Sexton de retour, van der Flier sur le banc contre la Roumanie
Le sélectionneur de l’Irlande, Andy Farrell, a dévoilé le groupe amené à affronter la Roumanie au stade de Bordeaux, samedi 9 septembre. Absent des terrains depuis la victoire face à l’Angleterre qui a offert le Grand Chelem à l’Irlande lors du Tournoi des Six Nations 2023, l’ouvreur et capitaine Jonathan Sexton est de retour à la baguette. Josh van der Flier, élu meilleur joueur du monde en 2022, débutera la rencontre sur le banc des remplaçants.
1 Andrew Porter
2 Rob Herring
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 Joe McCarthy
5 James Ryan
6 Tadhg Beirne
7 Peter O’Mahony
8 Caelan Doris
9 Jamison Gibson-Park
10 Johnny Sexton (c)
11 James Lowe
12 Bundee Aki
13 Garry Ringrose
14 Keith Earls
15 Hugo Keenan
Remplaçants
16 Ronan Kelleher
17 Jeremy Loughman
18 Tom O’Toole
19 Iain Henderson
20 Josh van der Flier
21 Conor Murray
22 Jack Crowley
23 Robbie Henshaw
- Johnny Sexton, annoncé titulaire au poste de demi d’ouverture, est sur le point de faire sa première apparition sur un terrain, que ce soit en club ou pour son pays, depuis la victoire contre l’Angleterre qui a offert à son pays le Grand Chelem dans le Tournoi des Six Nations 2023. Le capitaine de l’Irlande a inscrit 1050 points pour son pays. Il talonne Ronan O’Gara de 34 points (1083) en tant que meilleur réalisateur de l’Irlande.
- Il ne manque que 16 points à Sexton pour devenir le meilleur réalisateur irlandais de tous les temps en Coupe du Monde de Rugby. L’ouvreur va démarrer la compétition avec 78 points au compteur, à 15 longueurs de Ronan O’Gara (93).
- Sexton démarre la compétition avec un taux de réussite face aux perches de 88% en 2023 (15/17) sous le maillot du Trèfle. Il a réussi ses six dernières tentatives.
- Bundee Aki va disputer son 50e match au niveau international (48 pour l’Irlande, deux pour les Lions britanniques et irlandais).
- Le trois-quarts aile Keith Earls et le pilier droit Tadhg Furlong et le demi de mêlée remplaçant Conor Murray sont les uniques rescapés de la dernière confrontation entre l’Irlande et la Roumanie, lors de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2015.
- Keith Earls est revenu à hauteur de Brian O’Driscoll en tant que meilleur marqueur d’essais de l’Irlande en Coupe du Monde à l’occasion de la victoire face à la Roumanie 44-10 lors de la RWC 2015. Il est désormais le seul détenteur du record avec huit réalisations.
- Earls est devenu le 9e Irlandais à décrocher au moins 100 sélections lors de la victoire face à l’Angleterre au mois d’août, célébrant l’événement en inscrivant le 5e essai de son équipe.
- Earls va rejoindre Rory Best au 3e rang des joueurs irlandais les plus capés en Coupe du Monde de Rugby, avec 15 matchs disputés. Brian O’Driscoll et Paul O’Connell en comptent 17.
- Les ailiers James Lowe et Mack Hansen sont en tête des marqueurs d’essais irlandais en 2023, avec quatre réalisations chacun. Hansen ne figure pas dans la liste des 23, largement modifiée par rapport au groupe vainqueur des Samoa lors du dernier match de préparation de l’Irlande.
- Tadhg Beirne, qui passe de l’aile de la 3e ligne à la 2e ligne, et le 3e ligne centre Caelen Doris, sont les deux seuls joueurs à conserver leur place dans le XV de départ.
- Josh van der Flier, désigné meilleur joueur du monde en 2022, devra prendre place sur le banc, Peter O’Mahony étant titulaire sur le côté ouvert de la 3e ligne.
- Dan Sheehan, Jack Conan et Dave Kilcoyne n’ont pas été retenus car ils se remettent de blessures au pied dans le cas de Sheehan et Conan, tandis que Kilcoyne soigne un problème aux ischio-jambiers.
Comments on RugbyPass
Everyone needs to have a bit of ball player in them Nick and second phase but forwards and backs are still different coz of where you stick your head most of the time. Pocock and tizzano were 12s right up to the edge of seniors. Pocock was 12 to quades 10 then pocock was at the force At 17 year’s old or so. Hamish Stewart was apparently was a junior 7. Don’t know when he switched but apparently he was crons 10 in the Oz 20s. A mistake too often made is playing a guy like taquele nairavuro at wing instead of as a power 8. On rugby tours we often had a spare 7 playing crash 12 coz the regular 12 stayed home. Often had a spare 7 playing on a wing too.
2 Go to commentsyikes - what a load of crap Gallan. Interesting until after your 1st paragraph, but then again not worth anyone’s time responding to such pointless analysis and of course your dumbass opinions.
4 Go to commentsOutside of their national camp, club teams seem to take a tighter stance on doping. Think that explains it really.
4 Go to commentsThanks Nick Ive always thought that there should be a few more innovative attempts at players moving from backs to forwards and vice versa. Samu was one, as was Jim Williams last century. Cole certainly could run like a back, as can Lonergan from the Brumbies. I think that it’s going to become hard again for hookers though as front rowers seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the guys have to look after their spines as well as (in Australia) their achilles! I always thought that Folau should have been tried in the lineout…. I think the same for Vunavalu…if he lasts any longer. Movement between positions is much more common in League, mainly because the size requirements between backs and forwards are not as pronounced. Hookers and halfbacks interchanging and second rowers and centres as well. The great Cameron Smith was effectively a hybrid hooker/halfback, being able to play both positions…sometimes it seemed simultaneously! For now, it seems like McReith and before him Hooper are the standouts, though Cale could be anything. John Eals did a few “back” type things mind you, including running and kicking. As for Jones, I don't credit him as anything (in an Australian context) other than a speaker of a million throw away lines, with the occasional one being picked up! Sorry
2 Go to commentsHe's Big in Japan
2 Go to comments“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
1 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to commentsInteresting that you pick Amatosero, John. I would agree with your choice. He could well be capped this year at some point. At only 21 years of age, he has a lot of experience at a high level from his time at Clermont. I’m surprised he did not remain there for longer, as last year he was really starting to move, with 14 games, six starts, well up from the previous year, 7 games, only 2 starts. Have liked what is doing with the Waratahs this year. Not an easy situation for any player there, with the poor results.
3 Go to commentsNed me old shinwah, it’s probably not a bad idea to learn how to spell the last names of great All Blacks wingers. (Otherwise we will demean our memories of Grant Bitty, Jonah Lima, Joe Rococo and Doug Howler.)
3 Go to commentsNo longer able to except the excuses offered up for Rob. The red jersey has lost it’s mana and become a joke. I do not wish Mr Penny any wrong but it is time to go. Do the right thing Rob and retire, PLEASE.
31 Go to commentsIt is a travesty that 8/12 teams play in the finals, and that 4 wins out of 14 might be enough to get you there, but every competition has this to some degree. If it was only the top 4 going through, then this season would have been over for 6 of the teams 4 weeks ago. Super Rugby is simply a feeder competition for the All Blacks and Wallabies. There are low stakes and no consequences because so few people care who wins Super Rugby. In football, winning the Champions League is the pinnacle for any player or fan. The fate of national teams in the world cup or Euros is a complete second fiddle to The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundelsliga etc… Same with the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB. Players and fans care deeply about their team winning NBA title, but don’t care at all about USA winning gold at the Olympics. Or more locally with Rugby League, the Hierarchy is probably NRL > State of Origin > International. For some maybe State of Origin is the top. Super Rugby is low consequence and low stakes because no one cares enough about the outcome. Players ultimately want to play for the ABs, not the Hurricanes or Blues. Casual fans aren’t talking about SR selections but everyone has an opinion on Sam Cane or Ian Foster. Super Rugby is a means to an end. The only context it has is how it effects who is selected for the ABs.
6 Go to commentsPlayoffs featuring 4 or 6 teams would mean the other teams playing meaningless games for longer and a further drop of interest in Australia. But yes a 12 team competition with 8 teams making finals is ridiculous.
6 Go to commentsJoe's picks will be more interesting than Razors. The dumping of Dave Rennie for Jones has to be one of the worst exec decisions of all time. Joe and Dave have similar styles and personalities, the players should like that. Predicting some success for Aus this year. Well more than last year!
3 Go to commentsHey Ben, Thanks for your opinion article. As a die hard rugby tragic and loyal supporter of the game can I say your article seems a touch negative so I would like to offer a slightly different spin on it. I am assuming that the sole purpose of the Super Rugby competition is not just to be a training camp for the International teams but an independent event and competition in its own right with sponsors, media companies and teams that need a financial return. Now, from this rugby fans perspective, I am enjoying the last few weeks of the competition and enjoying the fact that most teams can still make the play offs and nobody wants the wooden spoon. Most rugby followers would agree to it being a travesty if the Crusaders or the Waratahs now made it to the final but history tells us it is very unlikely with the importance of home ground advantage. Playing each team once and a four team final would give the competition integrity and a level playing field for all teams but I would be surprised if it could satisfy the financial demands of the TV rights. Maybe a six team finals series might be a possible compromise.
6 Go to commentsAll good choices John, even the Tah players ha ha. Others that might be worth a look would be ; Cale, Tom Lynagh, Uru, Keunzle, Anstee and maybe Rory Scott because we need a backup to McReight and he has improved a lot from last year and Tim Ryan.
3 Go to commentsWe only have 12 teams - and probably should only have 10. If we cut it down to 10, had a single round robin format, and only had semi-finals and a grand final, the final game would be on the first weekend of May. Meanwhile the AFL (similar to the NRL) runs until the last weekend of September and starts almost a full month after Super Rugby. At least the players would get plenty of rest!
6 Go to commentsAs article says re Japanese Final. Todd Blackadder up against his old mentor/ coach at Canterbury and the Crusaders , Robbie Deans. Both legends in this part of the world. Richie Mo’unga, ( another legend), playing brilliantly for Toddy’s team.Great to hear.
2 Go to commentsNo doubt Razor will want to kick the 2024 campaign off with a decisive selection of the top match fit players to insure his selection as the appointed coach has maximum impact. We the supporters and critics will settle for nothing less because historically it is what we have become ingrained and accustomed to. With that in mind and the distinct fall from grace of his beloved crusaders we will expect him to stamp his mark in the same way he left his old post.
9 Go to commentsI would've expected a better turn around in response to the changes within the team and its management. Lacking in my opinion is the skill sets that once was and now seemingly vacant within the squads regular front runners. Furthermore there seems to be no set game plan, the accuracy that once was is no more, the quality off the bench were poor matchups and frankly I feel a lot has to do with the coaching. Never thought i’d be critising the sadas to this degree.
5 Go to commentsAverage AB captain by recent standards. Speaks to the wider issue
9 Go to comments