Saturday, September 22, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Carter out of Ireland Test
All Blacks fly half Dan Carter was ruled out of Saturday's third and final Test against Ireland with a hamstring strain, as coach Steve Hansen made six changes to the starting XV that was pushed to the brink last week in Christchurch.
Carter slotted an 80th-minute drop goal for the All Blacks to give them a 22-19 win on Saturday, which sealed victory in the three-Test series with a match to spare.
"Dan pulled up with a sore hamstring after training on Tuesday," Hansen said.
"On assessment, he has suffered a mild hamstring strain to his right leg which has unfortunately ruled him out of this weekend's Test.
"He will undergo further assessment over the next few days to determine when he will be fit to return to rugby."
Carter will be replaced by Aaron Cruden in the starting XV in Hamilton on Saturday and the uncapped Beauden Barrett is named on the reserves bench.
Crusaders lock Luke Romano was named to start in his first Test. He replaces Brodie Retallick, who has dropped to the bench.
Veteran lock Ali Williams had already been ruled out of the match and had to undergo knee surgery earlier this week.
Hansen was also forced to re-jig his loose forward combination after number eight Kieran Read was ruled out with concussion following a head knock in the match at Rugby League Park, which was played in frigid conditions.
Captain Richie McCaw will move from openside flanker to number eight with Sam Cane, who replaced Read at half-time in Christchurch, making his first start. Liam Messam will return to the side as blindside flanker.
Messam was not originally in the squad but was brought in as cover for the injured Victor Vito. Adam Thomson moves to the bench after he took several knocks to his head and face last Saturday, which aggravated his broken nose.
Hansen also changed both starting wingers with Julian Savea and Zac Guildford dropping out of the matchday 22 and being replaced by Hosea Gear and Ben Smith respectively.
Meanwhile, Paddy Wallace, who only arrived in New Zealand this week, has been named in Ireland's starting line-up.
Wallace was named to partner captain Brian O'Driscoll in the centres after he was a late call-up to the side following Gordon D'Arcy's injury in the second Test.
Keith Earls, who played inside centre in the first test at Eden Park but was ruled out of the second in Christchurch with a chest injury, has returned to the starting XV.
Earls moves onto the left wing, with Andrew Trimble demoted to the bench.
Peter O'Mahony, who came off the bench in Christchurch, will replace number eight Jamie Heaslip, who was ruled out earlier this week with a broken finger.
Chris Henry has come into the matchday squad to replace O'Mahony on the bench.
New Zealand squad: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith, Richie McCaw (captain), Sam Cane, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock
Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Brodie Retallick, Adam Thomson, Piri Weepu, Beauden Barrett, Tamati Ellison
Ireland squad: Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Paddy Wallace, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony, Sean O'Brien, Kevin McLaughlin, Donnacha Ryan, Dan Tuohy, Mike Ross, Rory Best, Cian Healy
Reserves: Sean Cronin, Declan Fitzpatrick, Donncha O'Callaghan, Chris Henry, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O'Gara, Andrew Trimble
Reuters
Tags: rugby-union, sport, new-zealand First posted June 21, 2012 09:08:00Thursday, March 15, 2012
France and Ireland draw in Six Nations
France were left to reflect on the "feeling of defeat" after a 17-17 draw at home to Ireland ended its Six Nations grand slam hopes on Sunday.
Les Bleus gave away two tries in the first half and trailed 17-6 at half-time before mounting a fight-back in the match that was originally postponed due to a frozen pitch three weeks earlier.
"There was a feeling of defeat, not that of a draw in the dressing room," coach Philippe Saint Andre said afterwards.
France are second in the standings behind Wales, the only team still in position to achieve a grand slam after winning three out of three.
Captain Thierry Dusautoir said France should have won a game they dominated, at least in terms of possession.
"The win was within our grasp," he said.
"But when you give away so many points you just get what you deserve."
Tommy Bowe scored his first try after he intercepted a clumsy pass by Aurelien Rougerie and touched down for the second time after France lost a routine ball in the ruck.
"When you give away 10 points, it's really hard to win the match against Ireland, who defended very well and bothered us with their umbrella defence," said Saint Andre.
The former France winger, however, was proud of his players, saying they showed great character to come back into the game.
"At 17-6 I asked the players to be more direct because it had started to rain and it was a bit like Irish weather out there," he said.
"We had ambitions, a desire to go forward, but at the highest level, you have to be much more precise."
France host England next Sunday and Ireland take on Scotland on Saturday.
Ireland were equally disappointed with the result after failing to score in the second half.
"I am disappointed for the lads, they put in a huge effort," said Ireland coach Declan Kidney.
"We believed in ourselves, we played our own game and did not panic in the second half.
"If you're not disappointed after a result like that you should not be in the job."
Like the French, captain Paul O'Connell said there was a feeling of defeat in the drssing room.
"We have the feeling we lost an opportunity," he said.
"We are very disappointed with our second half performance, we turned over the ball a few times. We're very frustrated, very disappointed."
Reuters
Tags: sport, rugby-union, france First posted March 05, 2012 07:33:26Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Wales edges Ireland in Six Nations classic
Leigh Halfpenny's last-minute penalty gave Wales a 23-21 win over Ireland in an enthralling Six Nations see-saw battle as the hosts failed to avenge last year's World Cup quarter-final defeat.
Wales, missing several first-team players, was well on top in the early exchanges of its championship opener.
Ryan Jones was denied a try by the video referee before Jonathan Davies was adjudged to have got the ball down after a superb off-load by Rhys Priestland, who struck the post with the conversion and a penalty.
Ireland, without the injured Brian O'Driscoll, hit back with a Rory Best try after a great Tommy Bowe dummy just before half-time only for Davies to grab his second after the break as Wales led.
Bowe put the Irish clear with his own try on 68 minutes but George North went over for Wales late on to move within a point.
Stephen Ferris then joined Bradley Davies in the sin bin as both were punished for dangerous tackles and Halfpenny slotted the penalty through the posts for a dramatic victory.
"That was the hardest kick I've had to kick in my life," Halfpenny told the BBC.
Ferris's offence was an arguable yellow card while Wales' Davies could easily have seen red for his spear tackle.
"We obviously put ourselves in a great position to win it," Ireland captain Paul O'Connell said.
"There was a bit of work left to be done and we didn't do it."
Wales missed two of three conversion attempts and two of four penalties.
"We got out of jail and won our first game away from home," said coach Warren Gatland, who acknowledged Davies could have been sent off.
"We have to see if we can get that confidence and self belief and be accurate and do the simple things well...I think we can do really well in this championship," he added.
"When we get it right we are going to be good."
Wales faces Scotland in Cardiff next weekend before travelling to Twickenham for a possible triple crown showdown with England.
"We have to improve a bit by next week. We don't think we were anywhere near the best we could have played," Wales captain Sam Warburton, who was taken off at half-time with a dead leg, told reporters.
"The next two games we have are a real test for us."
Ireland, which had hoped to avenge its dismantling by Wales in New Zealand in October, was left to pick up the pieces after the national team again failed to match the dominance its provincial teams have shown in Europe.
"We conceded a lot of momentum in the first half and gave them a lot of belief. We probably didn't defend with our heads up," added O'Connell, whose Munster team is one of three Irish sides in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
"You can't give a team that kind of time with ball in hand, it puts you under a lot of pressure."
After a disappointing World Cup, Ireland is running out of opportunities for silverware before the expected retirement of their 'Golden Generation' of players - fly half Ronan O'Gara, second row O'Connell and centre Brian O'Driscoll -- in the coming years.
Coach Declan Kidney, who picked Jonathan Sexton ahead of O'Gara, vowed to bounce back against France in Paris next Saturday and challenge for the championship.
"I think we're a lot better than that," Kidney said. "We have buckets to work on and six days to do it.
"There is a championship still to be won and that's what we'll work towards," he said.
Reuters
Tags: rugby-union, sport, wales, united-kingdom, ireland First posted February 06, 2012 07:16:20Friday, December 30, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Welsh send Ireland packing
Wales advanced to the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup with a gripping 22-10 victory over Ireland in Wellington on Saturday thanks to a steely defence and superiority at the breakdown.
It is the first time the Welsh, for whom captain Sam Warburton excelled in the loose and centre Jamie Roberts stood out as a midfield battering ram, have made the last four since the inaugural World Cup in 1987.
The result continues Ireland's history of having never advanced beyond the quarter-final stage, which it has reached on no fewer than four occasions.
Wales scored three tries through Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies, Rhys Priestland hitting two conversions and Leigh Halfpenny bagging a long-range penalty.
Keith Earls scored Ireland's sole try, Ronan O'Gara claiming a penalty and conversion as Wales dominated the breakdown and nullified the Irish attack with an aggressive rush defence.
Wales, knocked out of the last World Cup in France four years ago at the group stage, got off to a flying start when veteran wing Williams showed all his predatory skill to score his 56th try in his 84th match for his country.
Charges from Roberts and Dan Lydiate set the Welsh up, a quick ball down the right wing enabling Halfpenny to suck Earls out of position and Williams to nip in at the corner, Priestland nailing the conversion.
With the wind swirling around the stadium, O'Gara spurned two chances to go for goal as Ireland pressed for a response, but nothing came as a desperate Welsh defence held firm.
Williams, at 34 the veteran of the young Welsh backline, then managed to produce a great try-saving tackle on Sean O'Brien as the flanker crossed the line, and another on Connor Murray from the ensuing scrum.
When Rob Kearney was hauled down just short of the line, the ball was turned over but an infringement at the ruck handed O'Gara a kickable penalty.
Halfpenny hit straight back with a 49-metre penalty as Warburton and Toby Faletau won the battle of the vaunted back-rows and O'Gara struggled to find his range out of hand.
Earls handed Ireland the best possible start to the second period, the wing sliding in for a try despite Phillips' covering tackle.
O'Gara hit the tricky touchline conversion to draw the scores level at 10-10.
But Phillips restored Wales's lead with a clever dart down the blindside from a ruck 15 metres out.
The scrum half fended off Gordon D'Arcy and launched himself spectacularly for the line, dotting down one-handed as Tommy Bowe came in with the tackle.
Priestland's conversion drifted wide and the fly half, whose form has seen him keep Stephen Jones and James Hook out of the team, then saw a 58th-minute penalty come back off the upright.
Ireland was then caught napping out wide and a quick ball from Phillips found Priestland, who offloaded to Davies, the centre splitting Cian Healy and Earls and riding Eoin Reddan's weak tackle for a fine individual try.
Priestland hit the conversion to make it 22-10 with 15 minutes to play, the Welsh showing fine fitness levels and resolve in the loose to keep the Irish at bay.
They now face France, which held on to defeat England 19-12 in the second quarter-final at Eden Park on Saturday night.
Wales: 22 (S Williams, M Phillips, J Davies tries; R Priestland 2/3 conversions, L Halfpenny penalty goal)
Ireland: 10 (K Earls try; R O'Gara conversion, penalty goal)
AFP
Tags: rugby-union-world-cup, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand, ireland, wales, united-kingdom First posted October 08, 2011 17:51:41