A victory over their Scottish counterparts at Temple Hill would complete a two-match winning season for Paul Cunningham’s Ireland Club XV, seeing them match the achievements of the 2011 and 2014 teams coached by David O’Mahony and Tom Tierney respectively.
ULSTER BANK CLUB INTERNATIONAL MATCH: Friday, March 18
IRELAND CLUB XV v SCOTLAND CLUBS, Temple Hill, Cork, 7.30pm
Team News: Ireland Club XV head coach Paul Cunningham has made four changes in personnel for tonight’s eagerly-awaited Ulster Bank Club International match on Leeside. The Ulster Bank League players were victorious in their last outing when they defeated France Fédérale 16-12 in Massy last month.
Clontarf centre Matt D’Arcy will captain the side for the fourth time. He again forms the centre partnership with UCD skipper Stephen Murphy.
The back-three is made up of Old Belvedere full-back Daniel Riordan and Lansdowne’s Mark Roche andJames McInerney of Garryowen on the wings.
Lansdowne ace Scott Deasy, who kicked 11 points in that victory in France, resumes his role at out-half and is partnered at half-back by Garryowen’s Neil Cronin, whose brother Sean was among Ireland’s try scorers against Italy last Saturday.
In the pack, Ian Prendiville of Lansdowne is joined by newly-introduced Cork Constitution duo Max Abbott and Ger Sweeney in the front row, with St. Mary’s lock Ciaran Ruddock, brother of senior international Rhys Ruddock, partnered by Lansdowne’s Philip Donnellan in the engine room.
Donnellan’s club-mate Charlie Butterworth is part of an unchanged back row alongside Ballynahinch’s Paul Pritchard and the Leinster-capped Tony Ryan from current Division 1A leaders Clontarf.
The replacements are provided from five clubs – the front row cover sees props Declan Lavery (Old Belvedere) and Brian McGovern (St. Mary’s) joined by Dublin University hooker Patrick Finlay.
Ballymena’s Connor Smyth covers second row and his club-mate Rodger McBurney covers the outside backs. Dublin University provide half-back cover through Angus Lloyd and Jack McDermott. John Fitzgerald of Dolphin is the reserve back rower on the bench.
The players will wear their club socks for tonight’s game which will kick off at 7.30pm. Tickets – priced at €;10 for adults and €;5 for children – are available at the gate or from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, Ticketmaster on Merchant’s Quay, Cork, and Finn’s Corner – on the corner of Grand Parade & Washington Street.
Meanwhile, Scotland Club XV and Heriot’s head coach Phil Smith has largely kept faith with the team that claimed a very impressive 57-27 win over England Counties at Netherdale last month.
The only alterations see Lewis Carmichael from Melrose coming in as a new cap in the second-row and Jack Turley from Heriot’s moving to the back row..
Smith could also award a new cap off the bench with Currie’s Alistair Hamilton brought in as the reserve loosehead prop. The impressive front-row combination from Ayr, Hawick and Melrose retain their places with George Hunter, Ross Graham and Nick Beavon packing down together.
Ayr’s Robert McAlpine joins Carmichael in the second row and Turley takes the blindside flanker berth with Ayr’s Will Bordill at openside. Following an impressive debut against England Counties, Ayr’s Peter McCallum will anchor the scrum from number 8.
Paddy Boyer from Glasgow Hawks and Hawick’s Lee Armstrong will once again feature at half-back. Melrose’s Fraser Thomson retains the number 15 shirt with Boroughmuir’s Jordan Edmunds, who bagged a brace against England, joining Sam Pecquer from Melrose to provide pace on the left and right wings respectively.
Captain Ross Curle, who lifted the Dalriada Cup after last year’s 23-18 win over Ireland in Galashiels, joins Brendan McGroarty from Glasgow Hawks in the centre to complete the back-line.
IRELAND CLUB XV: Daniel Riordan (Old Belvedere); James McInerney (Garryowen), Stephen Murphy (UCD), Matt D’Arcy (Clontarf) (capt), Mark Roche (Lansdowne); Scott Deasy (Lansdowne), Neil Cronin (Garryowen); Ian Prendiville (Lansdowne), Max Abbott (Cork Constitution), Ger Sweeney (Cork Constitution), Ciaran Ruddock (St. Mary’s College), Philip Donnellan (Lansdowne), Charlie Butterworth (Lansdowne), Paul Pritchard (Ballynahinch), Tony Ryan (Clontarf).
Replacements: Paddy Finlay (Dublin University), Declan Lavery (Old Belvedere), Brian McGovern (St. Mary’s College), Connor Smyth (Ballymena), John Fitzgerald (Dolphin), Angus Lloyd (Dublin University), Jack McDermott (Dublin University), Rodger McBurney (Ballymena).
SCOTLAND CLUBS: Fraser Thomson (Melrose); Sam Pecquer (Melrose), Ross Curle (Ayr) (capt), Brendan McGroarty (Glasgow Hawks), Jordan Edmunds (Boroughmuir); Lee Armstrong (Hawick), Paddy Boyer (Glasgow Hawks); George Hunter (Ayr), Ross Graham (Hawick), Nick Beavon (Melrose), Robert McAlpine (Ayr), Lewis Carmichael (Melrose), Jack Turley (Heriot’s), Will Bordill (Ayr), Peter McCallum (Ayr).
Replacements: Michael Liness (Heriot’s), Alistair Hamilton (Heriot’s), Jamie Bhatti (Melrose), Russell Nimmo (Heriot’s), Neil Irvine-Hess (Melrose), George Graham (Gala), Cameron Ferguson (Heriot’s), Harvey Elms (Currie).
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Eddie Hogan O’Connell, Rob O’Sullivan (both Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes – Scott Deasy (Ireland Club XV): “Hopefully there’s a good reception for the Irish lads down in Cork, and a big crowd comes out and watches us hopefully get another win.
“I think the club side have played there twice now in the last three or four years. I wasn’t involved, but I think they’ve had a couple of positive results down there in some tricky conditions. Hopefully we can keep the run going, and get the win again.
“We didn’t have that much time together as a team (before the French game last month). A limited number of training sessions, and we’re all obviously new combinations, but I thought we came together quite well on the night. Our structures were pretty solid, both defensively and offensively.
“It was great to get the win over there. We’ve created a really good atmosphere within the squad. We all came together for the green jersey rather than having club rivalries brought into the environment and we’ve gelled well.”
Phil Smith (Scotland Clubs): “We have been training well ahead of our fixture against Ireland Club XV, we have a lot of experience in the squad which will be vital come Friday’s game.
“Ross Curle, as captain, and Fraser Thomson at full-back, have both been involved for a number of seasons and will encourage the squad to secure their second victory to remain unbeaten this year, something which has never been achieved.”
Ireland Club XV: Recent Matches –
2014: Ireland Club XV 28 Scotland Club XV 3, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC; England Counties 22 Ireland Club XV 23, Northern Echo Arena, Darlington Mowden Park RFC
2015: Scotland Club XV 23 Ireland Club XV 18, Netherdale, Gala RFC; Ireland Club XV 12 France Federale 37, Aviva Stadium
2016: France Federale 12 Ireland Club XV 16, Stade Jules Ladoumègue, Massy
This website uses cookies.
Read More