Ulster's Cormac Izuchukwu will start at blindside flanker for the Emerging Ireland team in their opening tour clash with the Pumas ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
Coached by Simon Easterby, an Emerging Ireland squad with an average age of 22 will kick off their tour in Bloemfontein today against the Airlink Pumas, who finished sixth in the recent Currie Cup Premier Division.
EMERGING IRELAND v AIRLINK PUMAS, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, 4pm local time/3pm Irish time (live on SuperSport Rugby/irishrugby+)
Team News: Emerging Ireland head coach Easterby has announced an exciting line-up for the first game of the tour. The team will be led by Munster back rower Alex Kendellen, one of three former Ireland Under-20 Men’s captains in the squad.
Leinster’s Gus McCarthy and Kendellen’s Munster colleague, Evan O’Connell, are both on the bench. They were the respective captains of the Ireland U-20 sides that competed at the last two World Rugby U-20 Championships, which were held in South Africa.
Three Grand Slam winners with the Ireland U-20s in recent seasons, Hugh Gavin, Sam Prendergast, and Matthew Devine will start in the back-line, with Gavin partnering Sean O’Brien in midfield, and Prendergast and Devine pairing up at half-back.
Ireland Sevens Olympian Zac Ward, who is currently on an extended trial with Ulster, lines out on the left wing in a pacy-looking back-three alongside Rob Russell and Ben O’Connor, the 20-year-old full-back.
In the pack, tighthead prop Jack Aungier brings plenty of experience with 68 Connacht caps to his name. He packs down with 20-year-old Leinster Academy hooker Stephen Smyth, and Munster-capped loosehead Mark Donnelly.
It is an Ulster-Connacht combination at lock where Harry Sheridan and Darragh Murray get the nod, and Kendellen is joined in the back row by Cormac Izuchukwu and James Culhane, the scorer of two tries when Emerging Ireland beat the Pumas 28-24 two years ago.
Prendergast and Izuchukwu are back in South Africa just three months after being part of Ireland’s extended squad for their drawn summer series with the Springboks.
At 25, Connacht’s Sean Jansen is the elder statesman among the Emerging Ireland replacements. The rest of the reserves are aged between 19 and 22, including teenage prop Alex Usanov, who was added to the touring party following Jordan Duggan’s ankle injury.
Alongside McCarthy and O’Connell, Munster Academy prop Ronan Foxe completes the forward options, and the back-line cover comes in the form of Ulster duo Jack Murphy and Jude Postlethwaite, along with Munster’s Ethan Coughlan.
This afternoon’s match – and the upcoming games against Western Force and the Toyota Cheetahs – will be shown live on irishrugby+, the new home of streaming which has already hosted Energia All-Ireland League clashes in the opening weeks. Sign up for free today at plus.irishrugby.ie.
Meanwhile, the Pumas warmed up for this fixture with a 45-26 defeat to the DHL Stormers in a training match a fortnight ago. Clinton Swart, Darren Adonis, and Hanno Theunissen, who all start today, were their second half try scorers.
Pumas captain Shane Kirkwood announced his retirement following the conclusion of their Currie Cup campaign, so powerful number 8 Kwanda Dimaza will skipper Jimmy Stonehouse’s charges.
Experienced playmaker Swart led the scoring during the recent Currie Cup with 122 points in 10 games. Hooker Jan-Henning Campher has experience of playing in England with Ealing Trailfinders, while South Africa Sevens international Adonis features on the left wing.
Fleet-footed full-back Tino Swanepoel, centre Theunis Pretorius, and prop Sampie Swiegers all joined the Pumas last year, signing from Varsity Cup champions North-West University Eagles. Swiegers was called up to a Springboks alignment camp in May.
EMERGING IRELAND: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Rob Russell (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Clontarf FC/Munster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens); Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht); Mark Donnelly (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht), Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster), Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster) (capt), James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster), Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Ronan Foxe (Garryowen FC/Munster), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Sean Jansen (Connacht), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster).
AIRLINK PUMAS: Tino Swanepoel; Lundi Msenge, Theuns Pretorius, Clinton Swart, Darren Adonis; Danrich Visagie, Richman Gora; Etienne Janeke, Jan-Henning Campher, Sampie Swiegers, Hanno Theunissen, Deon Slabbert, Ntsika Fisanti, Andre Fouche, Kwanda Dimaza (capt).
Replacements: Darnell Osuagwu, Dewald Maritz, Eduan Swart, Tiaan de Klerk, Marvelous Mashimbyi, Russwill Fredericks, Wian van Niekerk, Phiko Sobahle.
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: DJ Hefer, Phillip Kotze (both South Africa)
Television Match Official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Pre-Match Quotes – Simon Easterby (Emerging Ireland): “The Pumas will present a real test, coming as it does in the first of three games in seven days. They’re a physical team who have come off a competitive Currie Cup campaign.
“The three games will ask different questions of the group, and that is exactly the kind of environment we want to foster and to see how the players react to a pressurised and competitive environment. We had a good pitch session on Monday afternoon and the players are itching to get out there.
“We will be managing our resources given the close proximity of the games, and it’s a younger and less experienced group than the one that competed two years ago.
“But the talent, energy, and enthusiasm of this group has been obvious over the course of the last six days. We’re delighted to be here in Bloemfontein, and the squad is ready to get going.”
Alex Kendellen (Emerging Ireland): “Simon rang me, got my thoughts on it (the captaincy) and if it’s something I’d like to do, and I nearly bit his hand off.
“Unfortunately I got knocked out the week before we flew over (for the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour) so I didn’t make it to the last one. It means a lot to be honest, not just for me but for my family, my friends back home.
“It’s a huge honour and it’s one I’m looking forward to, to be honest. I’m looking forward to climbing into the tour now and playing games.”
Pre-Match Links –
Easterby Names 33-Player Emerging Ireland Squad For South Africa Tour
Easterby: Hopefully We’ll Have The Same Type Of Success On This Trip
Goodman: It’s About Making Connections And Getting Everyone On The Same Page
Kendellen: You’re Putting On A Green Jersey, That’s Enough Motivation In Itself
In Pics: Emerging Ireland Captain’s Run In Bloemfontein
Previous Meeting –
2022 Tour: Emerging Ireland 28 Airlink Pumas 24, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
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