The Ireland Club XV take a three-point aggregate lead into tonight’s Dalriada Cup decider at Netherdale, as the leading players from the Ulster Bank League and Scotland’s BT Premiership meet for the second time in the space of three weeks.
ULSTER BANK CLUB INTERNATIONAL MATCH: Friday, March 16
SCOTLAND CLUBS (23) v IRELAND CLUB XV (26), Netherdale, Gala RFC, 7.30pm
Team News: The Ireland Club team, sponsored by Ulster Bank, has been selected for their second and final game against Scotland at Netherdale in Galashiels tonight.
Head coach Morgan Lennon and assistant coach Johne Murphy have made three personnel changes – and a number of positional switches – to the side that won the opening fixture 26-23 at Dubarry Park almost three weeks ago.
Terenure College captain Robbie Smyth comes into the side for his first Ireland Club XV cap and forms the front row with Old Wesley’s Cronan Glesson and Young Munster tighthead Colm Skehan. Clontarf skipper Ben Reilly has also been added to the second row, packing down alongside Terenure’s Alex Thompson.
Thompson’s club-mate Michael Melia, who was the man-of-the-match for Ireland in Athlone last month, moves from the engine room to blindside flanker, with Lansdowne’s Jack Dwan and number 8 Michael Noone from Clontarf completing the back row.
The Ireland Club XV will again be captained by goal-kicking scrum half Neil Cronin, who is joined by his Garryowen colleague Jamie Gavin at half-back. Matt D’Arcy, who bagged his eighth league try of the campaign for Clontarf last weekend, and Cork Constitution’s 2017 league title-winning captain Niall Kenneally continue together in midfield.
There is an all-Lansdowne back-three for the return leg in Galashiels as full-back Eamonn Mills – the third personnel change – links up with Daniel McEvoy, the scorer of the match-winning try in the first game, and Harry Brennan.
The visitors’ bench includes two Ireland Club XV debutants in Cashel prop James Kendrick and Naas winger/full-back Fionn Higgins. This is the twelfth season of the Club international fixture between Ireland and Scotland, and as it stands, Ireland’s record is seven wins and five defeats.
The sides are competing for the Dalriada Cup, which was first introduced in 2011, and the Scottish side have lifted the trophy on the last two occasions – 2015 at Netherdale and 2016 at Temple Hill.
Ticket’s for this evening’s Club International match at Netherdale are on sale now, available through Gala Rugby Club or online here. Under-18 tickets are free, adults gain admission for £12, and there are concessions (seniors and students) for £5.
Meanwhile, in the first of two changes to the Scotland selection, Currie Chieftains back rower Thomas Gordon comes into the team to start on the openside flank, with Jack Turley from Heriot’s moving to number 8 to replace the injured Pete McCallum.
Melrose’s George Taylor will start in the centre in place of Robbie Nelson who drops to the bench and Jamie Forbes has been added to the replacements. Forwards Jonathan Matthews and Hamish Bain could debut if called upon.
Steven Longwell and Shawn Muir pack down at prop, either side of Melrose hooker Russell Anderson. Iain Moody once again links up with Ayr’s Robert McAlpine in the engine room, while Blair MacPherson – the third Ayr clubman in the pack – combines with Gordon and Turley in the back row.
Charlie Shiel and Craig Jackson will pull the strings again through their effective half-back partnership. Taylor and the experienced Ross Curle man the midfield, and Scottish captain Fraser Thomson, who impressed with two tries in Athlone, leads the back-three alongside Jordan Edmunds and Craig Gossman.
SCOTLAND CLUBS: Fraser Thomson (Melrose) (capt); Jordan Edmunds (Boroughmuir), Ross Curle (Stirling County), George Taylor (Melrose), Craig Gossman (Ayr); Craig Jackson (Melrose), Charlie Shiel (Currie Chieftains); Shawn Muir (Hawick), Russell Anderson (Melrose), Steven Longwell (Ayr), Iain Moody (Melrose), Robert McAlpine (Ayr), Blair MacPherson (Ayr), Thomas Gordon (Currie Chieftains), Jack Turley (Heriot’s).
Replacements: Jonathan Matthews (Boroughmuir), Nick Beavon (Melrose), Struan Cessford (Heriot’s), Hamish Bain (Currie Chieftains), Ruairidh Leishman (Stirling County), Murdo McAndrew (Melrose), Jamie Forbes (Currie Chieftains), Robbie Nelson (Currie Chieftains).
IRELAND CLUB XV: Eamonn Mills (Lansdowne); Harry Brennan (Lansdowne), Niall Kenneally (Cork Constitution), Matt D’Arcy (Clontarf), Daniel McEvoy (Lansdowne); Jamie Gavin (Garryowen), Neil Cronin (Garryowen) (capt); Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Robbie Smyth (Terenure College), Colm Skehan (Young Munster), Ben Reilly (Clontarf), Alex Thompson (Terenure College), Michael Melia (Terenure College), Jack Dwan (Lansdowne), Michael Noone (Clontarf).
Replacements: Paddy Finlay (Dublin University), Tom O’Reilly (St. Mary’s College), James Kendrick (Cashel), Joe McSwiney (Cork Constitution), Paulie Tolofua (Naas), Angus Lloyd (Dublin University), Mark O’Neill (Tenenure College), Fionn Higgins (Naas).
Pre-Match Quotes – Morgan Lennon (Ireland Club XV): “There’s been a great feeling in the camp despite the interrupted preparation due to the storm. Only three new caps this time opposed to 17 last time out has led to less first time nerves as players have experience from the last game.
“The main thing will be finishing our opportunities and we’ve tried to encourage the players to play with tempo and width, and attack when the opportunity arises. We’re hoping the weather won’t dictate our playing style, but will be adapting to whatever is thrown in front of us to try and get the job finished tonight.
“We are keen to represent the high standards of the Ulster Bank League for all of the clubs throughout the country. Most of all, everyone is looking forward to getting out on the pitch in Netherdale for kick-off.”
Rob Chrystie (Scotland Clubs): “I think the Irish side were really sharp in the last game and their back-three worked really well together. We need to identify opportunities quickly and we need to have the ability to execute those chances as well.
“We will be looking to play with a quicker pace and we will try to put them under a lot more pressure. Hopefully we will have a good home crowd at Netherdale to support all the club players who are representing their country.”
Ireland Club XV: Recent Matches –
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; Ireland Club XV 13 Scotland Club XV 19, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC
2017: Ireland Club XV 26 England Counties 34, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC
2018: Ireland Club XV 26 Scotland Clubs 23, Dubarry Park
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