Maori All Blacks v Ireland, Sky Stadium, Wellington, Tuesday, 8.05am Irish time - Live on Sky Sports
In unearthing “the four or five jewels” which Andy Farrell has stated he wants from this five-match tour of New Zealand, the tourist’s second meeting with the Maori All Blacks in Wellington is probably even more relevant than any of the three Tests.
To that end, the Irish head coach and his staff will have taken the 32-17 defeat from the first clash with the Maoris in Hamilton on the chin provided this largely unchanged midweek side learn the harsh lessons from that game, much as the Test side did from the First Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park a week later.
Ciaran Frawley is very much in the aforementioned category, all the more in light of Harry Byrne’s latest misfortune, which has seen the talented Skerries man afforded two chances at outhalf.
“We have had 10 days to reflect and I think what is kind of funny is that the first test at Eden Park was kind of similar to our game against the Maori All Blacks. That second quarter of the game, we lost out,” said Frawley after their Captain’s Run in the Sky Stadium.
“It was probably our kick chase, our defence and our discipline; they were the three main points, so to put them right, we hope to have a similar performance to Hamilton. We have had nearly two weeks to reflect on that and there are a lot of lads chomping at the bit now to get going and everyone are fairly excited. The coaches are as well, seeing this group grow up. We have learned a lot about what we got wrong.”
Frawley had only started one game at outhalf all season with Leinster, as Robbie Henshaw’s injury woes and Test call-ups meant he otherwise played at inside centre.
“It is definitely much tougher going from ‘12′ to ‘10′ than it is going from ‘10′ to ‘12′. You obviously have that game-management pressure on your shoulders and the best thing has been to do training; I have been training a lot at 10 in Leinster especially. I’ve pretty much only been a 10 here.
“So in terms of the pressure on myself, I don’t feel too much; I was naturally a ‘10′ the whole way up so hopefully it will organically work out for me but the last test in Hamilton was brilliant for us; I really enjoyed it, it wasn’t the best performance from myself but I am looking to accelerate that on now.”
MAORI ALL BLACKS: Josh Moorby (Hurricanes); Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs), Bailyn Sullivan (Hurricanes), Alex Nankivell (Chiefs), Connor Garden-Bachop (Highlanders); Josh Ioane (Chiefs), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes, co-capt); Ollie Norris (Chiefs), Kurt Eklund (Blues), Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Highlanders), Isaia Walker-Leawere (/Hurricanes), Reed Prinsep (Hurricanes), Billy Harmon (Highlanders), Cullen Grace (Crusaders).
Replacements: Leni Apisai (Blues), Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders), Marcel Renata (Blues), Max Hicks (Highlanders), Caleb Delany (Hurricanes), Brad Weber (Chiefs, co-capt), Ruben Love (Hurricanes), Billy Proctor (Hurricanes).
IRELAND: Michael Lowry (Ulster); Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster); Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster); Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Niall Scannell (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Gavin Coombes (Munster).
Replacements: Rob Herring (Ulster), Ed Byrne (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Mack Hansen (Connacht).
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: James Leckie (RA)
