The Ulster Rugby has issued a squad update ahead of Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 Round 15 fixture against Leinster at Aviva Stadium.
Alan O’Connor and James Hume sustained concussions in the Round 14 fixture against Connacht, and both will follow the Return To Play protocols.
Rob Herring sustained a chest wall injury in training last week, and subsequently failed a fitness test pre-game on Sunday. He is expected to be fit for selection this week.
Squad updates in association with The Ulster Independent Clinic.
Who is the greatest ever Irish fly-half? Players like Tony Ward and Ollie Cambell immediately spring to mind.
The nation has been blessed with talent at the pivotal at number 10 position. Perhaps the best place to start is Grand Slam winning sides. Ireland has only ever produced three ‘Slam’ winners, underlining just how difficult a feat it is.
JACK KYLE
Jackie Kyle led Ireland to a first-ever crown in 1948 and starred in all four matches. Ireland had heroes aplenty including Karl Mullen and Mick O’Flanagan, but it was the former Belfast Academy student who was widely hailed as the mastermind behind a truly historic campaign. Kyle was an off-the-cuff player who could turn a game in the blink of an eye with flashes of outrageous skill. One example of this was a stunning solo try against France in Ravenhill, Belfast in 1953. He made 48 appearances for Ireland scoring seven tries. He also represented the British & Irish Lions on six occasions. In total Kyle won three Five nations Championships in 1948, 1949, and 1951.
RONAN O’GARA
Ronan O’Gara won a Grand Slam in 2009 and is the highest ever scorer in Six Nations history with 557 points. The current head coach of La Rochelle in the French Top 14, O’Gara is fondly remembered for that famous drop goal that secured a second Grand Irish Slam in Cardiff against Wales.
O’Gara bagged several match-winning drop goals for Ireland and is the fourth-highest scorer in test rugby history.
He won his first international cap for Ireland against Scotland on 19 February 2000 during the 2000 Six Nations Championship. In all, he won 128 Irish caps and announced his retirement from rugby on 18 May 2013.
JOHNNY SEXTON
Johnny Sexton was voted World Rugby Player of the year in 2018, and also added a famous drop goal to the list of Ireland’s favourite sporting moments. The Leinster fly-half became the 106th player to captain Ireland in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A Group match, at the Kobe Misaki Stadium in Japan.
Sexton is a born leader who constantly puts his body on the line for the team and is blessed with the killer instinct that all great fly-half possess. Never was this more evident than in
2018 when Ireland was trailing France in Paris, as the clock ticked towards the red. Showing nerves of steel Sexton attempted an all-or-nothing match-winning attempt from near the halfway line. It sailed over and propelled Ireland to a hat-trick of Grand Slam titles.
On 24 November 2009, Sexton was controversially selected ahead of Ronan O’Gara in Ireland’s autumn international against world cup champions South Africa at Croke Park.
It proved to be an inspired decision as he kicked all of Ireland’s 15 points. It was revealed that Sexton had played out Ireland’s pulsating 15–10 victory with a broken hand. Sexton truly is Captain Courageous and will be central to Ireland’s prospects in the post Joe Schmidt era.
WHO GETS THE NOD?
In a glittering list, O’Gara gets the nod by virtue of his astonishing numbers, but Johnny Sexton has no retirement plans just yet and is closing in on fast on his former coaches impressive targets.
Update
It has been confirmed that Munster’s newest debutant, RG Snyman, sustained an ACL tear in the opening minutes of Saturday night’s Guinness PRO14 encounter against Leinster.
The lock will meet with the specialist next to discuss surgery and management.
Dave Kilcoyne and Jean Kleyn have also been ruled out for the immediate future with both players requiring rehabilitation periods for respective ankle and neck ligament injuries.
The squad gathered at the HPC this morning to commence preparations for the Round 15 Guinness PRO14 encounter against Connacht, with players and coaches taking part in the next phase of the IRFU’s routine PCR testing.
RG Snyman, Dave Kilcoyne and Jean Kleyn were all withdrawn due to injury during Saturday night’s game against Leinster with James Cronin pulling out of the starting XV before kick-off.
Snyman suffered a left knee injury and will go for an MRI scan today to assess further.
Kilcoyne was removed with a right ankle injury and will also undergo an MRI scan today.
Kleyn was removed with a neck injury, underwent imaging in hospital and was discharged. He will undergo further imaging today to investigate.
Cronin suffered a low-grade groin strain last weekend and will continue to rehab with the medical team.
Jack O’Donoghue suffered a concussion in training last week and will follow the graded return to play pathway, under the supervision of the medical team.
In positive news, Mike Haley (calf) will return to team training this week.
Continuing to rehab: Joey Carbery (ankle), Dan Goggin (ankle) and Roman Salanoa (abdominal).
The great Altior and trainer Nicky Henderson held a stranglehold over the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham Festival between 2018 and 2019. However, 2020 was supposed to be the year when their reign was ended by a superior challenger.
The exciting Chacun Pour Soi out of Willie Mullins’ yard was building momentum to knock off the Irish thoroughbred in what was a potentially mouth-watering duel in the Cotswolds course. However, both competitors were forced to withdraw from the contest due to injury, robbing spectators the opportunity of seeing a legend battle it out with a young upstart.
Politologue capitalised on their absences to win the Champion Chase, earning an impressive victory to enhance his reputation. However, all eyes will turn to the talented duo in their return to the track.
Fortunately the 2020/21 National Hunt campaign is on the horizon and will provide the opportunity for the two horses to face off, beginning with the Tingle Creek Chase. Altior is the leading contender to triumph being backed at 10/3 in the horse racing betting odds, while Mullins’ charge is considered an outsider at 12/1 – still with something to prove against quality opposition.
The French thoroughbred has that raw ability that could trouble a truly great horse of Altior’s ilk. He looked excellent from the early days of his career after transferring into Mullins yard in 2016. It took two years for him to make his first appearance, beginning his jumps career in Ireland in the Beginners’ Chase at Naas. Chacun Pour Soi dominated the rest of the field, winning by a huge margin of 31 lengths.
The standards were raised for his second outing at Punchestown in the Ryanair Novice Chase. Defi Du Seuil and Duc Des Genievres were present in the field, with the latter being a stable-mate of Chacun Pour Soi’s and the preferred ride of Paul Townend. Robbie Power took to the reins of the seven-year-old and delivered another accomplished performance. He overcame a couple of minor mistakes and powered down the stretch to beat out his rivals by a comfortable distance, ending his 2018/19 season on a high note.
He returned to action at the end of December after a seven-month layoff at Leopardstown. Although, Chacun Pour Soi was considered the favourite, he was off the pace for the first time since his move to Mullins’ yard and was well beaten by A Plus Tard. However, he returned to form at the Dublin Chase in February with Townend in the saddle. The French thoroughbred was able to see off the threat of his stable-mate Min to close out the win by three-and-three-quarter lengths. The result seemingly handed Chacun Pour Soi the momentum to take into Cheltenham Festival and his clash with Altior, only to suffer a foot abscess which forced the hand of Mullins to withdraw his charge.
His potential and quality are there to see in abundance, although it may take time for him to get up to speed after a long period away from the track. Altior along with Defi Du Seuil and Politologue will not be easily conquered, but Mullins could have another great one at his disposal if Chacun Pour Soi can live up his lofty expectations.
Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued the following injury update ahead of the Guinness PRO14 game on Saturday against Ulster Rugby.
Injury Update – Available for Selection:
Cian Healy, Josh van der Flier and Johnny Sexton: all three were withdrawn in the second half of the game against Munster Rugby as a precaution with minor injuries (Cian (arm), Josh (hand), Johnny (thumb)) but are expected to be available for selection this week against Ulster Rugby.
Injury Update – Further Assessment Required:
Tadhg Furlong: was withdrawn from the Munster Rugby game as a precaution having picked up a minor back injury. Will be further assessed this week before a final decision is made on his involvement against Ulster Rugby.
Rhys Ruddock: was withdrawn from the Munster Rugby game as a precaution with a minor quadriceps injury. Will be further assessed this week before a final decision is made on his involvement against Ulster Rugby.
Injury Update – Unavailable for Selection:
Dave Kearney: was withdrawn in the second half of the Munster Rugby game with a hamstring injury. Requires further assessment this week but will be unavailable for selection for the Ulster Rugby game.
Vakh Abdaladze: had a procedure on a long-standing back issue last week and will require further assessment in the coming weeks.
Dan Leavy: will again look to increase his training involvement this week as he recovers from his knee injury.
No New Injury Update – Unavailable for Selection:
Fergus McFadden (calf), Conor O’Brien (hamstring), Adam Byrne (hamstring) and James Ryan (shoulder)
The dates for the 2021 Galway racing festival have been announced and people are already planning their visit to Ballybrit.
The 2021 festival runs from Monday 26th July right through to Sunday the 1st of August, with Ladies’ day on Thursday 29th July.
Galway races horse racing betting previews will be in all the newspapers and on websites so that will not be an issue for anyone looking for plenty of winners to pay for their trip to the West of Ireland in 2021.
Over 145,000 people attended the Galway Races in 2019. The total prize fund for the fifty-two sponsored races at the Summer Festival was an impressive €2.3 million! Turnstiles will open each day at approximately two hours before the first race. We look forward to welcoming you all to Galway very soon.
LADIES DAY
Widely renowned as ‘Ladies Day’ at the Galway Races, Thursday traditionally combines the very best in horse racing and stunning fashion. The first of eight jump races takes place at 4.45pm and the last race at 8.15pm. Thursday features the much sought after Galway Hurdle Handicap race with an impressive prize fund of €300,000 on offer.
Join Ireland’s stylish racegoers on Thursday 29th July as they flock to Galway for the Her Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races Summer Festival. One of the biggest days in the Irish Racing calendar, this event is also an unmissable day out for fashion lovers
Racecard:
1st race: The Guinness Novice Hurdle
2nd race: The Guinness Open Gate Brewery Beginners Steeplechase
3rd race: The Rockshore Novice Steeplechase
4th race: The Arthur Guinness Handicap Hurdle
5th race: The Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap
6th race: The Guinness Novice Hurdle
7th race: The Open Gate Pure Brew Handicap Hurdle
8th race: The Guinness Time Flat Race
“The secret of great style is to feel good in what you wear.”
Super Saturday at Ballybrit
With seven competitive flat races on the card, racing on Saturday kicks off at 2.15pm with the last race at 5.15pm. The feature race on the day is the sixth race at 4.45pm, The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap run over one mile and four furlongs.
Regarded as Ireland’s largest horse racing Festival, you to sit back in the comfort of your own home and join us via Racing TV and our social media channels as we bring you live coverage of all the action both on and off the track.
Racecard:
1st race: The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden
2nd race: The MansionBet Maiden
3rd race: The O’Leary Insurances Handicap
4th race: The MansionBet Handicap
5th race: The Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden
6th race: The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap
7th race: The McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap
Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has named a 23-man squad for the games against Bulgaria and Finland in September.
Waterford-born Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby and Cork native Adam Idah, the Norwich City striker, both receive their first call-ups to the senior Ireland squad. Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy, Fulham’s Harry Arter, Southampton’s Shane Long and Blackburn Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan all return to the squad for the games in Sofia and Dublin.
David McGoldrick, the Sheffield United striker and the 3 FAI Player of the Year for 2020, will join the squad for the Finland game, pending the assessment of a long-term foot injury.
New partnership
The squad was announced at JACC headquarters in Dublin as the FAI unveiled a new six-year partnership with the New Era brand of headwear and leisurewear.
The Irish players will meet up on Sunday ahead of two day’s training at the National Training Centre in Abbotstown before flying to the Bulgarian capital on Tuesday afternoon. Both the UEFA Nations League games will be played behind closed doors.
Ireland squad v Bulgaria and Finland
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Mark Travers (Bournemouth), Kieran O’Hara (unattached) Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolves), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers). Midfielders: James McCarthy (Crystal Palace), Harry Arter (Fulham), Jeff Hendrick (unattached), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Jayson Molumby (Brighton and Hove Albion), Robbie Brady (Burnley). Forwards: Callum Robinson (Sheffield United), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City), Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur – on loan at Millwall), Shane Long (Southampton).
Note: David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) will join the squad for the Finland game.
Leinster maintained their unbeaten run as they edged out their big Irish rivals Munster 27-25 to record a 14th straight win of the Pro14 season, the conceded 12pts later when Devin Toner got a sin bin.
Andrew Conway’s try put Munster ahead but Cian Healy’s score levelled the game before Garry Ringrose’s touchdown left Leinster 17-13 up at the break.
Hanrahan landed a superb conversion from the left touchline but after Byrne’s 70th-minute penalty had extended Leinster’s lead to seven, the Munster fly-half couldn’t repeat the dose as he missed with the extras following Conway’s second touchdown.
Leinster: Larmour; D Kearney, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Sexton (capt), McGrath; Healy, Kelleher, Porter; Baird, Fardy; Doris, van der Flier, Conan.
Replacements: Gibson-Park for Kearney 61, R Byrne for Sexton 59, Deegan for McGrath 67, E Byrne for Healy 57, Cronin for R. Kelleher 59, Bent for Porter 59, Toner for Fardy 53, Connors for van der Flier 57
Munster: Daly; Conway, Farrell, de Allende, Earls; Hanrahan, Murray; Cronin, N Scannell, Archer; Snyman, Holland; O’Mahony (capt), O’Donnell, Stander.
Replacements: Casey for Murray 70, Loughman for Kilcoyne 8, Marshall for N Scannell 53, Ryan for Archer 54, Kleyn for Snyman 8, Cloete for O’Donnell 49, R Scannell for Kleyn 57.
Connacht looked the sharper side as the teams re-emerged from a six-month break, with first-half tries from John Porch and Kieran Marmion giving them a deserved half-time lead and they kicked on with a great try from Bundee Aki and finished the game with a late Jack Aungier try.
“Our energy was great. That was a crucial period. They dug really deep, some really strong characters,” said Connacht coach Andy Friend about going down a player. “We had five debutantes and Bundee on his 100th cap. I thought Bundee was really special,”
Dan McFarland was not a happy coach “I’m searching for the reason we didn’t have the spark I was expecting,” said McFarland. “It was disappointing to put in that kind of performance. I don’t want to take away from Connacht but we were a shadow of ourselves. You try to remind yourself of levels.”
Romain Langasque overturned a five-stroke deficit to win his first European Tour title at the ISPS Handa Wales Open.
The Frenchman started the final day at The Celtic Manor Resort in a share of sixth, five shots behind 54-hole co-leaders Sebastian Soderberg and Connor Syme, but the deficit was cut to just one stroke after his second birdie of the day on the sixth hole.
The 2015 Amateur Champion remained just one shot back after another gain on the ninth, but drew level with a fourth birdie of the day on the par five 11th hole. Successive birdies at the 15th and 16th holes saw the 25-year-old sign for a bogey-free 65 and an eight under par total as a nervous wait followed.
Bogeys on the 14th and 16th holes dashed Syme’s hopes of a maiden European Tour victory and both he and Soderberg found the water at the par five 18th, which ultimately ended the Swede’s chances at the eleventh hour.
“As I said on the course I was playing really good since the start of the week,” conceded Langasque, “I was only focusing on doing my thing – that was the only objective I had on Monday with my coach. I’m so happy with the way I played the back nine, I played really, really good, I had so many birdie opportunities. The second shot on 16 and the first shot on 17 were my two best shots of the week. That shows that the work we have done the past few weeks has worked, and I’m pretty happy.”
The French golfer’s win elevated him to 31st in the 2020 Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, and also earned him a place in next month’s U.S. Open after he moved inside the top ten on the UK Swing Order of Merit.
It was a disappointing tournament for the Irish golfers who finished towards the rear of the field. Cormac Sharvin was best, as he finished on 289, which was 13 shots off the winner. Paul Dunne was a further three shots behind Sharvin, while Jonathan Caldwell carded a final day 76, to end the tournament on 293.
Final Scores:
276 R LANGASQUE (FRA) 71 68 72 65,
278 S VALIMAKI (FIN) 70 72 67 69,
279 D DIXON (ENG) 70 70 71 68, M JORDAN (ENG) 69 72 72 66,
280 S SODERBERG (SWE) 68 70 68 74, J MORRISON (ENG) 73 72 66 69, L CANTER (ENG) 71 69 72 68,
281 C SYME (SCO) 66 70 70 75, J CAMPILLO (ESP) 75 68 69 69, G GREEN (MAS) 73 71 68 69, C HILL (SCO) 73 71 68 69, J SCRIVENER (AUS) 70 74 69 68, H LI (CHN) 72 66 76 67, C SHINKWIN (ENG) 68 75 71 67,
282 T PIETERS (BEL) 69 72 69 72, M KINHULT (SWE) 69 71 72 70, R FOX (NZL) 70 74 68 70, L JOHNSTON (SCO) 70 68 75 69, S HEISELE (GER) 70 71 73 68, L DE JAGER (RSA) 70 74 70 68,
283 D BURMESTER (RSA) 72 71 68 72, C HOWIE (SCO) 74 69 69 71, M FENASSE (FRA) 72 70 72 69, B RITTHAMMER (GER) 75 70 69 69, C SORDET (FRA) 72 74 68 69, D HUIZING (NED) 70 73 72 68,
284 E MOLINARI (ITA) 72 70 68 74, M SIEM (GER) 70 74 67 73, B STONE (RSA) 70 72 70 72, S GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP) 73 70 69 72, J SMITH (ENG) 66 72 75 71, M ARMITAGE (ENG) 74 69 71 70, R PARATORE (ITA) 69 72 74 69, C PAISLEY (ENG) 72 74 69 69, D WHITNELL (ENG) 73 71 72 68, L SCALISE (ITA) 72 71 74 67,
285 R ROCK (ENG) 71 69 73 72, A JOHNSTON (ENG) 73 71 70 71, A OTAEGUI (ESP) 71 70 74 70, D LAW (SCO) 71 75 69 70, S CROCKER (USA) 74 71 71 69, M KAWAMURA (JPN) 74 70 73 68, L VAN MEIJEL (NED) 72 74 71 68,
286 N ELVIRA (ESP) 71 67 74 74, J HARDING (RSA) 70 70 73 73, M KIEFFER (GER) 71 73 70 72, R RAMSAY (SCO) 73 72 70 71, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 75 71 69 71, A RAI (ENG) 70 71 75 70, A SADDIER (FRA) 71 71 75 69, J MCLEOD (AUS) 73 71 73 69, S HORSFIELD (ENG) 73 71 77 65,
287 Z LOMBARD (RSA) 77 69 68 73, O LENGDEN (SWE) 72 71 72 72, D PERRIER (FRA) 71 75 69 72, N COLSAERTS (BEL) 71 72 73 71, A COCKERILL (CAN) 73 71 72 71, W BESSELING (NED) 73 71 73 70,
288 D YOUNG (SCO) 73 72 70 73, K KITAYAMA (USA) 68 74 76 70, R MACINTYRE (SCO) 68 78 72 70, M BALDWIN (ENG) 74 72 73 69,
289 C SHARVIN (NIR) 73 71 69 76, J SENIOR (ENG) 73 71 71 74, R MCEVOY (ENG) 71 74 72 72, S TILEY (ENG) 71 73 74 71, S KIM (USA) 71 67 82 69,
290 A CHESTERS (ENG) 69 72 76 73, A MERONK (POL) 73 69 76 72, S VINCENT (ZIM) 75 71 73 71, L SLATTERY (ENG) 78 66 79 67,
291 N LEMKE (SWE) 73 72 70 76,
292 A KARLSSON (SWE) 77 69 70 76, P DUNNE (IRL) 74 72 73 73, M SOUTHGATE (ENG) 69 73 80 70,
293 O FISHER (ENG) 71 73 71 78, J CALDWELL (NIR) 72 74 71 76.
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