Points of interest from the announcement of the Emerging Ireland squad to play three matches against Currie Cup semi-finalists the Griquas, Pumas and Cheetahs include but are not limited to the presence of French-born Irish-qualified, Munster recruit Antoine Frisch; two Sevens World Cup bronze medallists in Chay Mullins and Andrew Smith; and 10 under-20 Grand Slam winners (2019, 2022).
In the absence of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby fulfils that role, and will be assisted by his fellow senior Irish coaches Mike Catt, Paul O’Connell, and John Fogarty. All three matches take place in Bloemfontein. The squad will have a three-day camp at the HPC centre before flying to South Africa.
Roughly 55 players were discussed as potential tourists, with the travelling party whittled down following conversations between Farrell and the four provincial head coaches. A stated goal was not to take multiple players from the one province in the same position where possible.
It was not always feasible. Ulster have provided a brace of scrumhalves, a specialist position in Nathan Doak and Michael McDonald, while Leinster contributed four backrows in former DLSP mini James Culhane – he was excellent in Leinster A’s win over the Connacht Eagles on Saturday – Max Deegan, Alex Soroka and Scott Penny.
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There are four capped players in the squad, wing Robert Baloucoune (two caps), utility back Shane Daly (two), who is viewed as a centre, number eight Max Deegan (one) and scrumhalf Caolin Blade (one). Three players Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy and Cian Prendergast featured against the Māori All Blacks during the summer.
Frawley has been selected to tour as an outhalf but like several others can play multiple positions. Easterby understands that a common view in the provinces is that depleting playing resources currently is an unwelcome encumbrance
. “There have been lots of conversations over the last couple of weeks around each position and how that affects the provinces. And, yeah, I can sympathise with what they’re doing and how they’re trying to build performances and momentum into their season. But I also think there is a bigger picture here that it is round two, three and four. And then they are back with their provinces for two or three rounds before there is a break.
“Hopefully the players will go back into their provinces and have had the exposure and quality of time in the environment that will benefit them when they go back into their provinces.”
Easterby explained that the tour would give the national team senior coaches the chance to examine aptitude, attitude as well as the playing skills of some promising young players with a view to progression in an international context.
He also confirmed that Emerging Ireland mirror the senior squad in playing style. “That is part of the reason why we want to expose these players to the system and the environment. Not only to find out how they play the game but what makes them tick and what is their motivation, how can they handle the pressure.
“It’s not test match rugby, but we want to provide an environment that is closely aligned to what we do in the senior side and then we will then have far more understanding as to whether they can step up in the next couple of months and beyond to the World Cup.”
He referenced the example of a 2017 Ireland tour to the USA and Japan, citing James Ryan as an example of a young player who won an Irish cap before playing for his province.
Easterby added: “Don’t forget we’ve also missed out on a good chunk of time with players potentially because of Covid and not going on tours to the South Sea Islands. Things like that have been outside of our control but something like this allows us to bridge that gap.”
He accepted that in ideal circumstances a handful of players would advance their cases to a point where they would be selected for the A international against an All Blacks XV at the RDS in November and subsequently against Fiji in the November test series. That is exactly what it’s about.
“Guys may be coming in and thinking ‘wow, this is big for me’ but we want them to come in and attack the few weeks and really put their hands up and hopefully enjoy the environment. We want them to be as good as they could be, and there will be players who surprise us, the public and supporters with what they do.
“Maybe some of them just haven’t had that exposure at the higher level yet. It’s a win-win. We hope we get benefit from that and that there will be some continuity from the Maori trip to this and the New Zealand ‘A’ game and Fiji.”
Easterby believes that the foundation and structures put in place by Farrell mean that even in his absence things will run smoothly. “Faz is unique. He has created an incredible environment over the last couple of years. You have seen that players love coming into the environment and they love, are genuinely excited about, being back in camp again. A lot of that is to do with the way that Faz approaches the game, approaches the players, and gives them the freedom to be themselves. I would like to think that won’t change with me.
“We are not the same person (but) we are aligned in many ways in how we want the game to be run. Catty and Fogs and Paulie, with the continuity of coaching there means that should be seamless. We would like to think that the environment would run very closely to what Faz would run without him being there.”
Emerging Ireland Squad
Back Three (6): Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen), Ethan McIlroy (Ulster/Queens RFC), Chay Mullins (Connacht/IQ Rugby), Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster), Andrew Smith (Leinster/Clontarf).
Centres (3): Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution), Antoine Frisch (Munster), Stewart Moore (Ulster/Malone).
Outhalves (3): Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution),), Jake Flannery (Ulster/Shannon), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD).
Scrumhalves (3): Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians), Nathan Doak (Ulster/Banbridge), Michael McDonald (Ulster)
Props (6): Josh Wycherley (Munster/Young Munster), Michael Milne (Leinster/UCD), Callum Reid (Ulster/Banbridge), Tom Clarkson (Leinster/Dublin University), Roman Salonoa (Munster/Shannon), Sam Illo (Connacht).
Hookers (3): Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen), Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Connacht/Corinthians).
Secondrows (4): T Ahern (Munster/Shannon), Brian Deeny (Leinster/Clontarf), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University).
Backrows (7): James Culhane (Leinster/UCD), Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne), John Hodnett (Munster/UCC), Alex Kendellen (Munster/UCC), Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Alex Soroka (Leinster/Clontarf).
Emerging Ireland Toyota Challenge Fixtures 2022 (all times Irish)
Friday, September 30th: Windhoek Draught Griquas vs Emerging Ireland, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, 12.45pm
Wednesday, October 5th: Airlink Pumas vs Emerging Ireland, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, 4.0pm
Sunday, October 9th: Toyota Cheetahs vs Emerging Ireland, Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, 12.0pm
