THE IRELAND TEAM that Andy Farrell will announce on Thursday for the final Test of their New Zealand tour practically picks itself at this stage after Peter O’Mahony passed his third head injury assessment (HIA) test in Wellington this morning.
The Munster captain is therefore certain to be picked to start the series decider in Wellington.
Otherwise there is only one significant absentee from the Ireland team who won 23-12 last weekend in Dunedin, with Garry Ringrose ruled out with a concussion. Bundee Aki seems a certainty to come into midfield in his absence with Robbie Henshaw switching to outside centre.
Otherwise it is highly unlikely that there will be many changes.
Aki’s promotion from the bench provides a free spot for a back among the list of replacements. Ciaran Frawley, who had a fine game tonight in Ireland’s 30-24 win over the Maori All Blacks is a contender to fill that slot, although Keith Earls and Jordan Larmour are also options, Larmour scoring two tries this evening in Wellington.
There is a small doubt over Finlay Bealham who withdrew from the list of replacements tonight after the warm-up because of a sore calf. However, Bealham should be okay for Saturday, where he will cover for Tadhg Furlong.
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With two wins on the trot now, Ireland’s tour is gathering momentum and looking beyond that, there is also a sense that their squad is deepening following this evening’s fine win, the first by an Irish side over the Maori All Blacks in four attempts.
Entering this tour, Farrell said he wanted to discover five gems who could provide competition for the regulars in his starting XV. There were more than five who impressed this evening – Kieran Treadwell emerging with credit following this victory, while others – including props Jeremy Loughman and Tom O’Toole – had better than expected displays.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
All three tryscorers, Larmour, Nick Timoney and Gavin Coombes also looked comfortable in this environment.
“We will see what comes of this,” said Farrell afterwards, “because really, it is up to the players to dust themselves off, go on holidays and whet their appetites to start pre-season training and get off the blocks with a bang.
“Now they understand what it is like to be a top-line international. They have to put their hand up in the first seven games of next season to get selected for the autumn series. It is up to them now to have the hunger.”
No one could question their desire this evening. On a horrible night, they delivered, recovering from a terrible start to lead 20-5 at one early stage of the second half. The final six-point margin suggests a nervy encounter. In truth, Ireland were in control for most of the game.
“I was really pleased with the performance because the obvious thing to learn from the first game is that some lads were pretty desperate to show everything that they had,” said Farrell. “Now they understand that it has always got to be team first. Our discipline was pretty poor in that first game and a little bit desperate at times.
“They have learned a lot because the conditions were brutal out there; the wind was swirling everywhere and for a young side to be able to manage their way through a game when things aren’t going right the whole time, well that was tremendous.
“These lads may not have got a Test cap for what they did tonight but that was a Test match in terms of intensity.
“This is not a Tier 2, Tier 3 type of game for us. We put out a newish team that is learning because we are trying to grow the squad; we said all along that this is a-five-Test tour for us. The Maori All Blacks are a very good team.”
And one Keith Earls was proud to lead Ireland out against.
The Munster winger said: “It was genuinely one of my best moments (in rugby). The people back home, the city I’m from, are rugby crazy, so it was a huge honour (to represent them) but also a huge honour to captain such a young, inexperienced side, and for those players to get their first win in an Irish jersey, here in New Zealand, to get it done together, and to be able to captain that side was very special.”
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O’Mahony passed fit for Saturday’s Series decider – Earls honoured to captain his country
THE IRELAND TEAM that Andy Farrell will announce on Thursday for the final Test of their New Zealand tour practically picks itself at this stage after Peter O’Mahony passed his third head injury assessment (HIA) test in Wellington this morning.
The Munster captain is therefore certain to be picked to start the series decider in Wellington.
Otherwise there is only one significant absentee from the Ireland team who won 23-12 last weekend in Dunedin, with Garry Ringrose ruled out with a concussion. Bundee Aki seems a certainty to come into midfield in his absence with Robbie Henshaw switching to outside centre.
Otherwise it is highly unlikely that there will be many changes.
Aki’s promotion from the bench provides a free spot for a back among the list of replacements. Ciaran Frawley, who had a fine game tonight in Ireland’s 30-24 win over the Maori All Blacks is a contender to fill that slot, although Keith Earls and Jordan Larmour are also options, Larmour scoring two tries this evening in Wellington.
There is a small doubt over Finlay Bealham who withdrew from the list of replacements tonight after the warm-up because of a sore calf. However, Bealham should be okay for Saturday, where he will cover for Tadhg Furlong.
With two wins on the trot now, Ireland’s tour is gathering momentum and looking beyond that, there is also a sense that their squad is deepening following this evening’s fine win, the first by an Irish side over the Maori All Blacks in four attempts.
Entering this tour, Farrell said he wanted to discover five gems who could provide competition for the regulars in his starting XV. There were more than five who impressed this evening – Kieran Treadwell emerging with credit following this victory, while others – including props Jeremy Loughman and Tom O’Toole – had better than expected displays.
All three tryscorers, Larmour, Nick Timoney and Gavin Coombes also looked comfortable in this environment.
“We will see what comes of this,” said Farrell afterwards, “because really, it is up to the players to dust themselves off, go on holidays and whet their appetites to start pre-season training and get off the blocks with a bang.
“Now they understand what it is like to be a top-line international. They have to put their hand up in the first seven games of next season to get selected for the autumn series. It is up to them now to have the hunger.”
No one could question their desire this evening. On a horrible night, they delivered, recovering from a terrible start to lead 20-5 at one early stage of the second half. The final six-point margin suggests a nervy encounter. In truth, Ireland were in control for most of the game.
“I was really pleased with the performance because the obvious thing to learn from the first game is that some lads were pretty desperate to show everything that they had,” said Farrell. “Now they understand that it has always got to be team first. Our discipline was pretty poor in that first game and a little bit desperate at times.
“They have learned a lot because the conditions were brutal out there; the wind was swirling everywhere and for a young side to be able to manage their way through a game when things aren’t going right the whole time, well that was tremendous.
“These lads may not have got a Test cap for what they did tonight but that was a Test match in terms of intensity.
“This is not a Tier 2, Tier 3 type of game for us. We put out a newish team that is learning because we are trying to grow the squad; we said all along that this is a-five-Test tour for us. The Maori All Blacks are a very good team.”
And one Keith Earls was proud to lead Ireland out against.
The Munster winger said: “It was genuinely one of my best moments (in rugby). The people back home, the city I’m from, are rugby crazy, so it was a huge honour (to represent them) but also a huge honour to captain such a young, inexperienced side, and for those players to get their first win in an Irish jersey, here in New Zealand, to get it done together, and to be able to captain that side was very special.”
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bring it on Keith Earls Peter O'Mahony