes Paddy Wallace who is a late release from the Irish Squad.

Two try hero Craig Gilroy retains his place on the wing while Darren Cave returns to the starting line-up having recovered from a hamstring injury. Cave’s partnership with Paddy Wallace means last week’s centre duo, Nevin Spence and Ian Whitten move to the bench. Otherwise the back-line is the same as that which defeated Cardiff 15-37 last Sunday.
Up front, Bryan Young replaces Paddy McAllister in the front row while injury to Johann Muller (neck) means that Tim Barker is called into the engine room alongside Dan Tuohy. Injury to Robbie Diack means that Chris Henry moves from openside to cover the No.8 position while Willie Faloon is drafted in on the flank.

Ulster: (15-9): Adam D’Arcy; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall (1-8) Bryan Young, Nigel Brady, BJ Botha, Tim Barker, Dan Tuohy, Pedrie Wannenburg, Willie Faloon, Chris Henry (Captain)

Replacements (16-23): Andi Kyriacou, Paddy McAllister, Jerry Cronin, Neil McComb, Ali Birch, Ian Porter, Ian Whitten, Nevin Spence

Toner wins first Ireland cap against Samoa

Posted on Nov 10, 2010 in Rugby News

Devin Toner will win his first cap for Ireland in the second row this Saturday against Samoa as one of 11 changes, including a positional switch, to the starting team from the side that played against South Africa.

Toner will be partnered by the experienced Donncha O’Callaghan and they will be supporting a new front row of Tom Court, Sean Cronin and John Hayes who are all selected to start.  Denis Leamy and Sean O’Brien are called into the backrow with Jamie Heaslip retaining the No.8 position.

Luke Fitzgerald makes the switch from wing to full back, with Andrew Trimble coming into the vacant left wing position.  Paddy Wallace comes into the team at inside centre to partner Captain Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer come into the side as the new half back combination.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will finalise the Replacements later this week.

Ireland Team (to play Samoa, Guinness Series 2010, Aviva Stadium, November 13th, 14:30)

15 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 – Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
1 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
2 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
6 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7 – Sean O’Brien (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

To Be Confirmed

*Denotes Uncapped Player

Ireland team to play South Africa

Posted on Nov 2, 2010 in Rugby News

The Ireland team to play South Africa in the opening game of the 2010 Guinness Series shows the return of several players who missed the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Luke Fitzgerald starts his first international in nearly a year since playing in the Australia game last November and is named on the left wing, with Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney making up the other back three positions.

Eoin Reddan has been given the starting berth at scrum half and Rory Best will start at hooker after missing the summer tour due to an ankle injury.  Best will pack down in the front row with Tony Buckley and Cian Healy at tight and loose head respectively, both of whom started the last international against Australia.

Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll also both started the game in June against Australia and will again be the second row partnership for this game.  Both Stephen Ferris and David Wallace are named in the back row alongside Jamie Heaslip.

The final replacement spot will be decided later in the week with Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble and Keith Earls all in the frame.

Ireland Team (to play South Africa, Guinness Series 2010, Aviva Stadium, November 6th, 17:30)

15 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrcok College/Leinster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster) / Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) / Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Ulster team to face Aironi

Posted on Sep 10, 2010 in Irish Rugby

Ulster travel to face Franco Bernini’s team this Saturday and Coach Brian McLaughlin has made five changes of personnel to the starting line-up that defeated League Champions the Ospreys in Round 1 at Ravenhill last Friday night.

Up front there are four changes of personnel and one positional switch. Tom Court and Chris Henry make their first Ulster starts having toured with Ireland in the summer while Rory Best and Stephen Ferris are rested as part of the IRFU’s player management programme.

Court comes into the starting line-up at the expense of Bryan Young who drops to the bench while Nigel Brady assumes the hooker berth with Andi Kyriacou providing cover.

The second row pairing of Muller, who will captain the side, and Barker is unchanged while in the back row, Pedrie Wannenburg makes a positional switch from No8 to the blind side flank to cover for the rested Ferris, Willie Faloon moves to the bench to make way for Chris Henry at openside while Robbie Diack, who was one of last week’s replacements, starts at No8.

Amongst the backs, McLaughlin has kept faith with is young back three of D’Arcy, Seymour and McIlwaine while Darren Cave has a new centre partner in Paddy Wallace, another Ireland tourist making a first start as Ian Whitten drops to the bench. Niall O’Connor and Paul Marshall start again in the halfback positions.

The other notable change is amongst the replacements, with Jamie Smith coming in for Jonny Shiels having recovered from injury (eye) sustained in the opening friendly against Bath at Ravenhill.

Ulster (15-9): Adam D’Arcy; Tommy Seymour, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, David McIlwaine; Niall O’Connor, Paul Marshall (1-8) Tom Court, Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick, Johann Muller (Captain), Tim Barker, Pedrie Wannenburg, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack

Replacements: Andi Kyriacou, Bryan Young, Paddy McAllister, Ryan Caldwell, Willie Faloon, Ian Porter, Ian Whitten, Jamie Smith

Ireland announce team

Posted on Feb 9, 2010 in Rugby News

Ireland Coach Declan Kidney has named the team to play France in the second game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship in Paris on Saturday. Keith Earls has been selected on the left wing in place of Andrew Trimble.  Donncha O’Callaghan has not recovered from the injury that ruled him out of the opening game. Leo Cullen has been named to start in the second row.

A vacancy has been left blindside flanker pending confirmation of the fitness of Stephen Ferris. Both players took part in training with the Ireland team today but a final decision will be made on Thursday. The seven replacements will also be finalised on Thursday from the possible nine players named today.
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