THE EMERGING IRELAND class of 2024 take to the pitch for the first time today, with Simon Easterby’s team going up against the Pumas [KO 3pm, live on IrishRugby+] in Bloemfontein.
With the 2022 tour serving as a good stepping stone for the likes of Jack Crowley, Calvin Nash and Joe McCarthy, the current crop head into a testing schedule knowing these games can open the door to bigger stages.
After this evening’s clash at the Toyota Stadium, Emerging Ireland will play Western Force on Sunday before taking on the Cheetahs next Wednesday.
For the likes of Sam Prendergast and Cormac Izuchukwu, who both start today, a place in Andy Farrell’s senior Ireland squad for the November internationals already looks well within their grasp. Both players toured with Farrell’s Ireland to South Africa over the summer and while they didn’t make it onto the pitch, the two promising young talents will be aiming to get capped next month.
Having enjoyed a positive outing in Leinster’s opening round URC defeat of Edinburgh, Prendergast will hope to build on that momentum here. While his varied skillset has caught the eye in a Leinster jersey, Easterby will be equally keen to see how he leads this young group in South Africa.
Izuchukwu came off the bench in Ulster’s opening round win against Glasgow and it’s interesting to see the 24-year-old selected in the backrow. Of his seven starts for Ulster last season, the former Tullamore RFC man lined out four times at lock and three times at six, where his power in the carry and offloading skills make him a potent weapon.
Both players were expected to feature prominently on this tour but there are interesting stories right across the team.
On the wing, Ulster man Zac Ward starts having made the switch from Sevens to 15s over the summer. The 25-year-old was excellent for the Ireland Sevens along their journey to the Paris Olympics and was arguably their standout player at the Games. A prominent ball-carrier for the Sevens, Ward previously played in the backrow during his AIL days with Ballynahinch but has joined Ulster on a short-term contract with the aim of converting to the wing.
He lines out in a talented backline which includes promising Connacht duo Hugh Gavin and Matthew Devine. Gavin was a key player for the Ireland U20s across the last two years as he shifted from the wing to centre, and has stepped up to the pro ranks with his home province this season.
Scrum-half Devine enjoyed a strong end to last season with Connacht and will hope to showcase his pacy attacking qualities on this tour.
In the forwards, Alex Kendellan captains the side having missed the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour due to injury. The backrower captained Munster for the first time last season and already has a wealth of experience, with the 23-year-old clocking up 69 caps for the province.
Number eight James Culhane, who also toured in 2022, is highly-rated at Leinster and second row Harry Sheridan displayed his aggressive edge during his breakthrough campaign with Ulster last season.
The big challenge of a tour like this is getting everyone on the same page quickly. The group gathered in Dublin this day last week and the coaches have loaded them with information in a bid to get them familiar with the pressures and demands of an international camp.
With three Ulster players and four each from Connacht, Leinster and Munster in the starting 15, there is a good spread of talent from across the provinces on display. There is no shortage of running threats in the side, but the setpiece battle could prove testing.
Two years ago, Easterby brought four fully-capped players on tour – Robert Baloucoune, Caolin Blade, Shane Daly and Max Deegan – but this time, there are no capped senior internationals in camp. Six of that 2022 group went on become senior Test players, and for every player on the pitch today, that remains the ultimate ambition.
“Everyone is kind of in the shop window here but it’s about bringing the team together here and trying to work as best you can for the guy next to you is very important,” says Kendellan.
“There’s a clear trajectory for those players [from the 2022 tour] anyway, who’ve come through. Even the lads down in Munster, the Jack Crowleys, the Calvin Nashs, you see them perform on the biggest stages, in World Cups and Six Nations, so it’s massive for us as players to look at that and see what they’ve done and how they’ve taken their opportunity.”
PUMAS: Tino Swanepoel; Lundi Msenge, Theuns Pretorius, Clinton Swart, Darren Adonis; Danrich Visagie, Richman Gora; Etienne Janeke, Jan-Henning Campher, Sampie Swiegers; Hanno Theunissen, Deon Slabbert; Ntsika Fisanti, Andre Fouche, Kwanda Dimaza.
Replacements: Darnell Osuagwu, Dewald Maritz, Eduan Swart, Tiann de Klerk, Marvellous Mashimbyi, Russwill Fredericks, Wian van Niekerk, Phiko Sobahle.
EMERGING IRELAND: Ben O’Connor; Rob Russell, Sean O’Brien, Hugh Gavin, Zac Ward; Sam Prendergast, Matthew Devine; Mark Donnelly, Stephen Smyth, Jack Aungier; Harry Sheridan, Darragh Murray; Cormac Izuchukwu, Alex Kendellen (capt), James Culhane.
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Sean Jansen, Ethan Coughlan, Jack Murphy, Jude Postlethwaite.
