Rugby News round-up: In what is one of the most attractive looking November fixture itineraries at Lansdowne Road for many seasons, it was confirmed yesterday that Ireland will entertain New Zealand and Australia in the autumn window later this year. Gerry Thornley reports.
The All Blacks retain a cache all of their own, and compared to Australia, especially, and South Africa, whom Ireland met three times last year, they have been uncommon visitors to this country of late. Their last Test in Lansdowne Road, when they recovered from a 21-7 deficit to pull through 40-29 in John Mitchell's first match in charge, was only their second in these shores since 1989.
After home wins over Australia and South Africa in the last two autumn series, the All Blacks remain the only major Test-playing side whom Ireland have never beaten in 17 attempts.
They open their three-match tour in Dublin on the weekend of November 12th/13th, to be followed by visits to Twickenham and Edinburgh, while Ireland will host Australia a week later, with Romania to complete the three-match itinerary on the last weekend of November.
The Irish squad, currently based in Citywest in readiness for their Six Nations opener against Italy at the Stadio Flaminio on Sunday, appear to have come through the weekend relatively unscathed, although Connacht's Bernard Jackman has been called in as cover for Frankie Sheahan, who has a sore calf.
Alan Quinlan took no part in the afternoon contact session due to the broken nose he sustained in Munster's defeat to Llanelli on Saturday night, but it is not expected to rule him out of consideration when the team and replacements are named tomorrow.
Ulster coach Mark McCall yesterday declined to comment on reports in the Australian media that the 30-year-old New South Wales Waratahs and Wallabies lock Justin Harrison was set to join the province. According to reports down under, Harrison has supposedly agreed to a three-year deal worth Aus$1.7 million, which equates to just under €400,000 per annum.
However, this seems grossly excessive and perhaps - if true at all - is a bargaining tool in negotiations with the Australian Rugby Union or other potential suitors in the Northern Hemisphere.
Meanwhile, teenage sensation Mathew Tait was last night backed to cope with "whatever is thrown at him" after being selected for England's Six Nations opener against Wales.
Tait will become the youngest England debutant since his Newcastle colleague Jonny Wilkinson almost seven years ago when he runs out at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday: the next day he turns 19.
It completes a staggering rise from schoolboy star to the Test match arena in barely 12 months.
Other changes from the team beaten by Australia at Twickenham last November see World Cup scrum-half Matt Dawson recalled instead of Andy Gomarsall, Leicester lock Ben Kay replacing Steve Borthwick and Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell making his first Six Nations start.
Hazell will feature at openside flanker, with Lewis Moody moving to the blindside role and Wasps' Joe Worsley lining up at number eight.
IRELAND: Nov 12th/13th v New Zealand; Nov 19th/20th v Australia; Nov 26th/27th v Romania.
ENGLAND: Nov 12th/13th v Australia; Nov 19th/20th v New Zealand; Nov 26th/27th v Samoa.
FRANCE: Nov 12th/13th v South Africa; Nov 19th/20th v Tonga; Nov 26th/27th v Canada.
ITALY: Nov 12th/13th v Tonga; Nov 19th/20th v Argentina; Nov 26th/27th v Fiji.
SCOTLAND: Nov 12th/13th v Argentina; Nov 19th/20th v Samoa; Nov 26th/27th v New Zealand.
WALES: Nov 12th/13th v Fiji; Nov 19th/20th v South Africa; Nov 26th/27th v Australia.
