📋 The Ireland squad for next week's 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗲 has been named, with Anthony Eddy announcing an experienced 14-player panel for Monaco 🙌🟢
Kendellen describes him as an “exceptional” coach who wants to mould the Munster prospect into the best possible version of himself.
“Denis has been through it all, I suppose. Firstly, he’s been extremely good to me. Back-row aspects of the pitch – be it ruck, be it tackle, be it poach – he’s taken me under his wing and just showed me that aspect of the game. He kind of wants what he can offer me, I suppose, and what player he can mould me into.”
Richie Murphy is another established figure in Irish rugby that the young number eight can learn from.
The Ireland U20s head coach was heavily involved in player development at Leinster for several years.
He has overseen the development of talents such as 99-cap international fly-half Johnny Sexton and Leinster legend Fergus McFadden.
“First time I actually met him was two or three weeks ago, but he has really brought the squad together,” Kendellen said.
“It’s great to have such a senior coach, I suppose, whose been up at that level and can bring his knowledge down to us younger lads and guide us from there, I suppose.”
Those involved with Munster have also lent their words to Kendellen ahead of the U20 Six Nations opener against Scotland.
Captain Kendellen explained that he was welcomed with open arms at all levels in the Munster setup.
Players such as the now-retired Billy Holland offered advice to the 20-year-old after he received the news that he was going to captain the national U20 side.
He added that he was “thrown into the deep end” at Munster after he left school.
To be fair, the academy lads, they brought me in with open arms. Extremely good to me, like the seniors were. Learning off the back-rows in Munster, the competition is crazy down there, so yeah. Really thrown into the deep end after school but that’s the best way I learned, if I was to tell you – to just get thrown in and kind of sink or swim I suppose.”
From watching YouTube videos of Kieran Read to leading his country out this Saturday against Scotland, Alex Kendellen has come a long way.
Cheering him on will be several experienced figures who have helped him get to this moment and those that will only help him get further and further in the sport.
Ireland Sevens Head Coach Anthony Eddy announced his 14-man squad for the World Rugby Sevens Repechage tournament on Friday morning.
Victory at this tournament would mean the Ireland Sevens side earn a spot at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
The New Zealand native chose an experienced squad and two uncapped players around the squad for an extended period.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Eddy noted the importance of experience for an event like the Olympic repechage.
“They’ve been part of this program for a number of years – they know what these sorts of tournaments are like and how important it is to make sure you manage each game but also perform and win each game,” said Eddy.
The Sevens head coach added that the side’s experience of missing out before and bouncing back will prove important.
Eddy also spoke about the threats that his side faces in Monaco this weekend seeking Olympic qualification.
The Ireland boss singled out the teams in the competition that have World Series experience.
“Samoa are always a challenge.
“Teams on the other side of the draw – Uganda, Chile. Hong Kong, you know we played Hong Kong to qualify for the World Series and that’s not an easy game either, but those sort of teams are always going to provide a good challenge.”
France was also mentioned in the list.
The French are the other European side involved in the 10-strong tournament and Ireland has had some close games with them in recent years.
The most recent match resulted in a 19-12 defeat for the Irish side in July 2019.
Eddy says that if a game against France occurs, his side must be more “clinical” than they were in their last meeting.
It will be the first time an Irish rugby side will be at the Olympics if they are successful.
Eddy thinks that it is a great opportunity to grow the game of rugby on the island.
“[It would be] a huge achievement to have an Irish rugby team representing their country at the Olympic games.
“It will give the 7s program enormous exposure but also I think it will great for the game of rugby in Ireland to have your rugby team representing their country at the Olympic games.
“The Olympic games is the pinnacle of [sports]”
The Monaco Repechage begins on June 19th with Ireland facing Zimbabwe in their opener.
To see the squad and Irish fixtures for the tournament, click here.
Punters expect Rachel Blackmore to light up the track again as she rides Cape gentleman.
The Irish jockey was the first female rider to win the Grand National this year and will be commanding a five-year-old chestnut in the two-and-a-half-mile contest.
The Irish-bred horse Battaash is also a major star to look out for this week.
The seven-year-old is hoping to win to make it six-in-six for first-time out races. Along with his 100% record in 2020 and his trainers being happy with his preparations, he will be the one to watch.
With firm ground and good weather, this looks like it will be a fun week for racing fans.
Some have made their feelings known about the concept of joint-winners in the league.
Divisions One, Two and Four will be shared by the two semi-final winners unless those sides meet in the Championship.
The finals would have taken place a week before the Championship begins.
Offaly and Derry made their feelings known about this and were able to get the Division Three final on their schedules.
Imagine county’s deciding if they play a final or not it’s a shambles from the @officialgaa ffs they should had planned it better it’s a disaster from a Pr situation !!
Today’s market movers with Betfred, official bookmaker of Royal Ascot
Betfred spokesman Matt Hulmes said: “Business has been brisk this morning and I had to check it wasn’t Cheltenham week when I saw the big move for an Emmet Mullins handicapper under Rachael Blackmore. Irish Cesarewitch winner Cape Gentleman has been the best backed horse of the day so far, with ‘The Batmobile’ Battaash a close second as he bids to retain his King’s Stand title.”
The going for day one of Royal Ascot is Good to Firm, Good in places.
Chris Stickels, Ascot’s Clerk of the Course, said: “The going this morning is Good to Firm, Good in places following a dry night.
“The track was watered yesterday, the Straight Course with 10mm and the Round Course with 4mm.
“We are expecting a fine, dry day today and a fine, warm, dry day again tomorrow.”
Going Stick Readings at 8.00am:
Stands side: 8.6
Centre: 8.3
Far side: 8.2
Round 7.9
Stalls:
Straight Course: Centre
Round Course: Inside
The running rail on the Round Course will be positioned approximately three yards out from approximately nine furlongs out to the Home Straight. This rail will remain in place until after racing on Wednesday.
Weather
Dry, warm conditions forecast, through to Wednesday when thunderstorms are forecast during the night and through Thursday. Showers possible for Friday, a little more settled with occasional showers for Saturday.
The new Pro16 rugby competition will be called the United Rugby Championship we have videos explaining how fixtures work and Champions Cup qualification will be done.
The ‘United Rugby Championship will kick off in September 2021 as the top clubs from South Africa (Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls) combine with the Guinness PRO14 to create a world-class 16-team league.
The United Rugby Championship will be bigger, bolder and stronger than its predecessors. Teams from five of rugby’s elite nations – Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and South Africa will transform the competition into a league of super clubs, which will embrace difference and champion its athletes on their journey with the URC proudly representing all of those involved with the game.
Off the field the United Rugby Championship will strive to provide a platform for our players to tell their stories so that their achievements in sport and society can inspire the next-generation of rugby talent and the sport’s supporters to prove that rugby is a game for all.
This game-changing agreement between SA Rugby and PRO14 Rugby will strengthen their existing partnership and will drive greater growth of the game for the benefit of all 16 teams in the league.
Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship, said: “Fans have always asked more of our league and now we are taking it to new heights. The United Rugby Championship will see World Cup winners, icons of the Guinness Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and stars of the British & Irish Lions tour turning up the intensity in an exciting new league format. Since the origins of the Celtic League in 2001, the vision has been to innovate and evolve in order to create a compelling competition which would challenge our players and teams to be at their very best every single week. Their potential has never been in doubt and now we can provide them with the arena to be the very best.
“Forming the United Rugby Championship will begin to reshape the world of club rugby. We are creating a league that embraces and celebrates difference and where the only way to succeed will be to match the skill and intensity of the international game.
“The arrival of South Africa’s elite teams and the removal of fixtures from international match weekends will make our league stronger across the board. We will see heroes taking on heroes every week in iconic locations to create an appeal that will be unmatched in in the world of club rugby.
“We now have a clear purpose and identity that everyone associated with our league can stand behind. We have listened and we have answered the challenge set by our clubs to take this competition to the next level both on and off the field. North and south will now collide on a regular basis and we cannot wait to see who will rise up as the first champions of the United Rugby Championship.”
Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “South African rugby has for many years imagined a future aligned with northern-hemisphere rugby and this announcement marks the arrival of that vision.
“Our teams will be pitting themselves against the leading clubs from four nations, steeped in rugby tradition and folklore. They’ll do it without having to cross time zones or acclimatise while 100 per cent of matches will kick off in South African prime time.
“This is a watershed moment in South African rugby history, opening new doors and heralding a new and exciting era for our sport.”
Crossing New Horizons in Rugby
This agreement will create a pathway for SA Rugby to become a full shareholder in Pro Rugby Championship (PRC DAC) alongside the Celtic and Italian unions. In a sporting landscape looking towards the post-pandemic future this unification of north and south provides everyone involved in the United Rugby Championship with optimism for prosperous days ahead.
Subject to contract, all teams in the United Rugby Championship will be eligible to qualify for EPCR competitions in time for the 2022/23 season.
In comparison to the Guinness PRO14 structure, the 18-round regular season in the United Rugby Championship will see the return of a single-standing table that will prevent clashes with international weekends and leave little margin for error for those chasing the title. Every game will count in the league which will be further strengthened by an expanded knock-out series that aims to deliver more jeopardy with a full schedule of quarter-finals and semi-finals capped off by a Grand Final played in a destination venue.
The United Rugby Championship will set the stage where the diversity of playing styles, languages and fan cultures will clash across iconic locations in rugby heartlands week after week. The new league will also allow South Africa’s former Super Rugby sides to operate in a common time zone which will help open up greater audiences across the league and increase commercial appeal.
United Rugby Championship League Format
The URC will use one league table to rank the teams who will reach the knock-out stages and compete to reach the title and become the champions.
Fixtures: The regular season of the United Rugby Championship will take place across 18 rounds with each team’s fixtures comprising of six (6) Home AND away fixtures against their regional pool opponents and12 Home OR away fixtures against the remaining teams in the league
South African Pool: Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls
Italian & Scottish Pool: Benetton Rugby, Edinburgh, Glasgow Warriors, Zebre Rugby Club
Final Series/Play-Offs: One league table will be used to rank teams and after 18 rounds the top eight sides will qualify for the Play-Offs. Teams will be seeded from 1 to 8 and will receive home advantage according to their seeding.
A full round of Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals will take place to produce two teams who will qualify for the Grand Final.
URC – Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Participation
A total of eight teams from the United Rugby Championship will qualify each season for the following season’s Heineken Champions Cup. The balance of teams will participate in the Challenge Cup.
Subject to the finalisation of contract terms with EPCR, South African teams will be eligible to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup from the 2022/23 season if they have finished in the United Rugby Championship qualification places from the prior season.
All points won during the URC season will contribute to rankings in the regional pools and the highest-ranking team in each of the four pools will earn a place in the Heineken Champions Cup for the following season. This addition to the format is expected to add even greater intensity to these age-old local rivalries.
The remaining four places in the Heineken Champions Cup will be awarded to the four highest-ranked teams from the single-standing league table who have not already qualified through the four regional pools.
Division Two-bound Offaly will play Mickey Harte’s Louth in Navan.
Both sides have been promoted in the National Football League this season and will want to carry that momentum over to the championship.
Offaly took the top spot in Division Three South after three wins from three and dispatched Fermanagh to win promotion.
They have not yet played the Division Three final against Derry, at the time of writing.
However, John Maughan’s side did not make it easy for themselves.
Fortunately, veteran Niall McNamee took on the role of super-sub as he got Offaly over the line on multiple occasions.
Louth, on the other hand, has improved vastly under Mickey Harte.
A dramatic one-point loss to Antrim in the first round of the National Football League was the only blemish on an otherwise stellar record.
Second-halves become clinics for the Wee County as they cruised to three wins in a row to earn promotion.
Led by captain Sam Mulroy, Louth put on fantastic displays to distance themselves from the competition and take control of proceedings.
Offaly may be the higher-ranked side but an upset is not unlikely.
Prediction: Louth by 3
Wicklow v Wexford
Wicklow and Wexford will go head-to-head in Aughrim in the first round.
Wicklow masterminded the great escape in their relegation play-off against Cavan.
Their 3-11 (20) to 0-18 (18) win over the Ulster champions was their first of the season after a brutal campaign as the whipping boys in Division Three South.
Seanie Furlong’s 2-3 was instrumental in the shock win for Davy Byrne’s side.
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