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Ireland confirm a dozen changes to their team to play Samoa
By Liam Heagney
Ireland boss Andy Farrell has confirmed an XV for Saturday’s Summer Nations Series clash with Samoa in Bayonne that has 12 changes from last weekend. Only right wing Mack Hansen, lock Tadhg Beirne and openside Josh van der Flier have been retained in a team that will be skippered by the recalled Iain Henderson.
James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Ross Byrne and Garry Ringrose – four other starters from the 29-10 win over England in Dublin on August 19 – are named on the bench.
With Hansen the only retained starting back, Ireland’s pre-Rugby World Cup trip to France will provide run-on appearances for Jimmy O’Brien at full-back, new centurion Keith Earls on the left wing, and midfielders Robbie Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey behind a half-back partnership of Jack Crowley and Conor Murray.
The revamped front row consists of Cian Healy, Tom Stewart and Finlay Bealham. Match day skipper Henderson joins Beirne at lock, with this weekend’s back row made up of Baird and Doris with repeat pick van der Flier.
The selection of rookie hooker Stewart is fascinating, as he only made a Test debut off the bench on August 5 versus Italy.
Ireland are now burdened by injury concerns in that position with first-choice pick Dan Sheehan potentially faced with missing all of his team’s pool matches at the World Cup due to injury while Ronan Kelleher has yet to show he is nearing full speed following his own injury layoff.
Ireland (vs Samoa, Saturday – 8:45pm French time)
15. Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster/Naas)(6)
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians)(15)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(64)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor)(13)
11. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster)(100)
10. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(5)
9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(106)
1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf)(124)
2. Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(1)
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(31)
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(captain)(73)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(40)
6. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(12)
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(51)
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(30)
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(36)
17. Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(2)
18. Tom O'Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(10)
19. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)(54)
20. Peter O'Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(95)
21. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(11)
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD)(20)
23. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(51).
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The FFR doesn't pay for the contracts though, so ultimately they aren't really in fiscal control.
Go to commentsIndeed there is a season issue! It's not my preferred model and I too see it unlikely in that form, but it's the easiest thing to use to give people a good picture of what it could be like. The USA angle obviously a double whammy.
It would be great if the islands could get funding to build a nice 10k+ seater stadium, plus more on the benches etc. I just feel Super is the best way to get those other nations up to speed for inclusion into RC faster. Maybe if all of Fiji's talent had to play locally theyd be quality rivals?
Problem with your singular direction I see is that the game needs another angle to get that revenue generation up so that it can entice those Top 14 players back. I think the easiest first step is to get that revenue up and entice those players back into the local competition then expand into the Islands (what that sctrucure like stadia are equal in quality) and have those players player in the Japan and US teams form the basis of a couple more Island teams.
Remember, a late game start in the US is a nice afternoon start to the footy window in NZ and Aus!
Oh did you see the reports of the new world league again, I don't necessarily like it but that's the market i'm talking about!
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