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Ireland pick five uncapped players in 40-man New Zealand tour squad

By PA
(Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has included five uncapped players in his 40-man squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand. Leinster trio Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy and Jimmy O’Brien have secured places on the plane, alongside Munster’s Jeremy Loughman and Connacht’s Cian Prendergast. Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell and Ronan Kelleher have been ruled out of the three-match Test series through injury.

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Ireland will take on New Zealand on July 2, 9 and 16 in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington respectively, with midweek clashes against the Maori All Blacks scheduled for June 29 and July 12. Versatile Frawley was included in Farrell’s squad for last year’s autumn internationals but did not feature. The 24-year-old can operate at fly-half, inside centre or full-back.

Back-rower Prendergast, 22, was involved as a development player during this year’s Guinness Six Nations, while prop Loughman, 26, and back O’Brien, 25, were called into camp to provide cover during that campaign. Lock Joe McCarthy, 21, will be involved with the senior side for the first time.

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The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 17

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The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 17

With Connacht’s Jack Carty sidelined having undergone wrist surgery, Leinster’s Harry Byrne will provide back-up for the No10 jersey behind captain Johnny Sexton and deputy Joey Carbery. Elsewhere, Ulster full-back Michael Lowry has overcome a facial injury to be included, while there is a recall for Leinster’s Jordan Larmour but centre Stuart McCloskey has been overlooked.

With the All Blacks having named their squad on Monday, the Irish are touring for the first time under head coach Farrell after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a 2020 trip to Australia and last year’s proposed visit to Fiji. The trip will be another crucial stepping stone towards next year’s World Cup in France where Ireland could potentially meet New Zealand in the quarter-finals for the second successive tournament, having suffered a 46-14 loss in Japan in 2019.

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“This is the start of our Rugby World Cup campaign and it is going to be a fantastic challenge for our group facing five massive tests across the three weeks,” Farrell told the Irish Rugby Football Union website. “Touring plays a massive role in teams gelling together and building cohesion on and off the field. We will learn so much about the players and the group as a whole as we have to front up for five incredibly tough fixtures, far from the comforts of home and in grounds where the home support will greatly outnumber travelling Irish fans.”

Ireland have never beaten their upcoming opponents on New Zealand soil but have won three of the past five meetings between the countries, including last autumn’s 29-20 success in Dublin.

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IRELAND (tour squad to New Zealand):
Forwards: R Baird (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), T Beirne (Munster), J Conan (Leinster), G Coombes (Munster), C Doris (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), D Heffernan (Connacht), I Henderson (Ulster), R Herring (Ulster), J Loughman (Munster), J McCarthy (Leinster), P O’Mahony (Munster), T O’Toole (Ulster), A Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), N Timoney (Ulster), K Treadwell (Ulster), J van der Flier (Leinster).

Backs: B Aki (Connacht), H Byrne (Leinster), J Carbery (Munster), C Casey (Munster), K Earls (Munster), C Frawley (Leinster), J Gibson Park (Leinster), M Hansen (Connacht), R Henshaw (Leinster), J Hume (Ulster), H Keenan (Leinster), J Larmour (Leinster), J Lowe (Leinster), M Lowry (Ulster), C Murray (Munster), J O’Brien (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster, capt).

Tour fixtures:
Maori All Blacks v Ireland; June 29, 0805BST – FMG Stadium, Hamilton
New Zealand v Ireland; Saturday, July 2, 0805BST – Eden Park, Auckland
New Zealand v Ireland; Saturday, July 9, 0805BST – Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Maori All Blacks v Ireland; July 12, 0805BST – Sky Stadium, Wellington
New Zealand v Ireland; Saturday, July 16, 0805BST – Sky Stadium, Wellington

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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