Ireland Men’s 15s: Five To Rewind

The Ireland Men’s team were involved in some of the best international matches of the year, from the Aviva Stadium to the Stade de France. Relive all the thrilling action, drama and excitement with our selection box of highlights below:

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS – IRELAND v FRANCE, February 2023

IRELAND 32 FRANCE 19, Aviva Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Andrew Porter, Garry Ringrose; Cons: Jonathan Sexton 2, Ross Byrne; Pens: Jonathan Sexton, Ross Byrne
France: Try: Damian Penaud; Con: Thomas Ramos; Pens: Thomas Ramos 3; Drop: Thomas Ramos
HT: Ireland 22 France 16

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht).

FRANCE: Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain); Damian Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Gaël Fickou (Racing 92), Yoram Moefana (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Ethan Dumortier (LOU Rugby); Romain Ntamack (Stade Toulousain), Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain) (capt); Cyril Baille (Stade Toulousain), Julien Marchand (Stade Toulousain), Uini Atonio (Stade Rochelais), Thibaud Flament (Stade Toulousain), Paul Willemse (Montpellier Hérault Rugby), Anthony Jelonch (Stade Toulousain), Charles Ollivon (RC Toulon), Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais).

Replacements: Gaëtan Barlot (Castres Olympique), Reda Wardi (Stade Rochelais), Sipili Falatea (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Romain Taofifenua (LOU Rugby), François Cros (Stade Toulousain), Sekou Macalou (Stade Français), Baptiste Couilloud (LOU Rugby), Matthieu Jalibert (Union Bordeaux-Bègles).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

RUGBY WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL – IRELAND v NEW ZEALAND, October 2023

IRELAND 24 NEW ZEALAND 28, Stade de France
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Penalty try; Cons: Jonathan Sexton 2, Pen try con; Pen: Jonathan SextonNew Zealand: Tries: Leicester Fainga’anuku, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan; Cons: Richie Mo’unga, Jordie Barrett; Pens: Richie Mo’unga, Jordie Barrett 2
HT: Ireland 17 New Zealand 18

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster).

NEW ZEALAND: Beauden Barrett (Blues/Taranaki); Will Jordan (Crusaders/Tasman), Rieko Ioane (Blues/Auckland), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders/Tasman); Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders/Canterbury), Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatū); Ethan de Groot (Highlanders/Southland), Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury), Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes/Tasman), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke’s Bay), Scott Barrett (Crusaders/Taranaki), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders/Tasman), Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty) (capt), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington).

Replacements: Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington), Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders/Canterbury), Fletcher Newell (Crusaders/Canterbury), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury), Dalton Papali’i (Blues/Counties Manukau), Finlay Christie (Blues/Tasman), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs/Waikato), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

RUGBY WORLD CUP POOL B – SOUTH AFRICA v IRELAND, September 2023

SOUTH AFRICA 8 IRELAND 13, Stade de France
Scorers: South Africa: Try: Cheslin Kolbe; Pen: Manie Libbok
Ireland: Try: Mack Hansen; Con: Jonathan Sexton; Pens: Jonathan Sexton, Jack Crowley
HT: South Africa 3 Ireland 7

SOUTH AFRICA: Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers); Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath); Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles); Steven Kitshoff (Ulster), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Siya Kolisi (Racing 92) (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).

Replacements: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92), Jean Kleyn (Munster), RG Snyman (Munster), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier).

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster).

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS – SCOTLAND v IRELAND, March 2023

SCOTLAND 7 IRELAND 22, Scottish Gas Murrayfield
Scorers: Scotland: Try: Huw Jones; Con: Finn Russell
Ireland: Tries: Mack Hansen, James Lowe, Jack Conan; Cons: Jonathan Sexton 2; Pen: Jonathan Sexton
HT: Scotland 7 Ireland 8

SCOTLAND: Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ben White (London Irish); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) (capt), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Berghan (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Gloucester).

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster).

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS – IRELAND v ENGLAND, March 2023

IRELAND 29 ENGLAND 16, Aviva Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Dan Sheehan 2, Robbie Henshaw, Rob Herring; Cons: Jonathan Sexton 3; Pen: Jonathan Sexton
England: Try: Jamie George; Con: Owen Farrell; Pens: Owen Farrell 3
HT: Ireland 10 England 6

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Kieran Treadwell (Ballymena/Ulster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster).

ENGLAND: Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers); Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks), Henry Arundell (London Irish); Owen Farrell (Saracens) (capt), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears), Maro Itoje (Saracens), David Ribbans (Northampton Saints), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), Jack Willis (Toulouse), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins).

Replacements: Jack Walker (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Joe Marchant (Harlequins).

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)