Club International Preview: Ireland Club XV v Scotland Clubs

Club international rugby returns to Donnybrook for the first time in nine years as the Ireland Club team chase back-to-back wins over Scotland Clubs which would see them lift the Dalriada Cup in front of their home crowd.

DALRIADA CUP – CLUB INTERNATIONAL MATCH: Friday, February 8

IRELAND CLUB XV (23) v SCOTLAND CLUBS (9), Energia Park, Donnybrook, 7.30pm

Team News: Head coach Morgan Lennon has made six changes to the Ireland Club team for tonight’s Dalriada Cup Series decider against Scotland Clubs at Energia Park. Ireland have a 14-point advantage from the first game as they look to win the trophy for the first time since 2014.

Buccaneers hooker John Sutton and prop Tom O’Reilly from St. Mary’s College are rotated into the front row, with Clontarf’s Michael Brown starting on the left wing after appearing off the bench during last week’s 23-9 win over the Scots in Netherdale.

Prop Adam Coyle and Dan Walsh, both former Ireland Under-20 internationals, have been drafted in from the extended 32-man Ireland Club XV squad. Walsh comes straight into the starting line-up in place of the injured Joe McSwiney.

The Young Munster openside admits there is a need to back up a rare win in Scotland with a performance in Donnybrook, saying: “The lads did brilliantly last week so there’s a pressure on us to deliver in front of our home fans. I know I’ll need to put in a performance too as the back row was outstanding. We’ll give it 100%.”

Clontarf captain Michael Noone also picked up a knock last week as a back row replacement. His place on the bench goes to Cork Constitution’s James Murphy, who is called up from outside the initial squad. He was initially selected for the 2018 series but was forced to withdraw due to injury.

The club stars from Ireland and Scotland’s domestic leagues will battle it out under the Donnybrook floodlights, with the Dalriada Cup, which Scotland won by six points last year, on the line. Tickets for the deciding game are available to buy from Ticketmaster.ie.

In Pics: Ireland Club XV Captain’s Run At Energia Park

Meanwhile, the visiting Scotland Clubs outfit have been handed a boost as Scotland Sevens international Craig Jackson has recovered from injury to start at outside centre. Fellow Melrose back Patrick Anderson also comes into the starting line-up on the right wing.

Patrick Dewhirst drops to the bench with Boroughmuir’s Craig Gossman switching from wing to full-back having recovered from the knee injury he sustained during the first game. Watsonians hooker Ross Graham and Heriot’s flankers Jason Hill and Iain Wilson are the three changes up front, with a move for Ayr’s Blair Macpherson into the second row.

IRELAND CLUB XV: Eamon Mills (Lansdowne); Daniel McEvoy (Lansdowne), Niall Kenneally (Cork Constitution) (capt), Matt D’Arcy (Clontarf), Michael Brown (Clontarf); Aidan Moynihan (Cork Constitution), John Poland (UCC); Tom O’Reilly (St. Mary’s College), John Sutton (Buccaneers), Ian Prendiville (Lansdowne), Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution), Conor Kindregan (Cork Constitution), Michael Melia (Terenure College), Dan Walsh (Young Munster), Luke Cahill (Cork Constitution).

Replacements: Liam Cronin (Garryowen), Cronan Gleeson (Old Wesley), Adam Coyle (Naas), Jack O’Sullivan (Lansdowne), James Murphy (Cork Constitution), Alan Bennie (Lansdowne), Callum Smith (Malone), Jack Keating (Old Belvedere).

SCOTLAND CLUBS: Craig Gossman (Boroughmuir); Patrick Anderson (Melrose), Craig Jackson (Melrose), Robbie Nelson (Currie Chieftains), Kyle Rowe (Ayr); Gregor Hunter (Currie Chieftains), Murdo McAndrew (Melrose); Shawn Muir (Hawick), Ross Graham (Watsonians), Steven Longwell (Ayr), Hamilton Burr (Stirling), Blair Macpherson (Ayr), Jason Hill (Heriot’s), Iain Wilson (Heriot’s), Peter McCallum (Ayr) (capt).

Replacements: Michael Liness (Heriot’s), Conor Young (Melrose), Lewis Skinner (Glasgow Hawks), Ruairidh Leishman (Heriot’s), Jack McClean (Heriot’s), Kaleem Barreto (Glasgow Hawks), Patrick Dewhirst (Ayr), Jamie Forbes (Currie Chieftains).

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Assistant Referees: Paul Haycock, Dermot Thomas Blake (both Ireland)

Pre-Match Quotes – Morgan Lennon (Ireland Club XV): “The guys are looking forward to it, they’re ready, they know what’s at stake. Obviously we haven’t won the trophy in five years so it’s very important. You don’t get an opportunity to win silverware with your club all that often, let alone with your country.

“So they’re really looking forward to pushing hard tomorrow night and trying to get the job done, hopefully with a decent-sized crowd behind us. Scotland are a wounded animal, there’s no question they didn’t like being beaten at home last week. They’re going to be really dangerous so we could do with as much support as we can get tomorrow.”

Rob Chrystie (Scotland Clubs): “We know this weekend’s going to be a huge challenge, but the squad are really looking forward to getting out there. If we’re honest, we were pretty disappointed with last Friday and we’ll be looking to right a few wrongs from that.

“We know we’re chasing things a little bit after the first leg, but we’ve trained well on Monday night and it’s important to make the most of these sessions when we get the opportunity. We’re expecting a decent crowd on a good pitch in Dublin so it should be a really good occasion and the team will be up for the test.”

Ireland Club XV: Recent Matches –

2014: Ireland Club XV 28 Scotland Club XV 3, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC; England Counties 22 Ireland Club XV 23, Northern Echo Arena, Darlington Mowden Park RFC

2015: Scotland Club XV 23 Ireland Club XV 18, Netherdale, Gala RFC; Ireland Club XV 12 France Federale 37, Aviva Stadium

2016: France Federale 12 Ireland Club XV 16, Stade Jules Ladoumègue, Massy; Ireland Club XV 13 Scotland Club XV 19, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC

2017: Ireland Club XV 26 England Counties 34, Temple Hill, Cork Constitution FC

2018: Ireland Club XV 26 Scotland Club XV 23, Dubarry Park, Buccaneers RFC; Scotland Club XV 35 Ireland Club XV 26, Netherdale, Gala RFC

2019: Scotland Clubs 9 Ireland Club XV 23, Netherdale