1995 was when Rugby went global. The tournament was always going to be played out with the spotlight of the International media on it due to President Nelson Mandela bringing the apartheid era to an end and along with it South Africa’s sporting isolation. The Springboks had been banned from the 1987 and 1991 tournaments. Now that the apartheid era was over they would participate for the first time.

The tournament surpassed all expectations, Jonah Lomu burst onto the stage and became Rugby’s first superstar. Spoiler Alert – The home side went on to beat the All-Blacks in the final. Nelson Mandela presenting Francois Pienaar with the Webb Ellis trophy became the defining image of the tournament. So what was Ireland’s part in all of this? 

Pool stage

For the first time, Ireland were in a group that they were not guaranteed to progress from. They were drawn in Pool C alongside New Zealand, Ireland, Wales and Japan. First up were the mighty All-Blacks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. 

Ireland New Zealand

It was a World Cup debut for 20-year-old Jonah Lomu, who at 6ft 5in and weighing in at 18 stone was unheard of for a winger at the time. But Ireland were about to get an up-close glimpse of his pace and power. 

The game started well for the Irish. Former hammer thrower, Gary Halpin, crashed over for the game’s first try as Ireland took an early lead. But that would be as good as it got for Gerry Murphy’s side as New Zealand clicked into gear. Two  Andrew Mehrtens’ penalties got them back to within a point of the Irish, before a brief reprieve when New Zealand had a try disallowed due to Andrew Little having a foot in touch. Then Lomu showed his immense power bursting through three Irish tacklers to score his first of seven tries at the tournament. 

The second All-Black try arrived shortly after when Brendan Mullen saw an attempted kick on the edge of his own 22 charged down by Frank Bunce who gathered to score. Denis McBride gave Ireland a glimmer of hope with a try just before half-time after a great break from Simon Geoghegan. At the break, Ireland trailed by 20-12. 

A second Lomu try after he was put into space by Kronfeld spelled the end of the Irish challenge. Lomu was denied his hat-trick after making a dazzling break from his own 22 and bursting past four would-be Irish tacklers. Simon Geoghegan made a try-saving tackle 5 yards out only for Lomu to pop the ball up to the onrushing Kronfeld who scored.

David Corkery grabbed, what was by that stage, a consolation try for Ireland before a late try from Glen Osborne added a gloss to the scoreline that highly flattered the All-Blacks after a brave Irish performance. 

Ireland 50 Japan 28

Next up for the Irish, four days later in Bloemfontein, was a 50-28 win over pool minnows Japan. Tries from David Corkery, Neil Francis, Simon Geoghegan, Eddie Halvey and Niall Hogan as well as two penalty tries saw the Irish outscore the Japanese by seven tries to four. Paul Burke took over from Eric Elwood at out-half for this game and nailed 6 out of 7 conversions as well as a penalty.

Ireland 24 Wales 23

Ireland were back in action in at Ellis Park, Johannesburg just four days later for a Pool C decider against Wales. The Irish were quietly confident having won the corresponding Five Nations clash in Cardiff the previous March 12-16 with Brendan Mullin scoring the only try of the game.

Wales had also enjoyed an easy win over Japan, before being beaten by New Zealand 34-9 in their second pool encounter. A 6th minute Nick Popplewell try off a lineout maul, converted by Eric Elwood, gave the Irish a great start. They stretched their lead when Denis McBride race under the posts after some dubious Welsh defending. Elwoods conversion saw Ireland lead 14-0 before the half hour mark. A Neil Jenkins penalty got Wales off the mark and an Adrian Davies drop  goal just before the break left the scoreline Ireland 14 Wales 6. 

After the interval a Jenkins  penalty brought the arrears to just 5 points. But just as Irish fans started to sweat, Eddie Halvey crashed over after good work from Paddy Johns to make it a two score game once again. A Jonathan Humphries try for Wales on 73 minutes, which Jenkins converted, meant a nervous last few minutes for Irish fans. Elwood’s penalty on 78 made the game safe, before a Welsh try with the last play of the game made the final score of Ireland 24 Wales 23 look tighter than it really was.

Quarter Final

Ireland’s reward for escaping their pool was a quarter-final meeting with a French side that had  topped Pool D with three wins from three. Tonga (38-10), Ivory Coast (54-18) and Scotland (22-19) were all beaten to set up a second meeting of that year against an Irish side they had convincingly beaten in Dublin by 7-25 the Five Nations back in March.

The quarter-final took place in Kings Park, Durban and had a lunchtime kick-off at 1:10pm local time. An Elwood penalty after 2 minutes of the game gave Ireland an early lead. France answered with a kick of their own from the boot of Thierry Lacroix after 6 minutes. This patter was to be  repeated again three in the next thirty five minutes of play with three more penalties apiece for the kickers. So the scoreboard read 12-12 at the interval, but Elwood’s fourth penalty on 38 minutes  was to be the last time as Gerry Murphy’s side trouble the scoreboard as they never really got going after the break. 

Four more penalties from Lacroix as well as two tries in the last ten minutes of the game from Phillipe Sanit-Andre  and a last minute intercept try from Emile Ntamack gave the French a comfortable win in the end. Once again there was an anti-climatic feel to an Irish World Cup campaign, this time they didn’t even have the comfort of a heroic defeat to cling to.

After Ireland’s exit….

It was to be Ireland’s final game of the amateur era as within two months the game went professional. After the tournament the IRFU replaced Gerry Murphy with their first Head coach, New Zealander Murray Kidd.  

On the field South Africa completed the fairytale for the new rainbow nation. Nelson Mandella presenting the William Webb Ellis trophy to Springboks captain Francois Peinnar became an iconic image. It represented the hope of a new era for the recently unified nation

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The teams are hoping to leave South Africa today after United Rugby Championship’s South African games for rounds six and seven were postponed.

The four South African sides in the competition have yet to play a home game in their new competition and the upcoming rounds of rugby were set to correct that.

Leinster are not due to travel to South Africa until later this season and instead have two interprovincial clashes to look forward to against Ulster and Connacht.

However, Head Coach Cullen acknowledged the situation in Friday’s pre-match press conference.

“It’s not great news, our thoughts are with the people trying to get themselves out of there, hopefully, that’ll all play out over the next couple of days,” Cullen said.

“Presumably there’ll be some sort of plan put in place to reschedule the games, at least there are plenty of free weekends during the Six Nations from a logistics point of view, so we’ll see how it plays out.”

Most teams in the competition currently face a 10-week-long stretch of games before the next international break.

Cullen said that he has not been made aware of any contingency plans in place regarding situations such as these, other than the previous talk of the South African ‘home’ games being held in Italy.

The URC organisers now face a scheduling headache as they scramble to fit the postponed fixtures into the season.

“There are bigger concerns than rugby matches I’m sure. We’ll see how it plays out but from our point of view we’re playing two interprovincial derbies in the next two weekends and then we’re into Europe so nothing changes drastically from our point of view.”

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South African-born Roberts will be the replacement hooker for the game while Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias starts in the front row.

The 25-year-old was called up to the Wales squad ahead of their Autumn internationals after Ken Owens picked up a back injury.

Roberts is eligible to play for Wales through his paternal grandmother, who hailed from Llandysul.

The front-rower has made 10 appearances for Ulster and is part of a Wales matchday squad for the first time.

He made his debut for the side when he came on as a replacement in their Pro14 clash against Edinburgh at Murrayfield last season.

Roberts has played in every United Rugby Championship game for Ulster so far this season, with his sole start for the club coming in their opener against Glasgow Warriors at Kingspan Stadium.

The hooker has also lined out for Energia Men’s All Ireland League side Rainey Old Boys since coming to Ireland.

He did not feature for Wales in their first game of the Autumn internationals – a 56-14 defeat to New Zealand.

The team also includes British and Irish Lions Josh Adams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Wyn Jones, Liam Williams, Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar – Biggar will earn his 93rd cap for his country.

Wales team v South Africa

15 Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets)
14 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets – Capt)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens)
11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby)
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby);
1 Rhys Carré (Cardiff Rugby)
2 Ryan Elias (Scarlets)
3 Tomas Francis (Ospreys)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys)
6 Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Rugby)
7 Taine Basham (Dragons)
8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)

Replacements:
16 Bradley Roberts (Ulster – uncapped)
17 Wyn Jones (Scarlets)
18 WillGriff John (Scarlets – uncapped)
19 Ben Carter (Dragons)
20 Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby)
21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
22 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys)
23 Liam Williams (Scarlets)

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The starting forward pack remains unchanged from the original named last week, with Luke Jacobson returning to the number eight jersey, after his late withdrawal with illness last weekend.

Asafo Aumua comes in at reserve hooker and George Bower comes in for Karl Tu’inukuafe on the bench.

In the backs, Brad Weber will start at halfback with TJ Perenara on the bench, Anton Lienert-Brown returns from injury to the 13 jersey, with Rieko Ioane moving to the left wing and Sevu Reece named on the right.

First five-eighth Richie Mo’unga, who re-joined the team this week, is on the reserves bench alongside Damian McKenzie.

All Blacks Head Coach Ian Foster said the team was keen to finish the Fortinet Rugby Championship on a high.

“The energy levels are high in the team, it’s our fifth Test in a row, and we’re highly motivated ahead of another big Test against South Africa and the last Test of the Championship.

“We’ve achieved the Championship title, which we’re really proud to have achieved. The fact that we now have the chance to achieve a potential Grand Slam against our Southern Hemisphere opponents is pretty special. I’m excited by that and it has already given this weekend’s Test an edge.”

Foster said the All Blacks were looking for improvement in their game across the board this week.

“We learnt some lessons last week.  We didn’t look after the ball as well as we could have and some of our work at the ruck wasn’t as good as we wanted.  We have to lift our performance in that area and the team is keen to get that right this weekend.”

All Blacks Matchday 23 v South Africa

1. Joe Moody (53)
2. Codie Taylor (63)
3. Nepo Laulala (36)
4. Brodie Retallick (88)
5. Scott Barrett (47)
6. Akira Ioane (9)
7. Ardie Savea (55) – captain
8. Luke Jacobson (9)
9. Brad Weber (13)
10. Beauden Barrett (97)
11. Rieko Ioane (43)
12. David Havili (10)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (52)
14. Sevu Reece (13)
15. Jordie Barrett (31)

16. Asafo Aumua (3)
17. George Bower. (7)
18. Ofa Tuungafasi (41)
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (40)
20. Ethan Blackadder (6)
21. TJ Perenara (74)
22. Richie Mo’unga (26)
23. Damian McKenzie (36)

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The Junior Green Army will make their first appearance in the competition as a result – they had initially finished just outside the qualification places at the 2019 EuroHockey Junior Championships in Valencia, ending seventh when six European spots were on offer.

However, the withdrawal of Australia and New Zealand meant two spots were vacant and Hockey Ireland were granted one after successfully making their case.

Head coach David Passmore says that the invitation offers a huge opportunity for the current crop of U21s.

“We are delighted to take up this place at December’s Junior World Cup,” Passmore said. “Taking part in a global competition of this stature is massive for Ireland and will offer an amazing environment for our young athletes to grow and develop.

“Over the past few years, we have seen the importance of nurturing this age group for the senior team with several players already advancing from the Junior Green Army to play in the Olympic Games.”

Hockey Ireland High Performance Director Adam Grainger said that the organisation contacted the FIH when the opportunity arose to make sure they were being considered for a spot.

Grainger said: “We see the Junior World Cup as a vital tournament and getting six games in such a setting, against high-quality opposition, is exactly what we need as we pursue becoming a fixture among the world’s elite nations.”

While the tournament is under three months away, Ireland do have an extensive training base to work from.

In preparation for the tournament, coach Passmore has named a 25-player panel with the final squad anticipated to be named in late October.

Most of the U21 squad have been training with Sean Dancer’s seniors ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in October.

During the summer, the Junior Green Army followed an extensive high-performance programme, featuring series wins over the Wales senior squad and a GB elite development programme outfit.

They were also highly competitive at a Six Nations tournament in Spain and it gives Passmore confidence they can impress in South Africa in December.

“This summer, the Junior Green Army has worked exceptionally hard in an extensive schedule of fixtures,” Passmore noted. “We feel this puts us in a good position to make an impact at the World Cup and we cannot wait to see what we can do on this stage.”

Group and fixture details will be confirmed in due course.

Ireland U21 Junior World Cup Panel

Gemma Ferguson (GK, Ulster Elks / UUJ)

Ellie McLoughlin (GK, UCD / UCD)

Holly Micklem (GK, Old Alex / UCD)

Charlotte Beggs (Ulster Elks / UUJ)

Nadia Benallal (Beeston, England / Nottingham Trent)

Caoimhe Byrne (UCD / UCD)

Sophia Cole (UCD / UCD)

Amy Elliott (UCD / UCD)

Christina Hamill (Loreto / TU Dublin)

Anna Horan (Catholic Institute / Mary Immaculate College)

Hannah Kelly (Trinity)

Katie Jane Marshall (UCD / UCD)

Sarah MacAuley (UCD / UCD)

Niamh McIvor (Pegasus / Queens)

Lisa Mulcahy (Loreto / UCD)

Siofra Murdoch (Harvard University, USA)

Aisling Murray (Loreto / Trinity College)

Laura Noble (Trinity / Trinity College)

Siofra O’Brien (Loreto / TU Dublin)

Emma Paul (UCD / UCD)

Caoimhe Perdue (Capt, UCC / UCC)

Yasmin Pratt (Loreto / IT Carlow)

Ellen Reid (Loughborough Students / Loughborough University)

Muireann Scanlon (Catholic Institute / UCC)

Caitlin Sherin (Capt, Loreto  / DCU)

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The milestone meeting between the sides will come 100 years after their first – a game in Dunedin that the All Blacks won 13-5.

Eight players will be making their first appearances against the World champions, including Akira Ioane, Quinn Tupaea and Brad Weber.

In the starting front row, Joe Moody retains the number one starting jersey and Nepo Laulala is back in the number three jersey, with Codie Taylor returning at starting hooker.

Props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi, along with hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, are front row cover from the bench.

In the second row, the hugely experienced Brodie Retallick returns alongside Scott Barrett, with Patrick Tuipulotu the reserve lock.

In the loose forwards, Akira Ioane is at blindside flanker, captain Ardie Savea is at seven and Luke Jacobson at number eight.  Ethan Blackadder is the loose forward impact from the bench.

In the backs, TJ Perenara is again at halfback, with Beauden Barrett back in the starting 10 jersey in his 97th Test, playing his 15th Test against South Africa.

David Havili returns at second five-eighth while Rieko Ioane is again at centre and the starting back three from last week’s Test are retained, with George Bridge again on the left wing, Will Jordan on the right wing and Jordie Barrett at fullback.

Halfback Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie and midfielder Quinn Tupaea are the back reserves.

All Blacks Head Coach Ian Foster said: “The whole team is excited at what lies ahead this weekend.  The group is working hard, we have been building our performances and we’ve put ourselves in a great position to win the Fortinet Rugby Championship and that’s really exciting for the team.

“The fact that it is against South Africa is pretty special.”

The All Blacks are expecting a torrid battle up front, as always against the Springboks. Commenting on the forwards selection, Foster added:  “It’s a tough pack to pick at the moment because there are a lot of players putting their hands up and there were some players who played well last week.”

“But we have got some very good combinations that we have worked on since the start of the Championship. It’s great to have experienced players like Joe Moody, Ofa Tuungafasi and Patrick Tuipulotu back. It has given us a great starting pack and a strong bench.”

Foster said the team was looking forward to playing in the 100th Test match, but had a narrow focus this week.

“For us, as a team, we’re trying to zone in on what we want to do in this game. We are all aware of the history and legacy of this match and respect that, but the only way we can do justice to that is to prepare well and focus on what we have to do.

“We’re excited and getting ready for what will be a huge challenge.  It will be the first time a number of our guys have played South Africa so they’re excited and ready for it,” Foster said.

All Blacks Squad v South Africa

1. Joe Moody (52)
2. Codie Taylor (62)
3. Nepo Laulala (35)
4. Brodie Retallick (87)
5. Scott Barrett (46)
6. Akira Ioane (8)
7. Ardie Savea (54) – captain
8. Luke Jacobson (9)
9. TJ Perenara (73)
10. Beauden Barrett (96)
11. George Bridge (15)
12. David Havili (9)
13. Rieko Ioane (42)
14. Will Jordan (8)
15. Jordie Barrett (30)

16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (6)
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe (22)
18. Ofa Tuungafasi (40)
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (39)
20. Ethan Blackadder (5)
21. Brad Weber (12)
22. Damian McKenzie (35)
23. Quinn Tupaea (3)

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The province’s patience reaped a fine reward as the 35-year-old World Cup winner became the second player to join the Irish outfit this summer after fellow 35-year-old Mick Kearney, who returned to Ireland two years in the Italian sun.

Vermuelen has signed a contract with the side until 2023 and will join the squad following the completion of his commitments with South Africa for the year.

“It didn’t have to be in any particular aspect,” McFarland said. “We wanted it to be a back-rower, but we wanted it to be an influential back-rower.

“When we first looked at the names of the list, they were really good players, don’t get me wrong, but we’ve got really good players here, so we held our breath and kept our powder dry.”

The high-profile move comes several months after the collapsed move involving former European Player of the Year Leone Nakarawa, who failed his medical.

The side were so certain of the previous deal that they posted a video showcasing highlights of the Fijian lock titled ‘Welcome to Ulster Rugby Leone Nakarawa’.

However, after the Nakarawa transfer did not work out, McFarland and co. did not panic in their search for a replacement for Marcell Coetzee, who the Ulster boss called a “difference-making player.”

“…One day Bryn [Cunningham, Ulster’s Head of Operations and Recruitment] stuck his head into my office and said what about Duane Vermeulen? I said ‘Yes, please!’ and Bryn took it from there.”

Vermuelen joins as a Springbok half-centurion who is one of the most influential figures in Jacques Nienaber’s side – a defensive captain that knows how to translate a game plan into action.

His new club Ulster kick-off their 2021/22 season when they welcome McFarland’s old employers Glasgow Warriors to the Kingspan Stadium under the lights on Friday, September 24 at 7:35 pm.

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Number eight Vermeulen, nicknamed Thor, has signed a two-year contract with Ulster that will keep him in the province until 2023.

The 35-year-old brings with him experience gained in both Super Rugby and the Top 14, as well as internationals, and will join the United Rugby Championship in November once he has completed international duties during the Autumn Tests.

In 2019, Vermeulen was crowned Player of the Match as South Africa stormed their way to World Cup victory, lifting the Webb Ellis trophy.

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The squad includes two changes to personnel and a positional switch in his starting XV for the final test.

2019 World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph Du Toit and scrum-half Faf De Klerk are both out of the series decider through injury.

Franco Mostert moves to flanker to cover for Du Toit while Montpellier scrum-half Cobus Reinack comes into the side in place of De Klerk, who has been ruled out due to a muscle strain in his leg.

Lock Lood de Jager is drafted into the starting XV to take Mostert’s original position.

Inside centre Damian de Allende will become the third Springbok in the Castle Lager Lions Series to reach the career milestone of 50 Test caps when he starts in Saturday’s decider in Cape Town.

De Allende will be paired with Lukhanyo Am and the duo in midfield.

Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe will play on the wings once again with Willie Le Roux offering support for them at full-back.

Jasper Wiese wears the number eight shirt for the second week running in the series and South Africa captain Siya Kolisi and Mostert will combine with him to form the back row.

De Jager will be joined by Eben Etzebeth in the second row while the front row will consist of Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe.

Head coach Jacques Nienaber opted to name three backs on the bench, with fly-half Morné Steyn joining Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse in the matchday 23.

It is the second time in the series that the coach has gone for a 5:3 split on the bench.

Springbok Squad v British & Irish Lions Third Test
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 64 caps
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse) – 16 caps
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 17 caps
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 49 caps
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 16 caps
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 51 caps
9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 15 caps
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 2 caps
7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 42 caps
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 53 caps
5 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 47 caps
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 88 caps
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 36 caps
17 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 45 caps
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 22 caps
19 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 4 caps
20 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 9 caps
21 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 13 caps
22 – Morné Steyn (Vodacom Bulls) – 66 caps
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 9 caps

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