Draw Made For 2006 Churchill Cup

Ireland ‘A’ have been pooled with the New Zealand Maori and hosts USA for next summer’s six-team Churchill Cup tournament.

Anthony Horgan during Ireland ‘A”s 15-9 win over France ‘A’ last March

Ireland ‘A’ have been pooled with the New Zealand Maori and hosts USA for next summer’s six-team Churchill Cup tournament.

Michael Bradley’s outfit will face the US Eagles on Saturday, June 3, and the Maori, the 2004 winners, on Saturday, June 10. Both Pool A ties will be staged in San Francisco.

Cup holders England ‘A’ will square off against Canada and Scotland ‘A’ in Pool B.

Ireland’s first ever involvement in the Churchill Cup, which comes to a climax with three finals at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, June 17, crowns the busiest season for the ‘A’ squad for some time.

Coach Bradley also has to negotiate three RBS Six Nations fixtures against France (away), Scotland (home) and England (away) in the spring. France were beaten 15-9 at Donnybrook last March in the ‘A’ squad’s only fixture of the 2004/05 season.

The Churchill Cup runs simultaneously with Ireland’s summer tour which will see Eddie O’Sullivan’s senior squad taking on Australia (June 10) and New Zealand twice (June 17, 24).

All nine matches of the 2006 Churchill Cup will be broadcast live by Sky Sports.

2006 Churchill Cup Fixtures:

Saturday, June 3 –
England ‘A’ v Scotland ‘A’, Toronto
USA v Ireland ‘A’, San Francisco

Wednesday, June 7 –
Canada v Scotland ‘A’, Ottawa
USA v New Zealand Maori, San Francisco

Saturday June 10 –
Canada v England ‘A’, Toronto
New Zealand Maori v Ireland ‘A’, San Francisco

Saturday, June 17 –
All three finals, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton