Six Changes To Emerging Ireland Team
The Emerging Ireland team to play the South Africa President’s XV in their second match of the IRB Tbilisi Cup has been named by head coach Allen Clarke.
The Emerging Ireland management have made six changes – three in the backs and three in the forwards – to the side that the 20-15 victory over host nation Georgia last Friday.
Niall Annett has been promoted from the replacements bench to join Jack McGrath and Michael Bent in the front row with Ian Nagle linking up with his Munster colleague David Foley in the second row.
Leinster’s Jordi Murphy makes his first start of the tournament alongside Emerging ireland captain Rhys Ruddock and Robbie Diack in the back row.
A freshened-up centre pairing sees Noel Reid make his first start in Georgia alongside fellow Leinster back Brendan Macken and John Cooney takes over from Michael Heaney at scrum half.
Munster’s David O’Callaghan has been brought into to the squad as a replacement for Lewis Stevenson who has returned home due to illness. O’Callaghan has been named on the bench for the clash with the South Africans.
Tuesday’s match will be streamed live on the IRB website, and sees the winning sides from the opening round go head to head. The South Africa President’s XV claimed a bonus point when defeating Uruguay 37-9.
EMERGING IRELAND Team & Replacements (v South Africa President’s XV, IRB Tbilisi Cup, Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Tuesday, June 11, kick-off 5pm local time/2pm Irish time):
15 – David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
14 – Niall Morris (Leicester Tigers/Exile) *
13 – Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
12 – Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster) *
11 – Tiernan O’Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht) *
10 – Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
9 – John Cooney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
1 – Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) *
2 – Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
3 – Michael Bent (Leinster)
4 – David Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
5 – Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
6 – Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt)
7 – Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
8 – Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) *
Replacements:
16 – Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *
17 – Richard Lutton (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
18 – David O’Callaghan (Dolphin/Munster) *
19 – Eoin McKeon (Galwegians/Connacht) *
20 – Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
21 – Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht) *
22 – Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
* Denotes uncapped player
EMERGING IRELAND RESULTS/FIXTURES – IRB TBILISI CUP:
Friday, June 7: Georgia 15 Emerging Ireland 20, Avchala Stadium
Tuesday, June 11: Emerging Ireland v South Africa President’s XV, Avchala Stadium, 5pm local time/2pm Irish time
Sunday, June 16: Uruguay v Emerging Ireland, Avchala Stadium, 4pm local time/1pm Irish time