RUGBY NEWS:IRELAND COACH Declan Kidney will begin to marshal his plans for the Guinness Test Series when he presides over a get-together in Belfast early next week. An extended national squad will convene next Monday for the two-day camp as Ireland commence long-range preparations for a four-Test series against South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina in November.
A number of Ireland players who missed the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand because of injury met with the coach at the end of last month.
The IRFU has announced the dates and times for the November schedule of Test matches, starting with the visit of world champions South Africa who will play the first ever rugby international in the new Aviva Stadium on Saturday November 6th (5.30pm).
The Springboks last visited Dublin in November 2009, losing 15-10 to their hosts at Croke Park and in doing so becoming the last Southern Hemisphere team to play at GAA headquarters before Irish rugby returned across the Liffey to their refurbished home at Lansdowne Road.
To mark the special occasion, the ‘Boks have waived the right and unique rugby tradition where the visiting team wears its home jersey when there is a clash of colours. This will allow the Ireland team to wear its famous green jersey for the first international game in the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland last faced Samoa seven years ago in Apia as part of a summer tour – they won 40-14 – ahead of the 2003 World Cup. They provide the opposition for the second game, again on the Saturday, an apposite fixture given that several of their players played in the Pacific Islands team that lost to Ireland in 2006, the last international played in the old Lansdowne Road.
Seven days later the All Blacks return to Dublin for the first time in two years, the last occasion a comprehensive 22-3 triumph in Croke Park. A more livid memory for Irish rugby supporters will be the 66-28 thumping that New Zealand handed Kidney’s charges in New Plymouth during the summer.
Ireland’s November series will conclude on Sunday 28th when perennial rivals Argentina pitch up the Aviva Stadium (2.30pm). The decision to go for evening kick-off times for the matches against South Africa and New Zealand should guarantee a raucous atmosphere. RTÉ Sport has confirmed that it will broadcast live coverage of the four November Test matches.
Meanwhile Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has confirmed he will bring his strongest available squad to Cork for tomorrow night’s pre-season friendly against Munster. Having essentially mixed and matched during previous warm-up matches against Brive and Nottingham, he is looking forward to the return of his international contingent.
He explained: “It’s nice to have everyone back to work with now and we are looking forward to three weeks of intense training in preparation for the Saints (Northampton) game. We are going to have to start integrating all of those international boys who have returned from well-earned rests during the summer.
“I will be taking as strong a squad as I can put together. Joe Duffey (hooker) has been back in New Zealand on compassionate leave, Peter Bucknall (prop) has a groin strain and Rob Hawkins (hooker) had a calf problem but will hopefully be fit for Leinster next week.
“Apart from those guys, we will be sending a full-strength squad to Munster and we will be that way against Leinster the following week, too. It’s a good test for us and I am not too worried about the side they will put out.”
AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS
Saturday, November 6th: Ireland v South Africa, Aviva Stadium (5.30).
Saturday, November 13th: Ireland v Samoa, Aviva Stadium (2.30).
Saturday, November 20th: Ireland v New Zealand, Aviva Stadium (5.30).
Sunday, November 28th: Ireland v Argentina, Aviva Stadium (2.30).
