MARO ITOJE WILL miss England’s Six Nations games against France and Wales, but the knee injury he sustained at the Aviva Stadium last weekend is not as bad as first feared.

The Rugby Football Union [RFU] today confirmed Itoje — who left Dublin on crutches — sustained medial ligament damage during Saturday’s 32-20 win over Ireland, allaying fears he had broken his leg. 

Itoje suffered the injury in Dublin. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland

The 24-year-old second row will definitely miss the round two and three games, but will remain with the England squad and could come back into intention for the final two games of the championship against Italy and Scotland. 

Itoje’s Saracens team-mate Nick Isiekwe has been called into England’s 35-man training squad, as Eddie Jones’ side assembled today to begin preparations for Sunday’s visit of France to Twickenham.

Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury are competing to fill the vacancy in the second row alongside George Kruis.

Speaking after the Ireland game, head coach Jones expressed his confidence that England can cope without Itoje, who in December suffered a chip in his knee cap.

“Maro’s going to be the best lock in the world so it’s a big loss, but we’ve got good depth,” Jones said.

ROB KEARNEY HAS long been aware of the debate that swirls around him having been Ireland’s first-choice fullback for the last decade.

Jared Payne, Simon Zebo, Jordan Larmour – just a few of the names who have been pushed forwards as alternatives to Kearney in recent years.

Robbie Henshaw was the latest, having been picked ahead of his Leinster team-mate in Ireland’s number 15 shirt for their Six Nations opener against England three weekends ago.

Kearney makes a break against Scotland. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland

Fresh fuel for the debate. But, typically, Kearney responded strongly to the setback, returning to the Ireland team for the round two victory away to Scotland as he delivered a strong reminder of his qualities to Joe Schmidt and everyone else.

“The debate has been going around for a long time and it’s just part of my make-up now in terms of preparing for games,” said Kearney on Friday, after Schmidt’s Ireland had trained against the Ireland U20s.

“I might not agree with it but that’s the way it is and that’s the way it has been. So I just get on with it.”

To be dropped for the England game hurt, making the trip to Murrayfield all the sweeter.

“It was nice to get back in, missing out for the English week was tough,” said Kearney, whose IRFU contract expires after the World Cup.

“To get back in, get 80 minutes under my belt for only the second time this season and get a win away at Murrayfield was very pleasing too. All in all, it was a decent week.”

Having been frustrated by a couple of niggly injuries this season, Kearney was left in Ireland when Schmidt’s squad headed to Portugal for their pre-Six Nations camp.

The idea was for the fullback to get game time in Leinster’s Pro14 clash with Scarlets and Kearney wasn’t quite of the view that missing out on Portugal would deny him the chance of starting against England.

However, he underperformed in Leinster’s win over the Welsh region and the “fallout” was that Schmidt opted to go for Henshaw at 15 for Ireland the following week.

Kearney had a tough outing against Scarlets. Source: Ben Whitley/INPHO

“I think it’s been blown out of proportion more than it was,” said Kearney of his display against Scarlets. “I picked up a knock on the Friday before the game. I wasn’t physically in a great place the day of the Scarlets game.

“But I knew if I didn’t play that week I wouldn’t have been helping myself for the following two weeks, in terms of getting minutes for the Six Nations. Mentally, I could have been in an awful lot better place.

“Then, obviously, those few tackles; the first two one-on-ones in the backfield are difficult tackles to make, the third one I just got gassed on the outside, that was just poor.

“I had a couple of good carries. It was probably just the defensive side of things that let me down.”

Schmidt was up front with Kearney, speaking to him in person the morning he selected his team to face England.

Kearney could understand Schmidt wanting to look at another fullback option, particularly in this World Cup year, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

Henshaw is a good friend of Kearney’s and while the more experienced fullback did provide him with guidance in the build-up, sitting down with Henshaw to go through some video work, he admits he “didn’t want him to shoot it out of the park.”

“If we won the game and Robbie is starting, you’re on the back foot then,” said Kearney. “He’s the man in possession of the jersey.

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WALES HEAD COACH Warren Gatland has made one change to his starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield, bringing in Ospreys lock Adam Beard to replace Cory Hill.

Hill will miss the rest of the tournament after suffering an ankle injury during Wales’s 21-13 victory over England 10 days ago.

Scarlets forward Jake Ball takes Beard’s place on the bench, with Gatland announcing the team 48 hours earlier than initially planned.

Although full-back Leigh Halfpenny continued his comeback for the Scarlets three days ago after suffering concussion in November, Gatland has retained Ospreys centre Owen Watkin as the outside back on replacement duty.

Wales are chasing a 13th successive victory, having not been beaten since the midway point of last season’s Six Nations, when Ireland toppled them 37-27 in Dublin.

If they beat Scotland and defeat Ireland in Cardiff seven days later it would secure the title and a Grand Slam in Gatland’s final Six Nations campaign at the helm.

Although Wales lost to Scotland in Edinburgh on their last visit two years ago, they had won the four previous Murrayfield encounters.

And they will face a Scotland side beaten by Ireland and France in their past two Six Nations outings.

Wales last won the Six Nations in 2013, a year after their most recent Grand Slam.

Wales (v Scotland): 

15. Liam Williams
14. George North
13. Jonathan Davies
12. Hadleigh Parkes
11. Josh Adams
10. Gareth Anscombe
9. Gareth Davies

1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens
3. Tomas Francis
4. Adam Beard
5. Alun Wyn Jones (captain)
6. Josh Navidi
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Ross Moriarty

Replacements:

16. Elliot Dee
17. Nicky Smith
18. Dillon Lewis
19. Jake Ball,
20. Aaron Wainwright
21. Aled Davies
22. Dan Biggar
23. Owen Watkin

© AFP 2019

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RHYS RUDDOCK HAS shaken off a hamstring injury to return to action for Leinster in Friday night’s Guinness Pro14 clash against the Cheetahs at the RDS, as Leo Cullen makes nine changes to his starting XV.

Ruddock was ruled out of contention for Ireland’s Six Nations trip to Rome last weekend after sustaining the injury in training but will hope to get valuable minutes under his belt for the eastern province tomorrow evening [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport/Premier Sports].

Ruddock is back to full fitness. Source: Gary Carr/INPHO

The flanker captains Leinster from the back row with Dave Kearney, Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Jamison Gibson-Park and Scott Fardy among those also returning to Cullen’s side for the round 17 encounter.

Kearney has also shaken off a knock to start at fullback while Byrne returns to Leinster action to win his 50th appearance on the right wing having trained with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland in recent weeks.

O’Loughlin partners Conor O’Brien in midfield with McFadden shifting wings and Ross Byrne resuming his half-back pairing with Gibson-Park, as James Lowe misses out on the non-European player selection rule. 

Fardy, who this week announced his decision to remain with Leinster next season, adds experience to a pack which is also bolstered by Ruddock’s presence as well as the selection of Ireland international Michael Bent in the front row.

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Peter Dooley and Bryan Byrne are handed starting opportunities for the visit of the Cheetahs to Dublin, with Ross Molony — last week’s captain — retained in the second row. Max Deegan and Caelan Doris continue at seven and eight respectively.

There is a powerful look to Leinster’s bench, too, with Mick Kearney recovering from a shoulder knock to take his place among the replacements alongside James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Josh Murphy, Hugh O’Sullivan, Noel Reid and Barry Daly.

Defending Pro14 champions Leinster are bidding to consolidate their advantage at the top of Conference B having extended their lead to 22 points with a nine-try rout of the Southern Kings last time out.

The Cheetahs have made just two changes from their defeat to Scarlets last week as Franco Smith’s side bid to record their first victory on Irish soil since joining the Pro14 at the start of last season.

Leinster:

15. Dave Kearney 
14. Adam Byrne 
13. Rory O’Loughlin 
12. Conor O’Brien 
11. Fergus McFadden 
10. Ross Byrne 
9. Jamison Gibson-Park 

1. Peter Dooley
2. Bryan Byrne 
3. Michael Bent 
4. Ross Molony 
5. Scott Fardy 
6. Rhys Ruddock (captain)
7. Max Deegan 
8. Caelan Doris 

Replacements:

16. James Tracy 
17. Ed Byrne
18. Andrew Porter 
19. Mick Kearney 
20. Josh Murphy 
21. Hugh O’Sullivan
22. Noel Reid 
23. Barry Daly.

Cheetahs:

15. Louis Fouche
14. William Small-Smith
13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg
12. Dries Swanepoel
11. Rabz Axwane
10. Tian Schoeman
9. Tian Meyer

1. Ox Nche
2. Reinach Venter
3. Aranos Coetzee
4. Walt Steenkamp
5. JP du Preez
6. Gerhard Olivier
7. Abongile Nonkontwana
8. Junior Pokomela.

Replacements:

16. Jacques du Toit 
17. Charles Marais 
18. Luan de Bruin 
19. Sintu Manjezi 
20. Marnus van der Merwe 
21. Henco Venter 
22. Rudy Paige 
23. Shaun Venter.

Referee: Nigel Owens [WRU]. 

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AARON SMITH HAS committed his future to New Zealand and has signed a new two-year deal with Super Rugby side, Highlanders.

Aaron Smith with New Zealand team-mate Liam Squire. Source: AAP/PA Images

The 30-year-old, who made his All Blacks debut in 2012, has made 81 Test appearances for the reigning world champions.

“From my earliest playing days, my focus has always been about being passionate about the teams I play for and I’ve always enjoyed giving 100 percent to the teams I represent,” Smith said.

“I’m grateful to NZ Rugby and the Highlanders organisation for all the support they’ve given me over my career and for the opportunities they have provided for myself and Teagan, going forward.”

Smith also made his first appearance for the Highlanders in 2011, making 129 appearances in eight years with the team.

The controversial off-the-field figure has been handed two separate formal warnings by the NZR after a highly publicised airport toilet incident where he was caught emerging with a woman from a cubicle before a flight to South Africa in 2016.

The enquiry into the original incident was reopened in 2017 when the woman at the centre of the affair claimed Smith offered her money to lie in a legal affidavit that they did not have sex in the toilet.

The woman told reporters she had been involved in an affair with Smith for two years after the player had said it was a “one-off incident”.

“Nuggy has been such an outstanding player for us over many years and deserves every accolade he gets,” said All Blacks head coach, Steve Hansen.

“He’s a passionate team man, a leader in our team and gives his all to the group. He works incredibly hard on his game and has been incredibly consistent since first coming into the All Blacks.

Smith became the most capped All Blacks half back of all time (overtaking Justin Marshall) in the Test defeat to Ireland in Dublin last November.

He has scored 16 tries for New Zealand and kicked a conversion against Australia in 2014.

His 129 Highlanders appearances put him second only behind Ben Smith.

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IF YOU WERE to have a debate about the best outside centres in world rugby at present, Garry Ringrose’s name would be very much in the mix.

Still just 24, the Dublin man has become a key cog for Leinster and Joe Schmidt’s Ireland, a player of intelligence and decision-making class, essential to both teams’ defences and capable of delivering crucial cutting edge in attack.

He makes his return from a hamstring injury for Ireland against France in the Six Nations today and his team-mates are happy, perhaps even a little relieved, to see him back in the 13 shirt.

Ringrose returns for Ireland against France today. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“He adds an extra dimension,” says Ireland captain Rory Best. “Garry has that X-factor, there’s no doubt about it. He just has the ability in a really, really tight game like we’re going to get against France to potentially unlock something from nothing.

“I’ve played with a few players in an Irish jersey who had that ability and whenever it comes to tough moments that’s really important.

“To see how hard he’s worked to get back quickly, it’s a real bonus for us. Garry is just a little bit different. He doesn’t have the sheer size but his footwork is just electric.”

Oddly enough for a player who is so perfectly suited to the 13 jersey now, Ringrose was mainly a scrum-half up until he was in fifth year in Blackrock College and only became an outside centre in sixth year, via a stint at fullback.

Ringrose wasn’t a star in his early school days, but he eventually shone in Blackrock’s Leinster Schools Senior Cup success in 2013, when he was a goal-kicking influence who scored a long-range solo try in the final against St Michael’s College.

Since then, he has excelled consistently but it wasn’t always the case that Ringrose looked destined for the top of the game. Far from it.

Justin Vanstone, the current Blackrock senior team coach, was in charge of the school’s ‘House’ team – a development side for the senior team – when Ringrose was in fourth year but initially sent him to play with the Colts, a step below.

Ringrose hadn’t been able to get onto the Junior Cup team as a scrum-half in third year, playing for the seconds. However, when he was dispatched to the Colts, something began to stir.

“He was too good and got sent back to me,” recalls Vanstone. “I actually taught Garry in third-year Maths as well. As well as being a coach’s dream, he was a teacher’s dream.

Ringrose playing Senior Cup rugby for Blackrock in 2013. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

“Very self-driven, very self-aware, he knew what he was good at and what he wasn’t so strong at.

“When I sent him to the Colts, he listened, he was never a guy who questioned why others were ahead of him. He focused on making himself better and made sure that it was clear I’d made a mistake. That’s Garry in a nutshell.”

There was something about Ringrose’s subtly clever play that suggested to Vanstone that he would thrive with more space, despite his relatively small stature at that stage. A move to fullback bore fruit.

“Garry has a great sense of space, great spatial awareness,” says Vanstone. “He’s a good footballer, makes really good decisions and is very calm.

“We realised we needed to get Garry on the ball more and more. He wasn’t the biggest guy at that stage but I liked how he made up for it in other ways. Technically, he was very sound.”

And yet, Ringrose still wasn’t marked out as a future professional when he reached sixth year, but an injury at 13 saw him making the move into midfield and suddenly his potential kicked into full gear.

His catch-pass, kicking, defensive and decision-making skills were perfect at outside centre and he was a vital figure as the Peter Smyth-coached Blackrock side won the Cup.

Only months later and after leaving school to join Leinster’s sub-academy, Ringrose was selected for the Leinster U20s despite being a year young for that level.

He played in a game against Leicester Tigers’ academy at Ashbourne, where then Ireland U20s coach Mike Ruddock was watching.

“He got the ball out in the five-metre channel close to the touchline,” recalls Ruddock.

Ringrose in his first season with the Ireland U20s. Source: Photosport/Andrew Cornaga/INPHO

“There were three young Tigers looking to hunt him down but with the most incredible bit of footwork I’ve seen – other than Shane Williams – Garry managed to dance through these three would-be tacklers and come out the other side without any of them touching him.

“Not only that but he ran on and scored. It was standout stuff and you’re looking for that when you’re putting a national squad together.”

With that major green tick alongside his name, Ringrose was brought into the Ireland set-up a year early, starting the first two Six Nations games before Ruddock dropped him for the remainder of the 2014 championship.

Ruddock felt the 18-year-old wasn’t quite suited to the heavier, more physical games in the Six Nations – when the weather can be poor – but kept Ringrose in his plans for that summer’s Junior World Championship.

“I left him out and I remember saying that he needed to keep working hard on becoming a little bit more physical with his defensive duties. He did that, went away and worked hard with a real focus on it.”

Ringrose proved to be a sensation in New Zealand in 2014, excelling as Ireland finished fourth. He was nominated for World Rugby Junior Player of the Year after a string of performances that included a two-try showing against Wales in Pukekohe.

“He was fantastic and put in a great physical shift in defence,” says Ruddock. “Straight away, we were all talking about him as a potential senior player.”

Advancing into the Leinster academy proper for the 2014/15 season, Ringrose had another year with the Ireland U20s under Nigel Carolan, helping them to seventh place in Italy in the 2015 World Championship.

His senior Leinster debut came at the start of the 2015/16 season – a campaign in which he made 20 starts – and he was an Ireland international by November 2016, making his debut against Canada at the age of 21. 

Throughout the rise, Ringrose has looked unflappable and remained unfailingly level-headed. One couldn’t meet a more polite interviewee.

Ringrose on his senior Ireland debut in 2016. Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

“He’s got a lovely set of parents,” says Vanstone of Ringrose, who still helps out in Blackrock whenever asked. “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, and his younger brother Jack [who plays for UCD in the AIL] is the same.

“What was really impressive with Garry and Jack was the way they supported each other. Garry talks about his family a lot in interviews and he very much lives that life too – he’s so supportive of Jack.

Ruddock has always been similarly impressed with Ringrose’s character, enjoying a chat with the Leinster midfielder whenever they bump into each other now.

“He was the same with the U20s – humble, respectful, unassuming,” says Ruddock. “Let’s be honest, he’s a good-looking guy, a bit of a film star profile, but he doesn’t walk around with any sort of cockiness about him and you’ve got to love that about the guy.

“Every time I see him he doesn’t seem to have changed at all. He’s at ease in anyone’s company and I think he’s a great ambassador for Irish rugby. I’ve met his mum and dad and he’s from a lovely family, so it’s very easy to see why he’s like that.”

Ringrose – who many people feel was hard done by not to tour with the Lions in 2017 – is already a vital figure for Ireland and he will be even more important in the post-Schmidt era after this year’s World Cup when there will be an inevitable sense of transition.

“He is the kind of guy you can build a side around,” says Vanstone. “He’s an excellent role model.

Ringrose is a key figure for Ireland at the age of 24. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

“He could have another eight years or more at the highest level, which is kind of scary!”

Best, who will vacate his position as Ireland captain after the World Cup, also has respect for Ringrose’s unfussy style of leadership.

“The way Garry leads is a wee bit similar to the way Earlsy [Keith Earls] leads, it’s not so much talking in big groups but it’s managing people around him,” says the Ulsterman.

“When you’re training and playing, he manages the forwards, drags us around the place. He’s so fit, he sets so early and puts pressure on you to set too. It’s that little bit of talk too.

“He leads, firstly, by his actions on and off the pitch.”

– This article was updated at 11.52am to correct ‘team’s’ to ‘teams” in the second paragraph.

 

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ULSTER HAVE INCLUDED three of Ireland’s U20 Grand Slam winners in their ‘A’ squad for this week’s trip to America for two Cara Cup fixtures.

David McCann, Callum Reid and Iwan Hughes have all travelled to Boston with the northern province for games against Connacht ‘A’ and the New England Free Jacks after helping Ireland to Six Nations glory last Friday night. 

Ireland U20 out-half Iwan Hughes. Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

McCann and Reid came off the bench for Noel McNamara’s side in the win over Wales, while out-half Hughes was an unused replacement at Colwyn Bay after receiving a late call-up to the matchday 23.

JJ McKee, Stewart Moore and Bruce Houston have also been named in Ulster’s travelling party after being involved in Ireland’s extended squad over the course of the U20 championship.

Senior Ulster squad players Ross Kane, Caleb Montgomery, Johnny McPhilips and Jack Owens are also selected for the Stateside games by coaches Kieran Campbell and Willie Anderson.

Ulster will face the Connacht Eagles in Massachusetts on Wednesday in the second fixture of the inaugural Cara Cup, before playing the Free Jacks on Sunday 24 March.

In the opening game of the competition, Connacht Eagles beat the Major League Rugby outfit 38-7 at the Union Point Sports Complex on Saturday. 

Ulster squad:

Forwards: Claytan Milligan, Zack McCall, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Peter Cooper, Ross Kane, Jack Regan, Bradley Luney, JJ McKee, Charlie Clarke, Joe Dunleavy, David McCann, Marcus Rea, Caleb Montgomery.

Backs: Michael Stronge, Lewis Finlay, Graham Curtis, Bruce Houston, Johnny McPhilips, Jack Owens, Ben Power, Stewart Moore, Iwan Hughes, Ben McCaughey.

Cara Cup fixtures:

Wednesday 20 March:

Connacht Eagles v Ulster A

Sunday 24 March:

Free Jacks v Ulster A

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JOEY CARBERY RETURNS to the Munster XV tomorrow, with Johann van Graan naming his side to face Edinburgh in their Champions Cup quarter-final [KO 12.45pm, live on Virgin Media One, Channel 4 and BT Sport].

A hamstring injury picked up in training ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations win over Italy had ruled the out-half out of action for the past month.

But he’s set to make his return at Murrayfield alongside a strong international contingent including Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Andrew Conway tomorrow.

The news of Carbery’s inclusion caps a nice week for him on a personal level, with the Athy star signing a new contract with Munster until 2022 on Tuesday.

There are 11 changes in all. Elsewhere, Jack O’Donoghue — who has impressed since his return from a knee injury — has been rewarded for his recent brilliant form with a start at openside. This comes as his first Champions Cup start of the season.

O’Donoghue has been going well. Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Chris Farrell also returns to the back-line, while locks Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne line out alongside captain O’Mahony. CJ Stander starts at eight.

Munster are the first of the three provinces out in Champions Cup action this weekend, and a win would see van Graan’s men into a third consecutive semi-final.

Munster

15. Mike Haley
14. Andrew Conway
13. Chris Farrell
12. Rory Scannell
11. Keith Earls
10. Joey Carbery
9. Conor Murray

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
7.Jack O’Donoghue
8. CJ Stander.

Replacements

16. Rhys Marshall
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. Stephen Archer
19. Billy Holland
20. Arno Botha
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Tyler Bleyendaal
23. Dan Goggin.

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