Ireland XV Well Beaten By England ‘A’ In Limerick

The Ireland XV struggled to contain a much more cohesive England ‘A’ team, as a tough night at the office for Cullie Tucker’s side ended in a 52-14 defeat at Thomond Park.

‘A’ INTERNATIONAL MEN’S MATCH:

Friday, February 6 –

IRELAND XV 14 ENGLAND ‘A’ 52, Thomond Park
Scorers: Ireland XV: Tries: Brian Gleeson, Joshua Kenny; Cons: Ciarán Frawley 2
England ‘A’: Tries: Ethan Roots 2, Billy Searle, Ollie Hassell-Collins 2, Harry Randall, George Kloska, Cadan Murley; Cons: Billy Searle 5, Charlie Atkinson
HT: Ireland XV 14 England ‘A’ 24

As Andy Farrell and his fellow senior coaches watched on, tries from Brian Gleeson (24 minutes) and debutant Joshua Kenny (39) got the Ireland XV into the contest but England ‘A’, who led 24-14 at half-time, were too good in wet conditions.

Their accurate passing and lines of running, all at a high tempo, delivered first-half scores from captain Ethan Roots, who was part of a well-drilled pack, Billy Searle, Ollie Hassell-Collins, and classy senior-capped scrum half Harry Randall.

Fineen Wycherley’s yellow card, soon after the restart, was punished with 14 points as George Kloska and Hassell-Collins both crossed. Ireland XV replacement Cathal Forde had a try disallowed, and Zac Ward was also denied at close range by a knock-on.

All 23 players, including Dan Kelly, the only starter retained from November’s victory over Spain, and late inclusion Jack Murphy, got game-time for Tucker’s men. They could not stop England ‘A’ underlining their superiority with further tries from Cadan Murley and Roots.

The visitors used an early scrum penalty and subsequent lineout to launch their first attack of this ‘A’ international fixture. Hassell-Collins and Kloska took them to within five metres of the Irish try-line before Kenny pounced on a loose ball for a turnover.

After Ireland XV captain Max Deegan got his fingertips to an England ‘A’ lineout, Gus McCarthy showed impressive pace on a run past halfway. However, a couple of minutes later, Shane Daly had to react quickly to bring Randall down off the back of a Jack Kenningham break.

England ‘A’ attacked hard again from the resulting five-metre scrum, and Roots was able to drive his way over from a ninth-minute ruck. Searle’s left boot made it a full seven-pointer, with the forecasted rain leading to more kicking when play resumed.

Kenny had to cover across to the opposite wing to deal with Murley’s kick chase threat, but the home side were 12 points by the end of the opening quarter. Searle darted over on the short side after his pack had earned scrum and maul penalties.

Tarek Haffar’s high tackle on Fintan Gunne led to bout of pressure from the Ireland XV forwards, with Wycherley held up during a penalty advantage. Following two five-metre taps from McCarthy, Gleeson did well to ground the ball with support from Deegan.

Crucially though, England ‘A’ were getting over the gainline with regularity and generating quick ruck ball. Hassell-Collins’ 29th-minute score in the left corner was set up by a good link-up between Jamie Blamire and Orlando Bailey, before Randall provided a swift assist for the winger.

Just when Bryn Ward gave Tucker’s charges some momentum with a powerful carry, Roots’ ball-dislodging tackle on Charlie Irvine led to Randall scampering downfield, his well-weighted kick forcing Zac Ward to concede a five-metre scrum.

The Irish defence had to deal with a series of pick and drives, holding out until player-of-the-match Randall dummied off a ruck and squeezed over the whitewash under Gleeson’s challenge. Searle slotted over his second successful conversion for a 24-7 advantage.

An opportunist late try made it a 10-point game again heading into the break. The industrious James Hume hacked the ball through after an English attack broke down, setting up Kenny for a pacy finish under the posts.

However, the Ireland XV’s hopes of drawing closer took a hit when Wycherley was sin-binned for pulling back Randall as he took a penalty quickly. The Irish defence was found wanting, tighthead Kloska finishing strongly in the 44th minute after Ben Bamber had rumbled up close.

Dan Kelly and Kenny led a counter ruck that gained a penalty, only for the subsequent lineout to misfire. England ‘A’ soon broke downfied through Murley, and when the ball was switched out to the left, Hassell-Collins had the beating of Kenny. Searle’s crisp conversion made it 38-14.

The Ireland XV hit back with a terrific run from replacement Forde, who beat four defenders from 30 metres out, including sidestepping past Murley to go in behind the posts. Frustratingly for the hosts, the Galway man’s try was chalked off for a prior knock-on by Billy Bohan.

On the hour mark, a scrum penalty gave England ‘A’ the access they wanted, and Joe Carpenter released Murley to get over in the right corner past Zac Ward. The influential Searle swept over the conversion to complete his 15-point haul.

Ulster development lock Irvine had some good moments, stealing a lineout and also disrupting the English maul. The Ireland XV had chances to end their scoreless second half run, especially with replacement Sean Jansen and the Ward brothers carrying more of a threat with ball in hand.

Winger Ward looked destined to score, having broken the first tackle, but Carpenter’s challenge forced a knock-on close to the English whitewash. Roots completed his brace with just over a minute to go, rewarding the carrying of Kepueli Tuipulotu and Fitz Harding in the build-up.

TIME LINE: 9 minutes – England ‘A’ try: Ethan Roots – 0-5; conversion: Billy Searle – 0-7; 18 mins – England ‘A’ try: Billy Searle – 0-12; conversion: missed by Billy Searle – 0-12; 24 mins – Ireland XV try: Brian Gleeson – 5-12; conversion: Ciarán Frawley – 7-12; 29 mins – England ‘A’ try: Ollie Hassell-Collins – 7-17; conversion: missed by Billy Searle – 7-17; 36 mins – England ‘A’ try: Harry Randall – 7-22; conversion: Billy Searle – 7-24; 39 mins – Ireland XV try: Joshua Kenny – 12-24; conversion: Ciarán Frawley – 14-24; Half-time – Ireland XV 14 England ‘A’ 24; 43 mins – Ireland XV yellow card: Fineen Wycherley; 44 mins – England ‘A’ try: George Kloska – 14-29; conversion: Billy Searle – 14-31; 51 mins – England ‘A’ try: Ollie Hassell-Collins – 14-36; conversion: Billy Searle – 14-38; 62 mins – England ‘A’ try: Cadan Murley – 14-43; conversion: Billy Searle – 14-45; 79 mins – England ‘A’ try: Ethan Roots – 14-50; conversion: Charlie Atkinson – 14-52; Full-time – Ireland XV 14 England ‘A’ 52

IRELAND XV: Shane Daly (Cork Constitution FC/Munster); Joshua Kenny (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), James Hume (Instonians RFC/Ulster), Dan Kelly (Munster), Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster); Ciarán Frawley (UCD RFC/Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster), Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster RFC/Munster), Max Deegan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) (capt), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster).

Replacements used: Sean Jansen (Connacht) for Gleeson, Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht) for Wilson (both 47 mins), Cathal Forde (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for Kelly, Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for Gunne, Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster) for Wycherley (all 53), Sam Crean (Ulster) for Bohan, Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen FC/Munster) for McCarthy (both 57), Jack Murphy (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Frawley (64), Wilson for Aungier (69).

ENGLAND ‘A’: Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks); Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Orlando Bailey (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers); Billy Searle (Leicester Tigers), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears); Tarek Haffar (Leicester Tigers), Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Ben Bamber (Sale Sharks), Joe Batley (Bristol Bears), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs) (capt), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins).

Replacements used: Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks) for Randall, Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester) for Kloska (both 50 mins), Archie van der Flier (Leicester Tigers) for Haffar (56), Fitz Harding (Bristol Bears) for Kenningham (59), Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath) for Blamire, Hugh Tizard (Saracens) for Bamber (both 63), George Hendy (Northampton Saints) for Northmore (64), Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester) for Searle (69).

Referee: Benoit Rousselet (FFR)