Robbie Henshaw celebrates after the game.
Coach and captain.
Rodney Ah You leads the celebrations.
Mr Connacht.
John Muldoon celebrates with the fans.
A day which will live long in the memory.
The moment Connacht fans dreamed of.
Robbie Henshaw.
Bundee Aki.
History makers.
Connacht – Guinness Pro12 champions.
An emotional John Muldoon.
John Muldoon celebrates with the fans
That winning feeling.
The trophy lift.
Connacht fans.
Bundee Aki leads the dance.
Success tastes sweet.
Aly Muldowney and his son.
Next
One almighty party planned for Galway as Connacht’s homecoming parade confirmedNiyi Adeolokun’s sensational try one of the highlights of Connacht’s memorable Pro12 win
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Rory Keane reports from Cape Town
SIMON EASTERBY HAS challenged his Ireland squad to go to the next level and claim a southern hemisphere scalp on foreign soil.
Ireland have endured a torrid record on the road against world rugby’s ‘big three’ through the decades. The 15-6 victory against Australia in the pool stages of the 2011 World Cup was a major breakthrough, although that game took place at Eden Park in Auckland, which was technically a neutral venue.
You have to go all the way back to 1979 for Ireland’s last tour win against one of the heavyweights, Ollie Campbell spearheading a 2-0 series victory against the Wallabies. As for the All Blacks, let’s not go there.
Ireland have toured South Africa just four times — in 1961, ’81, ’98 and 2004. Their record: Played seven, lost seven. Since their last visit to the Rainbow Nation 12 years ago, Ireland have beaten the Boks on four of their last six visits to Dublin, including the impressive 29-15 win at the Aviva Stadium in 2014.
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“If we want to do better than get to the quarter-final of the next World Cup then we’re going to have to do that — beat a southern hemisphere team outside of Dublin,” said Easterby, Ireland’s forwards coach.
“So we need to start to build that now, not in three years’ time when it comes to the World Cup. That’s got to be something that we’re striving towards now. Those home games are slightly different than when you tour as well. It’s a different mentality but a fantastic challenge for everybody.”
Easterby has first-hand experience of facing the Boks in their own backyard, having played in both Tests during the 2004 tour: “The players will find out, certainly when they arrive in Newlands, what it means. It’s a great place to not only go and watch a match, but to play in. It’s incredible.
“The whole country will get behind the Springboks as well. They’ve got a new head coach and with that comes a lot of expectation probably from the people but an excitement and that’s something we’re going to be part of on the weekend, and we’re going to be part of that next week and the following week.
Simon Easterby challenges South Africa’s Jacques Cronje during Ireland’s 31-17 defeat in Bloemfontein. Source: INPHO
“The players understand it’s going to be different to what we’ve been used to. The Six Nations is an incredible tournament with a lot of parochial rivalry, but down here we’re coming into their backyard and we’re a long way from home.
“We want to come here and lay down a marker and make a statement over the next three weeks. I’m sure individuals will want to do that; those that get selected for the first Test and the squad as a whole want to leave here feeling like we’ve achieved something.”
Shorn of Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier, Easterby has some adjusting to do in the back-row, with CJ Stander, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Sean Reidy and Jamie Heaslip all eyeing up a spot.
Getting the right combination at lock will be paramount to success in this series, with Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Donnacha Ryan, Quinn Roux and Ultan Dillane on board. Certainly, Ireland’s lineout — which stuttered at times during the Six Nations — will need to be near flawless against the Boks in the coming weeks.
“You’ve got to look at it in a number of ways — one is that we have to make sure that we secure our set-piece both at scrum and lineout, so you have got to have the right combinations,” said the former Ireland flanker. “We probably went to CJ quite a bit in the Six Nations and he wouldn’t be well-known in his Munster jersey for winning a huge amount of lineout ball, but we’ve had to adapt a little bit to what we’ve done in the past.
“We certainly didn’t have a perfect lineout in the Six Nations, but I think we started to see a bit of development of Dev in his calling. Unfortunately Leinster missed him in the [Pro12] final, he’s got good composure and not a lot rattles him; he’s pretty level-headed. But then below that we also need to develop other players in that calling.
Ultan Dillane speaking to the press in Cape Town yesterday. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
“There are other really capable players like Hendy, Donners has a wealth of experience in there as well and then you’ve got players who can probably do other jobs that some of the others probably couldn’t do, like Ultan in particular who had a fantastic end to the season. Quinn didn’t get a lot of rugby but he has the ability to grow and seeing him in this environment is really good for us.
“So, I think combinations are important; getting the combination between scrum and lineout and what you need there is vital. You might not be able to pick two similar players sometimes, you’ve got to get a little bit of a balance between what one gives you and what another doesn’t. I think all of those things come into the selection conundrum. It’s good having the five guys as options, but it’s important that this week we get our selection right up against a really effective defensive lineout.”
Toner and Ryan finished the Six Nations as Ireland’s first-choice lock pairing, but Dillane’s form has impossible to ignore in recent months while Henderson has returned to add his explosiveness to the Irish forward effort.
For Easterby, Henderson’s return is a timely boost ahead of what will be a bruising three-Test campaign: “He played all of his rugby at number six at the end of the season, but just having him back… he probably needed four or five games — didn’t he? — just to get back up and you saw some of his barnstorming runs towards the back-end of the season was certainly something that any team would want in their side. And that for us is a real positive. He’s a big man, he’s explosive, he’s powerful.
“We talked about experience, he’s got to step up now and other players have to step up and take the mantle on of players that we maybe don’t have anymore. That’s part of your evolution as a team. You can’t look back because we’ll never move forward if we do that. You’ve got to just keep driving those players like Hendy, like Ultan, to really push the others and make sure that they start to put their stamp on their positions when they get the opportunity.”
No better time to do it.
Ireland U20s unleashed a jaw-dropping series of offloads to score today’s winning try5 men who made all the difference as Ireland U20s roared back from 17 down to beat Wales
IRELAND’S YOUNG RUGBY stars got off to a terrific start in the World Rugby U20 Championship this week coming from 17 points down to beat Grand Slam winners Wales.
However, there’s one big foreboding black cloud on the horizon. Tomorrow (13.30) Nigel Carolan’s Wolfpups go up against the always-formidable New Zealand.
The ‘Baby Blacks’ have been encountered five times by Ireland in this tournament since 2008 — all five were lost. The most recent two meetings at this grade have ended in 22-point defeats, and they were arguably improvements on the first two humbling outings.
In 2013 though, Mike Ruddock’s team gave the Baby Blacks their closest shave at Irish hands. Battering at the door of victory until the whistle blew for a 31 – 26 New Zealand win.
Source: World Rugby/YouTube
Now a senior Test international openside, Josh van der Flier (and his trademark red scrum cap) led the pack’s efforts and with Connacht’s Darragh Leader, Munster’s Rory Scannell, Ulster’s Rory Scholes and Leinster’s Luke McGrath back-line, Ireland were able to attack with a high tempo to stay in touch with the southern hemisphere’s best.
Ireland U20 v New Zealand U20, 2013
–
Against New Zealand, there will always be a period when you have to hang in there and hope to make the most of any error, any scraps thrown your way. Centre Thomas Farrell got his foot to a loose pass in the first half and broke clear to ground an intercept try that ensured Ireland were well in touch at 11 – 11 with the halfway mark in sight.
However, the Kiwis made hay while Farrell was in the sin-bin after a yellow card on the stroke of half-time. And after the restart they tagged on two tries with the centre still cooling off. First, Highlanders’ Jason Emery made the most of the open space before Scarlets’ Michael Collins sent hooker Epalahame Faiva in.
Auckland Blues’ Lolagi Visinia underlined the Baby Black advantage with a tackle-busting run to the line and Faiva completed his double off a short line-out.
Three tries conceded in the same left corner in the space of nine minutes. Ireland looked well and truly burned off with the scoreboard suddenly showing a chasm at 31 – 11.
Yet back they came.
Rory Scannell on the attack. Source: Gwénaël Mahé/INPHO
An excellent 58th minute attack started by Scannell’s pass and Farrell’s break laid the platform for a fluid move finished by Leavy after Scholes had fixed the last defender to feed his blindside.
Ireland felt the force of momentum in their favour after that and with Steve Crosbie probing for openings, replacement prop Ed Byrne had the power to get within touching distance of the line.
The long arm of Ed Byrne. Source: Gwénaël Mahé/INPHO
Scannell added the conversion and then a penalty to bring Ireland within five points of a New Zealand side down to 14 men for the final 10 minutes.
But the brilliant Hurricanes back row Ardie Savea helped the black wall to stand firm despite Ireland’s effort to crank up the pressure. And having started his day with a try, All Black and Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu settled the outcome by forcing a timely penalty inside his own 22 on the last play of the game.
Source: Michel Renac/INPHO
Coming within 20 metres of the winning line, it was unquestionably the best of the bunch of Ireland’s efforts against New Zealand at age grade.
The first clash in the 2008 tournament saw the villain of the senior Test in November 2013, Ryan Crotty, get his first taste of tormenting Ireland as he routinely punched holes in the defensive line and helped the Baby Blacks – who had Connacht’s Ulster-bound prop Rodney Ah You, Zac Guildford, Sean Maitland and Quentin MacDonald in their ranks — run in six tries in a 65 – 10 win.
Ireland’s backline that day contained Ian Madigan, Eamon Sheridan, Eoin O’Malley and Niall Morris, who were unable to put up much of a resistance to the eventual champions, trailing 45 -3 before Lansdowne number eight Patrick Mallon forced his way over.
Big names
In 2009, Ireland went to Japan with Conor Murray watching from the bench as Connacht wing Matt Healy played scrum-half. Ian Madigan was shifted to fullback to allow Ian McKinley pull the strings and Dave Kearney was outside the late Nevin Spence who played outside centre.
A host of big names certainly left the the young New Zealanders frustrated, but in a game full of missed penalties, Ireland were unable to register a point and Aaron Cruden’s side eventually pulled clear to a 17 – 0 win.
The four-year gap between meetings with the southern hemisphere powerhouse seemed to do wonders for confidence in the class off 2013. But some more recent crops have acquitted themselves relatively well too — albeit en route to those 22-point losses.
Two years ago, an excellent Irish group including current Leinster regulars Garry Ringrose, Peter Dooley and Ross Molony forced their way to a 21 – 23 half-time advantage in the third place play-off.
However, the Kiwi side – featuring current Super Rugby livewire Damian McKenzie, Blues wing Tevita Li and Crusaders’ Richie Mo’Unga – roared back in their final 40 minutes of the tournament. Li and Mo’Unga both scored twice to well and truly cancel out two hard-won tries and Ross Byrne’s three penalties.
Only Jacob Stockdale, Andrew Porter and Adam McBurney return as older, wiser men after last year’s contest when Kiwi-born Clontarf tyro Joey Carbery notched Ireland’s only score in a 25 -3 loss.
Viewed as a whole, the graph shows an improvement in green fortunes over the years. The 2016 vintage look in great shape after their thrilling win over Wales, but can they go one better than 2013 and cause another, far bigger upset in their second fixture?
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Clonmel man Johnston eager to take on world champions New ZealandAnalysis: New Springbok faces Mapoe and de Klerk a danger to Schmidt’s Ireland
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LEINSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that their preparations for the new season will begin with matches at Navan RFC and at Tallaght Stadium, the home ground of League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers.
Leo Cullen’s men, who lost the final of the Pro12 to Connacht at the end of May, will take on fellow Pro12 side Ulster in Navan on Saturday 13 August, before facing Premiership outfit Gloucester seven days later in Tallaght.
Leinster’s final pre-season fixture will take place in the more familiar surroundings of the RDS Arena, where they take on Bath on Friday 26 August, who they were paired with in last season’s Champions Cup pool stages.
Leinster will be eagerly awaiting the draw for the Champions Cup which will take place on 29 June, with the fixtures for the Pro12 to follow a couple of weeks later.
The fixture list in full:
Leinster v Ulster, Saturday 13 August, Navan RFC (Kick Off: 3.00pm)
Leinster v Gloucester, Saturday 20 August, Tallaght Stadium (Kick Off: 3.00pm)
Leinster v Bath, Friday 26 August, RDS Arena (Kick Off: 7.30pm)
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THE WORLD RUGBY Sevens Series and Dublin appear tailor-made for each other.
It would need to be a summertime event to increase the chances of the sun showing up, but it is not difficult to imagine the fun-loving Series stopping off in the Irish capital and being welcomed with open arms by an equally fun-loving home crowd.
Sevens certainly has a way to go to become part of the sporting furniture on these shores, but there is a growing curiosity in the seven-player code.
Louise Galvin has been appointed to Rugby Players Ireland’s executive board. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
Louise Galvin, part of the Ireland Women’s Sevens squad since 2015, feels that another few big achievements in the coming months could push the piqued interest levels to a head.
The Ireland Men’s Sevens team recently qualified as a core team on the World Series and they will have an opportunity to secure Olympic qualification this summer.
The women’s side – who are already on the Series – have an even greater chance of qualifying into the 2020 Tokyo Games and Galvin senses that Irish sevens rugby is on the cusp of something big.
“I still think it’s a bit of a sleeping giant in this country,” says Galvin, who has just been appointed to the executive board of Rugby Players Ireland.
“Sevens is not a sport I knew a lot about before I started playing but once you get into it, you’re hooked. It’s so entertaining and so exciting to play… well, it’s horrific to play but there’s some sort of a drug-like adrenaline buzz with it. I really think Ireland could look towards hosting something.
“If we have two teams on the Series, I think down the line Ireland hosting a World Sevens Series event isn’t beyond the realms of possibility. It’s something that the Irish public would really enjoy because we’re a rugby-loving nation and a craic-loving nation.”
Galvin and her Ireland team-mates finished seventh at last weekend’s Japan leg of the World Series – having earned a first-ever semi-final in Sydney in February – leaving them sixth in the overall rankings with two legs left in Canada and France.
At the end of June, Ireland face into the Rugby Europe Grand Prix in France, before they get their shot at qualifying for the Olympics in Kazan, Russia from 13 to 14 July.
Ireland celebrate a win at last year’s World Cup in San Francisco. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland
Only the winner of that qualification tournament advances to the Olympics, although the second and third-place finishers move onto a final repechage qualifier in 2020.
Encouragingly, a further two teams will qualify from that repechage into the Olympics, leaving Ireland with a strong chance of claiming an Olympic spot – whether it comes in July or next year.
“The Olympics would be huge because it’s a point of difference,” says Galvin.
“The Olympics captures the nation’s attention and if we have a team involved that people could follow, the Wicklow crowd getting behind Lucy Mulhall, the Dubs getting behind Hannah Tyrrell and the Tipp crowd getting behind Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe, it would just build from that.
“Once we get into it, fingers crossed, there’s absolutely every possibility of medalling. That’s just dream stuff.”
Reflecting the fact that Ireland are so keen to be part of the Olympics next year is the fact that the IRFU employs Galvin and 11 other players on ‘full-time’ sevens contracts.
There have been some questions around what ‘full-time’ actually means, given that Galvin – a physiotherapist – and others have continued working in other jobs on a part-time basis.
While Galvin says training commitments haven’t changed much since she and her team-mates got full-time deals – “you can only train so many hours a day” – the move has been welcomed by players.
Galvin has also played for Ireland in 15s. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
“We’re official employees of the IRFU. What’s particularly nice about it as well – for an institution that sometimes maybe cops a bit of bad press about male and female and gender equality – is that our men’s squad are on the exact same contracts as us.
“We train together, we share the same staff, eat the same food. We work really well together; if players are injured they’re doing skills together. One of the men’s squad could be doing kick-offs and I’ll be catching, we’re not kept apart.
“That kind of inclusivity has maybe helped foster some of the success amongst the squads in the last few months and the IRFU have to be commended on that as well.”
Galvin feels that full-time contracts also show the public that sevens rugby is a genuine pathway, although she is hopeful that the value of the deals will grow in the coming seasons.
“Obviously, the men’s 15s are the squad that makes the predominant amount of cash and unfortunately the [sevens] contracts don’t allow you to save for a wedding or that sort of thing. Some players choose to work part-time and some don’t.
“I choose to do that because I want to keep my professional competencies up and earn that extra bit of cash,” continues Galvin, who stresses that rugby is “absolutely the number one priority” for her.
“Hopefully, the contracts will grow so that people don’t have to work part-time or worry about getting off a plane at 8 o’clock on a Monday evening after a leg of the Series and be working on Tuesday morning on a rest day and then working on their weekend off.
“That’s a choice but ideally the contracts will grow along with the performances, aligned with Olympic qualification and even things like the men getting on the Series and the whole sport growing.”
Ciara Griffin, Rob Kearney and Greg O’Shea are also part of the RPI executive board. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
Balancing rugby and physiotherapy, as well as her life outside work, can be a challenge but Galvin points to the good work Rugby Players Ireland do in this regard.
Having served as a player rep for the past 18 months, Galvin is delighted to have joined the executive board along with men’s 7s international Greg O’Shea, Women’s 15s captain Ciara Griffin and Maura Quinn.
“Rugby Players Ireland get that you want to be the best athlete you can be, but also that you need to continue a parallel life because it’s not going to be forever,” says Galvin.
“On a day when three females are elected, it’s nice to think you might be breaking a glass ceiling that is there. We’re not here to fill any gender quotas. We’re here to fulfil our role and we’re here on merit. We’re looking forward to it.”
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Andy Dunne to get stuck into last weekend’s Champions Cup semi-finals.:
Source: The42 Rugby Weekly/SoundCloud
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SOUTH AFRICA’S Golden Lions became the first team to secure a Super Rugby play-off berth at the weekend while the New Zealand and Australia conferences remained too close to call.
With only two rounds left in the regular season, the Lions’ 37-10 victory over the Coastal Sharks in Johannesburg gave them an unassailable 12-point lead in the Africa 2 conference.
It was not a perfect performance and the Lions drew criticism from stand-in captain Jaco Kriel for going off the boil in the second half.
But the five-try, bonus-point, triumph was enough to also propel them to the top of the overall ladder with 47 points.
The Western Stormers have all but wrapped up the Africa 1 group, drawing nine points clear of the Northern Bulls.
Source: All Blacks/YouTube
However, New Zealand’s top four — Waikato Chiefs, Canterbury Crusaders, Wellington Hurricanes and Otago Highlanders — are stacked up on 46, 45, 44 and 43 points respectively.
The Chiefs proved too good for previous competition leaders Crusaders with a 23-13 win in Fiji, the Hurricanes came from behind to beat the Auckland Blues 37-27 while the Highlanders downed the Southern Kings 48-18.
In Australia, the ACT Brumbies remain ahead of the NSW Waratahs on points differential only after both sides bagged bonus point wins.
The Lions led the Sharks 27-0 at half-time and stretched the advantage to 37 points at Ellis Park before a Sharks revival produced two tries.
Kriel, skippering the Lions in the absence of injured No. 8 Warren Whiteley, said being good for 60 minutes would not be good enough in the play-offs.
“We took our foot off the pedal in the final 20 minutes and that was cause for concern. In the knockout stages, the last quarter often determines which team triumphs,” he said.
– Battle for supremacy –
The Chiefs not only beat the Crusaders for the second time this year but they also went top of the New Zealand conference when an 80th minute penalty by fullback Damian McKenzie denied the Crusaders a consolation bonus point.
In the battle for overall supremacy, the Lions are still to play the lowly Southern Kings and Jaguares, the Chiefs face the Queensland Reds and Highlanders while the Crusaders are yet to play the Melbourne Rebels and Wellington Hurricanes.
The ‘Canes moved to one point behind the Crusaders with a late burst including two tries to Vaea Fifita to beat the Auckland Blues 37-27 after trailing 27-17 early in the second half.
In the tightly-contested Australian conference, the injection of Argentine scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli off the bench in the second half sparked the Brumbies to a 43-24 win over the Queensland Reds in Canberra.
But the six-tries-to-three bonus point performance was not enough to pull them clear of the Waratahs who scored nine tries when they dominated the Sunwolves 57-12.
The Stormers were also in bonus-point form when they beat the Rebels 57-31 in Melbourne, while their nearest rivals in the Africa 1 conference, the Bulls, were upset 29-11 by the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.
The reigning champions Highlanders stayed in contention in the New Zealand conference when they scored four late tries for a flattering 48-18 victory over the Kings.
Source: SANZAAR/YouTube
In Bloemfontein, the Central Cheetahs pipped the Western Force 30-29, with both sides already too far down the table to make the finals.
Source: SANZAAR/YouTube
– © AFP, 2016
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Irish gymnast Ellis O’Reilly practices in Rio ahead of the Olympic Games. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
HomeIrish Olympic boxer Michael O’Reilly has failed a doping test.It’s been confirmed that the Aviva Stadium will host Dundalk’s Champions League play-off.A number of Ireland’s boxers have received a bye in the Olympics draw.GAA handball legend Michael ‘Ducksy’ Walsh has passed away at the age of 50.The GAA today revealed their plans for reform of the All-Ireland football championships.AwayBastian Schweinsteiger should file a complaint against his treatment at Manchester United and “seek a penalty” for Jose Mourinho, according to a leading figure at FIFPro.
Russia’s boxers have been cleared to fight at Rio 2016.Wasps have signed South African international Willie le Roux ahead of the new season.Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is coming out of retirement to fight the WBO champion, according to his manager.Nike has announced its intention to exit the golf equipment business.The Best Thing We Shared
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On The Record
Former Irish boxer Mick Dowling on Michael O’Reilly’s failed drugs test.
Where we were today
Fintan O’Toole was in attendance as the GAA revealed its football championship reform plans, while Sinead O’Carroll and Niall Kelly are in Rio ahead of the Olympics.
The Fixture ListCork are one of the many teams in action in the Europa League this evening. You can follow all the action here.The Olympic Games’ opening ceremony begins at midnight Irish time on Friday night/Saturday morning, while there are two soccer matches tomorrow, including Japan v Nigeria.There are five Airtricity League Premier Division games taking place on Friday evening. Dundalk, fresh from their Champions League success, face a trip to Galway. The Championship gets back underway, as Newcastle face Fulham tomorrow.Showbiz, Baby!
Jeremy Menez suffered a gruesome ear injury on his Bordeaux debut.
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QUADE COOPER HAS been thrown a Test lifeline after being recalled to the Australian backline for the second Bledisloe Cup tie against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday morning.
Source: David Davies
It will be the Toulon-based Cooper’s first game at any level since April and his first Test since the Wallabies played Uruguay 11 months ago during the World Cup.
New Zealand-born Cooper is loathed by New Zealand crowds and was roundly booed at the 2011 World Cup after several run-ins with Richie McCaw, but is respected by the All Blacks themselves.
“Quade’s a good player,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.
“He gets maligned a wee bit over here because of a few incidents with Richie and we’re not too forgiving on people that pick on Rich — I’m talking about the fans — but within the team he’s well respected. He’s a good player so he’ll enhance them I think.”
After being embarrassed by a 42-8 thrashing on home soil in Sydney last week, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has been forced to make multiple changes for the game that doubles as a Rugby Championship match.
His cause has also not been helped by a large whole in midfield stocks with injuries to Matt Giteau, Matt Toomua and Rob Horne.
Cooper, who has 58-Tests under his belt in a chequered career, will slot into his regular out-half role, forcing 31-Test incumbent Bernard Foley to move out one to inside centre.
Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Samu Kerevi has been named outside him for his first appearance since the second Test against England in June.
Kerevi’s promotion is at the expense of Tevita Kuridrani who drops to the bench after repeated handling problems last week.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Dane Haylett-Petty and Israel Folau make up the back three.
Western Force lock Adam Coleman has earned his first start for the Wallabies after a debut off the bench in the third Test against England in June with Rob Simmons dumped from the match day 23.
Brumbies flanker Scott Fardy has also earned a re-call to the starting side while hulking Will Skelton will make his return via the bench after sitting out the opening encounter last weekend.
Melbourne Rebels’ utility Reece Hodge is in line to make his debut after being named as one of three back replacements along with Tevita Kuridrani and Nick Phipps.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika had raised the prospect of including Cooper and Hodge earlier in the week when he spoke of a need to do something “a little bit different” to cover for the list of injured centres.
“Quade’s obviously been there or thereabouts in training, Reece Hodge has also put his hand up quite well at training over the last few weeks,” Cheika said.
The last time Cooper played at out-half against the All Blacks was in Auckland last year when the Wallabies lost 41-13 — their 18th consecutive defeat in New Zealand dating back to 2001.
Australia (v New Zealand, 27 August, 08.35 Irish time)
15. Israel Folau
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
13. Samu Kerevi
12. Bernard Foley
11. Dane Haylett-Petty
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia
1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore (Capt.)
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Kane Douglas
5. Adam Coleman
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. David Pocock
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Allan Ala’alatoa, Will Skelton, Dean Mumm, Nick Phipps, Tevita Kuridrani, Reece Hodge.
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SIMON ZEBO IS expected to be unavailable for selection for five weeks after picking up an injury in Munster’s Guinness Pro12 opener last weekend.
Zebo was withdrawn after 17 minutes of Saturday’s 13-23 victory against Scarlets in Wales. The province announced this morning that the 26-year-old Corkman, who started at full-back at Parc y Scarlets, sustained a fractured rib.
Munster hooker Kevin O’Byrne is also facing a substantial spell on the sidelines. O’Byrne, who replaced Niall Scannell in the 77th minute of last weekend’s game, suffered an elbow injury and will subsequently be out of action for approximately three months.
Elsewhere, 25-year-old South African Jaco Taute will join Munster on a four-month loan deal, subject to being granted a valid work permit.
Taute, who can play at centre and full-back, won three caps for the Springboks back in 2012 — the first of which came against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship when he was 21. He also played in a win against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium that November.
The Stormers and Western Province player will bolster Munster’s options in the backline, with Francis Saili and Sam Arnold also currently unavailable to Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus.
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IRELAND AND CONNACHT prop Nathan White has been forced to retire from rugby following a concussion injury.
Ireland rugby prop Nathan White.
The announcement was made this morning by the IRFU and Connacht Rugby. White’s retirement comes on the back of medical advice after he has been sidelined since last March due to a concussion injury sustained in a game against Leinster.
White, a former Waikato captain in New Zealand, first joined Connacht in the summer of 2012. He had previously spent a season with Leinster during Joe Schmidt’s time in charge.
In total, White made 58 appearances for Connacht over the course of four campaigns. In August 2015, he made his international debut for Ireland against Scotland in the Aviva Stadium in a warm-up game before the Rugby World Cup.
White proceeded to feature in all of Ireland’s five games at the Rugby World Cup and their matches in the Six Nations last spring. He won 13 international caps for Ireland.
Nathan White with Connacht teammates Kieran Marmion, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane and Robbie Henshaw. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
In a statement released today, White – who informed his Connacht teammates of his retirement this week – expressed his disappointment but revealed he will reflect on his career ‘with a lot of pride’.
“While it’s disappointing to finish up this way and not on my own terms, I feel that I can look back at my rugby career with a lot of pride.
“I am retiring at 35 years of age and with so many great memories from my time playing in both New Zealand and Ireland.
“Myself and my family moved over here in 2011 and Galway became our home thanks to the incredible people we met, especially our neighbours in Hazelwood who are now great friends.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time playing for Connacht Rugby and I’d like to thank everyone there who welcomed us from day one – all the staff, management team, the supporters, volunteers and of course my team mates. Connacht is a unique place and I’m proud to say I was part of it all at such a special time for the club.
“I’ve worked with some great coaches here in Eric (Elwood), Dan (McFarland), Pat (Lam) and Jimmy (Duffy) to name a few.
“I’d like to thank them all as well as Warren Gatland and Ian Foster for giving me my Super Rugby start in New Zealand, Chris Gibbes for making me captain of Waikato for my last two seasons there and Craig Stevenson for his work with me as a young prop.
“Going back further, I am really grateful to all the people and coaches at the Te Awamutu Sports Rugby Club for their fantastic support as I came through the grades.
“I’d also really like to thank Joe (Schmidt) for giving me the opportunity to come here in the first place and then to play for Ireland. To have the chance to represent Ireland at the World Cup was an extremely special time in my life and something I will cherish forever.
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“There have been plenty of ups and downs, mostly with injuries, but throughout it all my wife Bronwyn has been there as a constant support.
“She moved our family to Ireland so I could play rugby and is an incredible mother to our four kids Libby, Harry and Liam and the youngest George who was born in Galway.
“My parents have been a constant source of support for me throughout my life and I’m very thankful for everything they have done for me.
“I’m not sure what exactly the future holds but I know I am really excited about it. I’ve loved my time as a player but feel I am ready to move on now and challenge myself in other ways.”
Nathan White made 58 appearances for Connacht Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Connacht Rugby CEO Willie Ruane praised White and his career.
“Nathan has been a very important part of the team and organisation over the last number of years.
“He has contributed a great deal to the culture here and has inspired so many young players with his leadership on and off the pitch.
“He will of course be sorely missed at Connacht Rugby but he can be proud of what he has achieved both here and with Ireland.
“Our best wishes are with Nathan, Bronwyn and the kids for the future and the next chapter of their lives.”
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