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Ireland Women’s Junior World Cup squad confirmed

Hockey Ireland

David Passmore has named his travelling squad of 20 players to play for Ireland in their first-ever Women’s Junior World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa from December 5 to 17, 2021.

Olympian Sarah McAuley has joined the side after establishing herself in the senior side this summer, debuting at June’s EuroHockey Championships and then helping the senior side qualify for the 2022 World Cup after Tokyo 2020.

The Ireland squad is largely drawn from the previous series’ selection with a couple of new faces coming into the fold since October.

The Junior Green Army’s late invite made for a short preparation phase but coach Passmore and the panel had previously had a packed summer programme, taking in series in Spain, Belfast and London.

Ireland will start their campaign on December 5 against Zimbabwe before meeting a top-ranked Netherlands side a day later.

The pool phase concludes with a tie against Korea and the top two of the four-team group after three games will progress to the quarter-finals.

Ulster Elks’ Charlotte Beggs was part of the senior setup that travelled to Pisa for their World Cup qualifier while fellow midfielder Amy Elliott was capped for Ireland in 2019.

Several other players in the squad have been involved with the Ireland setup in uncapped challenge matches and others have impressed for their clubs in the EY Hockey League.

Four non-travelling reserves, one in each position, have been named on top of the 20 players set to fly to South Africa.

Ireland Junior World Cup Squad

  1. Ellie McLoughlin (GK)                 UCD / University College Dublin
  2. Holly Micklem (GK)                     Old Alex / Trinity College
  3. KJ Marshall (Def)                        UCD / University College Dublin
  4. Caitlin Sherin (Def)                      Loreto / Dublin City University (Co-Captain)
  5. Emma Paul (Def)                        UCD / University College Dublin
  6. Sarah McAuley (Def)                  UCD / University College Dublin
  7. Ellen Reid (Def)                           Loughborough Students, Eng / University of                                                                  Loughborough
  8. Caoimhe Perdue (Def/Mid)         UCC / University College Cork (Co-Captain)
  9. Anna Horan (Def/Mid).                Catholic Institute / Mary Immaculate College
  10. Siofra Murdoch (Def/Mid)           Harvard, USA / Harvard University
  11. Christina Hamill (Mid)                 Loreto / Technical University Dublin
  12. Amy Elliott (Mid)                         UCD / University College Dublin
  13. Lisa Mulcahy (Mid/Def)              Loreto / University College Dublin
  14. Sophia Cole (Mid/Def)                UCD / University College Dublin
  15. Charlotte Beggs (Mid)                Ulster Elks / University of Ulster Jordanstown
  16. Siofra O’Brien (Fwd)                   Loreto / Technical University Dublin
  17. Nadia Benallal (Fwd)                  Beeston, Eng / Nottingham Trent University
  18. Rachel Kelly  (Fwd/ Mid)            UCD / University College Dublin
  19. Yasmin Pratt (Fwd)                     Loreto / IT Carlow
  20. Aoife Taaffe (Fwd)                      Loreto / University College Dublin

Non Travelling Reserves

Gemma Ferguson (GK)              Ulster Elks / University of Ulster Jordanstown

Hannah Kelly (Fwd)                    Catholic Institute / National University of Ireland, Galway

Eva Lavelle  (Mid)                       UCD / University College Dublin

Lucy Crowe (Def)                        Railway Union / University College Dublin

2021 Junior World Cup schedule (Potchefstroom, South Africa; all times local)

Pool A

Sunday, December 5: Ireland v Zimbabwe, 9 am

Monday, December 6: Ireland v Netherlands, 1 pm

Tuesday, December 8: Ireland v Korea, 11 am

Friday, December 11 to Thursday, December 16: playoff/classification matches

JGP ruled out of final Ireland test of the year, McGrath called up

Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been ruled out of the final game of the Autumns Nations Series against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium this coming Sunday.

Gibson-Park has a thigh injury and fellow Leinster number nine Luke McGrath has been called into the squad to provide additional scrum-half cover.

Gibson-Park was one of Ireland’s star players at the weekend when they beat his country of birth New Zealand 29-20 in front of a sold-out Irish crowd.

The man who has made over 100 appearances for Leinster since coming to Ireland in 2016 pulled the strings for the boys in green as they dominated Ian Foster’s All Blacks to earn a second-ever win against the side in Dublin and a third in five years.

19-time Ireland international McGrath has not appeared in the green shirt for two years but has been impressive in blue under Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster.

His most recent Test for the side was the disastrous 2019 Rugby World Cup defeat to New Zealand in Tokyo.

If he does get minutes against Argentina, they will be his first under Andy Farrell, who became Head Coach for the 2020 Six Nations after being Joe Schmidt’s defence coach from 2016.

McGrath will join Munster stars Conor Murray and Craig Casey as the scrum-halves in the Ireland squad this week as the side look to extend their win streak to eight and end 2021 on a high.

In other news, James Ryan will take on the captain’s role in the absence ​​of the injured Johnny Sexton.

Jack Carty, like McGrath, earned his first call-up since the World Cup to replace Sexton earlier this week.

Tickets for Sunday’s game against Argentina are available on ticketmaster.ie

Liverpool youngster Curtis Jones out for coming weeks

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones will remain on the sidelines for several more weeks due to an eye injury he sustained in training prior to the international break.

The accidental collision ruled Jones out of Liverpool’s last two games before the November international window began – a 2-0 home win against Atletico Madrid that saw the side equal the club record of 25 games unbeaten and a 3-1 loss to West Ham that ensured their streak would be no longer.

The 20-year-old has made nine appearances for Liverpool this season and has impressed when given the opportunity.

Jones’ injury is specific to the eye and not the socket and the Scouse-born player will need a few more weeks to make a recovery.

Doctor Jim Moxon explained: “It’s a freak injury and very unlucky, but the important thing to emphasise is there is no lasting damage and his vision won’t be impacted beyond the recovery period.

“However, the nature of the issue means caution is important; we need to allow it time to heal and we can’t rush it, therefore it won’t be a speedy return.

“It needs to mend before we are able to reintroduce Curtis to full training, but there are things he can do in the meantime to maintain fitness.

“We can’t put a specific timescale on a return beyond it will be a number of weeks from now as it heals naturally, so it’s not one we will risk and patience is a virtue with this specific recovery.”

Ciara Griffin: ‘Retirement is something I haven’t come to lightly’

Ciara Griffin’s decision to retire after the Japan match on Saturday came as a shock to many, as she will hang up her international boots after just five years with the girls in green.

Griffin is set to earn her 41st and final cap for the side she has played for since 2016, having appeared in 40 of their 42 matches since making her debut against Wales in the Six Nations that year.

Turmoil has surrounded the Irish Women’s team in recent weeks due to comments made from IRFU Director of Irish Women’s and Sevens Rugby Anthony Eddy last week.

On top of that, the Women’s game in the country has been the subject of an IRFU review after it was revealed that the conditions of facilities Interprovincial teams had to use were well below par – the full findings of that review will not be made public.

However, the 27-year-old back-rower noted that her decision was not made in the last week but that she has been thinking of retirement since the side missed out on the World Cup in September.

“It hasn’t been influenced by the last week at all,” Griffin said. “Obviously it has been a tough time for us as a group with everything.

“Something that happened to me in terms of my thinking, to be honest, was the time of the pandemic.

“It made me re-evaluate a lot of things, made us all re-evaluate a lot of things. Time at home, things at home, getting that time with your family. It made me re-assess different things.

“It’s something I haven’t come to lightly, something I’ve been thinking about for a while. Obviously, after the events of Parma and the qualification process, it gave me time to reflect at home with my family.

“I thought about where I want to go next and I’ve given my life to this game. I’ve literally given everything to it so it’s time to focus on the next chapter and put my family first for a change as well. I’m going to focus on my next steps.

“I’ve been having this conversation for the last five or six weeks, to be honest. My poor husband has had the ear talked off him, he’s been giving me loads of different scenarios or what-ifs and other things but it’s the right decision for me where I am at the moment, and just thankful for everything I have been given.

“People have not so much talked me out of it, but reassured me that it is the right choice for me, the right time for me, and to be honest and throughout those conversations, it was clear to me.”

Although Adam Griggs’ team, soon to be Greg McWilliams’, missed out on World Cup qualification for next year’s tournament, Griffin will look back on her time in green fondly.

The Munster star reminisced on her career with the Ireland side, calling back to several moments in her career – from being a “nervous wreck” ahead of her Test debut to last week’s win.

She also highlighted the friends she made in the setup, noting that they didn’t only have chemistry on the pitch.

“I think I’ve had so many highlights. The friends I’ve made from the sport, they’re lifelong friends. They’re friends off the pitch.

“Even though the World Cup didn’t go our way, the experience of 2017. Getting to play in a World Cup, it was a childhood dream.

“It was one of my targets to play in a World Cup and that is something that stands out for me.

“Obviously being given the honour of captaincy was massive for me in 2018. Something I hadn’t foreseen.

“I also think the performance last week by the group after everything is definitely one of my highlights.

“In that, it just showed the resilience of this group and the connectivity and the closeness of the group.

“Just seeing the crowd back, they’re just times that really stand out to me at the moment.”

Ireland beat the United States at the RDS Arena in their first game since their disappointing qualification campaign in Italy.

The side displayed signs of unity pre-game after several key figures, past and present, publicly criticised Eddy for what he had said.

During the game, they put in possibly their best performance of the calendar year to bounce back from September’s failure.

As she nears her final stand with Ireland, Griffin stated what she wants to be remembered for when fans of the sport think of her.

“I’d like to be remembered as a person who tries to do their best for the green jersey, always puts the jersey first and their players first,” Griffin noted.

“I suppose as a person who led by example, who let my actions do the talking and always played with a smile on my face. I loved every minute in that jersey and plan to again at the weekend.

“I can finish on my own terms now, on home soil.”

Ireland welcome Japan to the RDS Arena on Saturday, November 20 at 3 pm.

Ireland captain Ciara Griffin announces retirement from international rugby

Ireland Captain Ciara Griffin will retire from international rugby following Saturday’s Autumn International against Japan at the RDS.

Griffin, who has captained Ireland since 2018, will win her 41st cap for the national side on Friday night.

The 27-year-old has been a huge presence for Ireland in the back row since making her debut five years ago and will hang up her boots after five impressive years in green.

Griffin was named captain of the side before the 2018 Six Nations by current coach Adam Griggs, who also has his last game with the team against Japan.

The Kerry native has become a leader on and off the field, driving others around her and producing some memorable performances for Ireland.

Commenting on her decision, Griffin said: “It has been a childhood dream come true to play for my country. Being afforded the opportunity to captain the National Team has been the highest honour. It has been an incredible journey filled with many highs and lows and I am very grateful for all the life skills I have developed through my involvement in High Performance sport.

“It is a decision I have not come to lightly and after discussing it with my family ahead of the Autumn Tests, it is now time for me to turn my focus to my life outside of rugby and begin a new chapter. I would like to thank everyone for their unwavering support, and I look forward to supporting the team going forward.”

Ireland Head Coach, Adam Griggs, commented: “Ciara stood out to me right from our first training session as a genuine leader and someone that players respect and listen to.

“She wears her heart on her sleeve and it is that leadership style along with her passion and dedication to making people and the team better that has always been so effective.

“Ciara has led the way with her standards and what it takes to be a first class international, and I know in doing this has inspired so many young players to take up rugby and try to emulate her own journey.

“Irish Rugby will miss her, and we wish her all the best in retirement and the next chapter of her life.”

Ireland to co-host 2030 Men’s T20 World Cup with England and Scotland

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has today confirmed that Ireland will co-host the 2030 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup alongside England and Scotland.

The announcement also revealed the hosts of seven other ICC men’s white-ball events from 2024-2031, with 14 countries lined up to host tournaments.

The announcement includes two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and two ICC Men’s Champions Trophy events.

The USA and Namibia will host an ICC World Cup event for the first time whilst Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe have previously staged major events and will do so again over the next decade.

The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a Board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt.

The ICC Board accepted the recommendations of the committee who conducted a thorough review of each bid along with ICC management.

A similar process to identify the hosts for ICC Women’s and U19s events for the next cycle will be undertaken early next year.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “We are delighted to have concluded this competitive bidding process for the first time for ICC events. To have 14 Members hosting 8 events is a reflection of the truly global nature of our sport and I’d like to thank every Member that submitted a bid and offer our congratulations to the successful bidders.

“It is fantastic to be returning to so many previous hosts, but what is really exciting about this process is the countries who will stage ICC events for the first time including the USA which is a strategic growth market for us. This gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with fans in traditional cricket nations and also reach new fans around the world.”

The awarding of the events to preferred hosts is subject to the completion of the host agreements and the ICC will now work closely with Members to finalise arrangements.

Paul Redmond confirms retirement from mixed-martial-arts

Paul ‘Redser’ Redmond has confirmed his retirement from mixed-martial-arts on his social media channels after a professional career spanning a decade.

Redmond ends his career with a 15-8 record spread across multiple organisations including the UFC and Bellator.

He is one of a long list of Irish Cage Warriors veterans, fighting eight times on the organisation’s cards.

The 35-year-old once fought for the vacant BAMMA Lightweight Championship, suffering a majority decision defeat to Norman Parke.

The Irish MMA fighter was part of the national surge in the sport in the early-to-mid-2010s, spearheaded by former UFC Featherweight and Lightweight champion Conor McGregor.

His most recent fight came at Bellator 240 in February 2020 against Georgi Karakanyan – Redmond lost the fight via guillotine choke in round two.

Redser’s statement on his decision to put the gloves down is as follows: “I was just gonna fade off into the background and not mention it but alot of people keep asking me “when am I out again next” & I always say ah soon etc. Etc.

“But the truth is your probably not going to see me do my thing in an mma cage again.

“I’ve thought long and hard about this, talked to the big lad @coach_andyryan_ my family etc. & I think now is a good a time as ever to step away from MMA.

“25 pro fights, a full amateur career, but the injuries are starting to mount up every fight camp and I haven’t made the last 2 fights because of them.

Along with other stuff I have going on in my life with work etc. The time to put into fight camps the way I used to and fight the way I do isn’t there.

“Also losing the love of it and financially it not making sense there’s nothing I have left to give the sport.

“If it wasn’t for the big lad @coach_andyryan_ I’d still be kicking rocks the man pushed me to heights I never knew existed & I’ll be forever grateful.

“I never made the biggest impact in mma but I never said no to ANYONE & always fought whoever they put in front of me on a day, week, months notice….think anyone who came to see me fight knew what they were getting and enjoyed it, to all my teammates, training partners, & friends I’ve met throughout the years you’ve made the last 13 years unforgettable so thanks for the memories.

“Redser ✌🏼”

Seven host cities announced for 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

Seven host cities have been announced for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia with the final line-up for the event now confirmed.

The event which is scheduled to take place between 16 October and 13 November next year will see a total of 45 matches hosted across Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Final will be hosted under lights at the MCG on 13 November 2022.

The semi-finals will be hosted at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval on 9 and 10 November, respectively.

Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 champions Australia and runner-up New Zealand plus Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan and South Africa as the next highest-ranked teams will gain direct entry into the Super 12 stage of the next instalment of the competition.

Namibia, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the West Indies will play in Round 1.

The four remaining spots at Australia 2022 will be filled via the ongoing qualification pathway, culminating in two global qualifying tournaments one to take place in Oman in February and the other in Zimbabwe in June/July.

Ireland will be among the teams aiming for a spot in the next World Cup after failing to get past the group stage of this year’s tournament.

For more information on the pathway click here.

Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “We are looking forward to seeing the return of ICC events to Australia and are delighted to announce the seven host cities for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. Following the success of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020 and a two-year postponement, our sights are now firmly set on planning for the 2022 event in collaboration with the LOC.

“With 12 teams already confirmed in the line-up, we eagerly await the culmination of the qualification process to see which other teams will join them.”

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI: Chelsea has become a footballing superpower since 2003 with the takeover of Roman Abramovich and are now one of the biggest and well-known clubs in English football history.

With an impressive trophy haul in their 116-year history, containing 6  League titles, 2 Champions Leagues, 8 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 2 Europa League, 2 Cup Winners Cups, 2 Super Cups and 4 Community Shields to their name.

Even before the arrival of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea produced an abundance of great players throughout their history.

From the likes of Peter Osgood, Dennis Wise and Marcel Desailly, Chelsea have seen some of the most lucrative and special players come through the doors of Stamford Bridge

With that in mind, here is a look at Chelsea All-Time XI:

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

Petr Cech

A bargain buy from Rennes at just £7 million in the summer of 2004, under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho, Petr Cech became a Chelsea and Premier League iconic during his time at the West London club.

One of the main reasons why Chelsea won their first Champions League in 2012, saving an extra-time penalty from Arjen Robben, he went on to stop another two spot-kicks in the shootout.

He went on to win four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and the Europa League during his spell at Stamford Bridge while holding the record for most clean sheets in the Premier League with 202 in 443 appearances.

Standing at 6 foot 5 inches tall, Cech had everything to his game during his 11-year stint at Chelsea. Strong in the air, a great-shot stopper and possessing great distribution, the Czech international is easily on this list.

Ashley Cole

The greatest left-back to ever play for Chelsea and to ever grace the Premier League, Ashley Cole deserves all the recognition he gets.

After controversially leaving Arsenal in 2006, Cole went on to make 338 appearances for the west London club, scoring 7 and assisting 38 in his 8-year stint.

His decision to leave Highbury for Stamford Bridge was justified, with the defender winning the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, League Cup and Four FA Cups.

The complete full-back, Cole is now retired and works as an academy coach at Chelsea’s Cobham Training Centre.

 

John Terry

Arguably Chelsea’s greatest ever player, John Terry was a world-class central defender during his 19-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

One of the few academy graduates to make a name for himself at the club, Terry is ‘Mr. Chelsea’, becoming their greatest ever captain in their golden era from the early 2000s.

A consistent starter in his mid-30s, Terry made 717 appearances for the club, becoming their all-time leading goalscorer as a defender with 67 goals, he is also the Premier Leagues top-scoring defender with 41 goals.

He went on to lift five Premier League titles as captain, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one Europa League and a historic Champions League win.

Ricardo Carvalho

Bought in for £20 million in the summer of Mourinho, Carvalho was part of the Porto team that captured the Champions League under Mourinho’s stewardship back in 2004.

He came into partner John Terry that season, and in doing so became an instant success. Creating one-off (if not) the greatest central defensive partnership in Premier League history.

While Terry had the leadership and qualities you would assign with a top defender, Carvalho had the speed and on-the-ball talent to accompany Terry wonderfully. Being part of the spine that conceded 15 goals in the 2004/05 Premier League season.

He went on to win three Premier League titles, three FA Cup’s and two League cups in his six years at the club.

Cesar Azpilicueta

Signed for a low £7 million in the summer of 2012 from French outfit Marseille, no one could have imagined the club legend status Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta would possess in 2021.

Referred to as ‘Dave’ by Chelsea fairs upon his arrival, Azpilicueta has become the beating heart of this current Chelsea team, he has made 442 appearances for the club.

Still a main figure in the current Chelsea set-up, he has held the captaincy after John Terry’s departure in 2017, captaining the side to their most recent Champions League win in May 2021.

A clutch player in his own right, scoring 14 goals and assisting 56 in his 9 years at the club, he has won almost everything there is to win.

Claude Makelele

One of the few players to have a position named after him, ‘the Makelele role’ has become synonymous in England and across Europe.

The key defensive port to Mourinho’s first spell in charge at the club, the Frenchman provided energy and world-class tackling to let the likes of Lampard and co ponder forward.

Leaving Real Madrid in 2003 after they embarrassingly allowed him to leave because of their Galactico’s policy. Makelele found a home in Chelsea that respected his talents.

He went on to win two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups during his five years at Stamford Bridge, becoming a legendary figure amongst Blues supporters.

N’Golo Kante

Signed in the summer of 2016 after being an integral part of Leicester City’s unlikely title victory in the 2015/16 season.

The little Frenchman has gone from an unknown player to one of the greatest Chelsea and Premier League player’s of all-time after his unique performances for the London club.

Gifted with unlimited stamina and an engine for days, Kante’s greatest attribute is his excellent ball-winning skills in the middle of the park.

The World Cup winner has won two Premier Leagues (one with Leicester) an FA Cup, Europa League, Super Cup and most recently, a Champions League to add to his lucrative trophy cabinet, where he played a big part in his side’s victory.

Frank Lampard

When you think of Chelsea’s greatest ever player, the name of Frank Lampard will normally come to mind for many Chelsea fans.

A fan favourite within the Stamford Bridge faithful, Lampard signed for the Blues from West Ham United in 2001 for a relatively low £11 million.

Greeted with scepticism upon his arrival, Lampard well and truly proved doubters wrong, becoming one of the best midfielders of his generation.

Becoming Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer with 211 goals accompanied with 150 assists in 648 appearances for the club.

Mainly deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, he was a complete and intelligent player whose greatest strength was running from deep and getting on that final pass to score or assist.

He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Europa League, a Champions League and finished 2nd in the 2005 Ballon D’or rankings in his 13-year career at Chelsea.

Eden Hazard

Easily Chelsea’s most gifted player, Eden Hazard lit up Stamford Bridge when he signed for the Blue’s in the summer of 2012 for £32 million from Lille.

Wowing fans on his debut, the Belgian’s entertaining playing style and world-class dribbling made him a fan-favourite with Chelsea fans and one of the best players in Europe.

Becoming Chelsea’s talisman with his performances and goal contributions, he adapted quickly to the demanding style of play in England, becoming the most fouled player in all top 5 European leagues.

In his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge, the magician that was Hazard contributed to 110 goals and won six major honours, including two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a dazzling performance on his final game to capture the Europa League for the club.

Didier Drogba

Regarded by many Chelsea fans as ‘The King of Stamford Bridge’, striker Didier Drogba joined from Marseille in a £24 million deal in 2004, becoming a big-part of Chelsea’s first league title in 50 years, perfecting the target man role under Jose Mourinho.

Never seen a prolific goalscorer, Drogba proved to be the man for the occasion, with 10 goals in 10 finals, along with numerous goals in crucial games, proving his worth in his 9-year stint in west London.

The highlight of his Chelsea career was his iconic role in Chelsea winning their first European cup, scoring an 88th minute equaliser against Bayern Munich and scoring the winning penalty to seal his place in Chelsea history.

Contributing to 251 goals in 381 games. Winning four League titles and FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League. World-class in his day, the Ivory Coast forward cemented his place as Chelsea’s greatest ever striker.

Gianfranco Zola

The little Italian genius is the only player on this list to have not been signed during the Abramovich era.

Joining from Parma in 1996 for £4.5 million, Zola was the main element of what was seen as a revolution of sorts during Ruud Gullits and Gianluca Villa’s stints at the club.

Winning two FA Cups, a League Cup, a Super Cup and a Cup Winners’ Cup during a domestic surge of the 1990s at west London. Zola was voted Chelsea’s greatest ever player back in 2003.

A hugely influential figure at the club, with the only shame being that Zola was not part of the success that followed at Chelsea upon his departure in 2003, leaving after seven years of service.

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

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Super Rugby Pacific 2022 draw announced

Super Rugby Pacific will kick off at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland where competition newcomers Moana Pasifika will fittingly host the inaugural match of a new era, against the Brumbies, on Friday 18 February 2022

The birth of Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua, whose first match will be away to the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday 19 February, are part of the Super Rugby Pacific draw announced today by joint venture partners New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and Rugby Australia (RA).

To read more about the Super Pacific Draw, click here.

The regular season features Super Round Melbourne, an event backed by TEG Live, Asia Pacific’s leading live entertainment company, and the Victorian Government, which will see all 12 teams gather at AAMI Park in Melbourne in Round 2 for three straight days of double-headers (25-27 February).

Each team will play a total of 14 matches during the regular season, 11 round-robin fixtures plus the introduction of three additional rivalry matches which will see each team play a home and away series against three other teams.

All 12 clubs will have their bye in either Round 7, Round 8, or Round 9 providing a fair chance for all teams to recharge as they launch their final push for a place in the Grand Final with all 91 matches live and exclusive on Sky including an eight-team playoff series which will kick-off in the first week of June.

Super Rugby Pacific will also embrace diversity with Women in Rugby to be celebrated in Round 3, a Culture Round in Round 6, ANZAC Day in Round 10, and a Heritage Round in Round 12.

NZR General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said the draw was easy to understand and a level playing field for the teams involved.

“The draw reflects the new look and feel of the competition whether it’s the historic opening match at Mt Smart Stadium, the Super Round, the traditional rivalries that have built up over more than 20 years, or the first time Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua go head-to-head on ANZAC weekend.”

“We have two new clubs who are building competitive squads right now, and ten other clubs who are excited by a fresh challenge. I think the inaugural season of Super Rugby Pacific will be a true celebration for rugby in the Pacific and will showcase the immense playing and coaching talent in the region. We can’t wait to get started next February.”

New Zealand’s five Super Rugby clubs the Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, Crusaders, and Highlanders, as well as Moana Pasifika, will confirm their 38-man squads on Monday, 22 November.

Rugby Australia Chief Executive Andy Marinos said:

“It’s fantastic to be able to confirm our draw for the 2022 competition, and from the outset, I’d like to thank our teams, broadcasters, New Zealand Rugby, and SANZAAR for their co-operation and collaboration in getting to this point.

“Super Rugby Pacific is fresh and exciting as we look to provide fans a new game-day experience every time they go to a match… We will also host ANZAC, Heritage, Cultural, and Women in Rugby Rounds, as we acknowledge, recognize and celebrate the communities who make our game so great, and I’m excited to see this play out during match days.”

As well as a first look at the two competition newcomers, the blockbuster first round will also deliver a classic southern derby between the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa champion Crusaders and the Highlanders at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.

The Hurricanes and Chiefs will start the season on the road against the Waratahs and Reds respectively in Sydney and Brisbane, while the final match of Round 1 is an all-Aussie affair between the Force and the Rebels.

 

Super Rugby Pacific Setup

Format:

  • 12 teams: Moana Pasifika, Fijian Drua, Blues, Chiefs Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders, Waratahs, Reds, Force, Brumbies, Rebels
  • 14 regular season matches = 11 round-robin matches + 3 rivalry matches
  • One bye round per team (all byes in Rounds 7,8 & 9)

Playoffs:

  • 8-team playoffs format – QFs: June 3-5; SFs: 10-11 June; FINAL 18 June.
  • Total Matches: 91
  • Season Length: 18 weeks = 15-week regular season + three-week playoff series

Opening match: Friday 18 February: Moana Pasifika v Brumbies @ Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland.

Super Round Melbourne: Round 2, Friday-Sunday 25-27 February @ AAMI Park Melbourne Park.

Moana Pasifika v Waratahs; Highlanders v Blues; Hurricanes v Chiefs; Crusaders v Reds; Rebels v Brumbies; Fijian Drua v Force.

New Zealand team’s home and away rivalry matches:

Blues
Highlanders (H) Rd 11; (A) Rd 2
Chiefs (H) Rd 12; (A) Rd 8
Moana Pasifika (H) Rd 7; (A) Rd 13

Chiefs
Blues (H) Rd 8; (A) Rd 12
Crusaders (H) Rd 7; (A) Rd 15
Brumbies (H) Rd 13; (A) Rd 6

Crusaders
Chiefs (H) Rd 15; (A) Rd 7
Highlanders (H) Rd 1; (A) Rd 6
Hurricanes (H) Rd 12; (A) Rd 3

Highlanders
Blues (H) Rd 2; (A) Rd 11
Crusaders (H) Rd 6; (A) Rd 1
Hurricanes (H) Rd 9; (A) Rd 4

Hurricanes
Crusaders (H) Rd 3; (A) Rd 12
Highlanders (H) Rd 4; (A) Rd 9
Moana Pasifika (H) Rd 11; (A) Rd 15

Themed Rounds
Women in Rugby Round – Round 3 (4-5 March)
Culture Round – Round 6 (25-26 March)
ANZAC Round – Round 10 (22-23 April)
Heritage Round – Round 12 (6-8 May)

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Irish and international club rugby news, click here.

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