An exciting conclusion to the Club International Series awaits at Energia Park this evening as the Ireland Club XV, armed with a 22-point aggregate lead, look to overcome Scotland Clubs for the second week running and retain the Dalriada Cup for 2020.
DALRIADA CUP – CLUB INTERNATIONAL MATCH: Friday, February 7
IRELAND CLUB XV (39) v SCOTLAND CLUBS (17), Energia Park, 5.45pm
Tickets can be purchased at your local Ticketmaster Ticket Centre or at the gate upon entry. Prices: Adults (€8-€10), children (€5), family (two adults & two juniors: €5.25 each).
Irish Rugby TV will have delayed coverage of the series decider in full as well as highlights across all Irish Rugby digital channels.
There will be a full recap and reaction right here on IrishRugby.ie with live updates across both Irish Rugby’s Twitter and Instagram channels.
Team News: Ireland Club XV head coach Gearoid Prendergast has made two changes to his team to face Scotland Clubs as they attempt back up last Friday’s impressive five-try performance in the opening game.
Terenure College’s Matthew Byrne starts on the left wing, having scored off the bench during Ireland’s 39-17 win in Galashiels. Eight different Energia All-Ireland League clubs are represented in a matchday squad captained by Young Munster lock Alan Kennedy.
There is rotation at hooker where Max Abbott comes in for his Cork Constitution club-mate John Sutton. Abbott has three previous caps at this level against England Counties, France Fédérale and Scotland Clubs.
Commenting on the team selection, Prendergast said: “We’ve made changes that will help us build on last week’s performance. The Scots owned the ball for long periods in the second half and we’ll need to address that.
“We said from the outset we wanted to play a high tempo ball-in-hand game and I think we’ve shown that. We’ll have talented players with a high skill-set on a synthetic surface at home at Energia Park. It should be pretty entertaining.”
Three uncapped players come onto the bench – Young Munster’s Conor Bartley will provide front row cover, and backs Matthew Bowen (UCC) and Sam Coghlan Murray (Terenure College) are also set to make their debuts. Bowen is a late inclusion as Gearoid Lyons is sidelined with tonsillitis.
Meanwhile, Scotland Clubs head coach Scott Wight has made a trio of changes to the team that scored three tries against their Irish counterparts in the series opener at Netherdale.
Glasgow Hawks prop Gary Strain is promoted from the bench to pack down alongside the experienced Shawn Muir (Hawick) and captain Fergus Scott, who plays his club rugby with Currie Chieftains.
Edinburgh Accies’ Jamie Sole misses out due to concussion, so Nathaniel Coe from Aberdeen Grammar replaces him on the blindside flank. The remainder of the Scottish pack is unchanged.
The back-line is led again by Selkirk’s Aaron McColm and Gregor Christie from Currie, while the introduction of Hawick’s Andrew Mitchell at outside centre sees Conor Bickerstaff of Marr move to the inside berth.
Bickerstaff’s older brother Scott, Scotland’s right winger, will be a marked man after he scored two tries in the first game. Jed-Forest’s Callum Young and GHA full-back Grant Mollison complete the visitors’ starting line-up.
IRELAND CLUB XV: Jamie Heuston (Garryowen); Colm Hogan (Dublin University), Pa Ryan (Shannon), Bryan Fitzgerald (Garryowen), Matthew Byrne (Terenure College); James Taylor (UCC), Aran Hehir (Shannon); Conor Maguire (Old Wesley), Max Abbott (Cork Constitution), Andrew Keating (Garryowen), Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution), Alan Kennedy (Young Munster) (capt), Michael Melia (Terenure College), John Foley (Young Munster), Paul Derham (Old Wesley).
Replacements: Adam Clarkin (Terenure College), Conor Bartley (Young Munster), Corrie Barrett (Garryowen), Peter Claffey (Terenure College), Ryan Murphy (UCC), Gerry Hurley (Cork Constitution), Matthew Bowen (UCC), Sam Coghlan Murray (Terenure College).
SCOTLAND CLUBS: Grant Mollison (GHA); Scott Bickerstaff (Marr), Andrew Mitchell (Hawick), Conor Bickerstaff (Marr), Callum Young (Jed-Forest); Aaron McColm (Selkirk), Gregor Christie (Currie); Shawn Muir (Hawick), Fergus Scott (Currie Chieftains) (capt), Gary Strain (Glasgow Hawks), Mike Vernel (Currie Chieftains), Gregor Law (Jed-Forest), Nathaniel Coe (Aberdeen Grammar), Wallace Nelson (Currie Chieftains), Ewan MacDougall (Selkirk).
Replacements: Matt Carryer (Hawick), William Farquhar (Marr), Calvin Henderson (Marr), Robin Cessford (Aberdeen Grammar), Rhys Davies (Currie), Patrick Boyer (Glasgow Hawks), Colin Sturgeon (Marr), Steven Hamilton (Currie Chieftains).
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll, Dermot Blake (both Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes – Gearoid Prendergast (Ireland Club XV): “It’s been a really enjoyable few weeks, culminating in the trip to Scotland last week with a great win. It’s obviously key that we kick on and win the second game and retain the Dalriada Cup.
“That’s been our objective from day one. In terms of an experience, it’s been hugely enjoyable. We’ve had some excellent camps and I have to compliment the players, they’ve really bought into it from day one.
“We wanted to play a high quality brand of rugby, with ball in hand, high tempo, and we definitely saw that in Galashiels last week. Lads backed themselves, particularly in the first half I felt we really played that type of game.
“Maybe slackened a little in the second half when they had more possession, but I think we finished strongly in that last 20 minutes, so hopefully we’ll see that more (tonight), on a 4G pitch as well.”
Scott Wight (Scotland Clubs): “The squad played well last week, as a result we’ve made very few changes to the starting line-up. It’s a strong and determined squad that we’ve backed to travel to Ireland for the second leg of the Dalriada Cup.
“Although we had some good opportunities and periods of momentum last Friday, we’ll look to retain the ball for longer periods and be more clinical with our possession to execute the game-plan we want to play.”
Pre-Match Links –
Record Caps Haul For Hurley With Ireland Club XV
Ireland Club XV Jersey One To Cherish For Corrie Barrett
In Pics: Ireland Club XV Notch Five Tries In Netherdale
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, Gala RFC; Scotland Clubs 19 Ireland Club XV 19, Energia Park
2020: Scotland Clubs 17 Ireland Club XV 39, Netherdale, Gala RFC