IT WAS A largely satisfactory weekend for the Irish provinces in Guinness Pro12 action with Leinster, Munster and Ulster all chalking up impressive victories.
After four rounds of action, Les Kiss’ Ulster lead the way while Leinster and Munster have positioned themselves in fourth and fifth respectively.
However, Connacht’s nightmare start to their title defence continued in Wales as they slumped to a third straight defeat.
Pat Lam’s men remain rooted to the foot of the table so if you’re from out west, you’ll probably want to look away now.
Otherwise, the highlights from the weekend’s games are well worth a watch.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Ford relishing chance to work ‘with the biggest club in Europe’ after agreeing terms with ToulonSexton through comeback without a hitch as McFadden and Nagle resume full training
HAVING BEEN KEPT in cold storage for the best part of three weeks, Leo Cullen has reported that Johnny Sexton ‘is good to go’ for next Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse.
The Leinster captain has not played since Ireland’s Six Nations defeat in Cardiff at the end of last month, while his last game for the province was at Thomond Park back in December.
Sexton is winning his fitness battle. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Sexton picked up a quad injury in the build-up to the European quarter-final win over Ulster but having rehabbed the issue behind the scenes, is not set to return for the Aviva Stadium showdown with Toulouse on Easter Sunday.
The selection of Ross Byrne at out-half for today’s Pro14 game against Glasgow Warriors also suggests Sexton is ready to go for the last four tie, on the basis that Cullen would hardly risk Byrne if there were still concerns over the World Player of the Year.
“Johnny is good to go,” Cullen said yesterday. “He’s trained well the last couple of days. He is in good spirits. He looked good today. He looked good yesterday.”
Although Byrne was outstanding in the quarter-final last month, Sexton’s return to fitness would be a major fillip for the defending European champions, while Devin Toner and Robbie Henshaw both make their respective injury comebacks against the Warriors at the RDS this afternoon.
Will Connors is named on the Leinster bench and could make his first appearance of the season after recovering from the ACL injury he sustained in pre-season, and the flanker provides Cullen with more options at openside following the loss of Dan Leavy and Josh van der Flier.
Mick Kearney has been ruled out of the rest of the campaign, however, as the second row was forced to undergo surgery earlier in the week for the shoulder injury he sustained against Benetton last Saturday.
While Toner’s return is timely, the news stretches Cullen’s second row options for the run-in, with Ross Molony also struggling with a back problem and Ian Nagle on loan at Ulster. 20-year-old Jack Dunne makes his full debut today.
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Bernard Jackman to discuss Izzy Folau’s impending sacking by Australia and all the week’s news on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
Source: The42 Rugby Weekly/SoundCloud
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
JONATHAN SEXTON HAS heard enough from Saracens over the past year to know England’s leading club won’t fear, but relish the chance to meet Leinster again.
The clubs, who account for the last three Heineken Champions Cup winners, went head-to-head last season at the quarter final stage. On that day, Saracens had scraped through the pool stage while Leinster had home advantage with no shortage of momentum from a host of freshly-minted Grand Slam winners.
Sexton may well remember the physicality of the contest which Leinster won out 30-19, but he also took notice of Saracens’ reaction to the loss.
Sexton and Owen Farrell get in eachothers’ personal space during last year’s quarter-final. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Just as Leinster used the twin 2017 semi-final losses to Clermont and Scarlets to spur them on last season, Saracens have not allowed defeat in Dublin to slip to the back of their mind.
“I can’t believe the amount of times they’ve referred to our [quarter-final] game and even you hear their coaches all the time talking about it,” Sexton said in the wake of yesterday’s 30-12 semi-final win over Toulouse.
“We’ll be up against it, but it’s a challenge that we’re looking forward to.”
Leinster have three weeks to prepare for the task and thanks to their dominance of the Pro14 regular season they have the luxury of choosing whether to wrap front-liners in cotton wool until 11 May or unleashing them for another hit-out in Ravenhill next weekend.
Either way, they will not need to see the firing line within 13 days of the trip to Newcastle. Head coach Leo Cullen will seek a balance, but the intensity of the English champions may well lead him towards the side of energy conservation.
“It’s a pretty dangerous combination,” Cullen says of Saracens’ knack of dominating territory and possession, “with the power they have in their team, if you’re constantly defending it’s going to be tough work against them.
Cullen with Scott Fardy post-match yesterday. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
“So you need to be able – to use the cliché I suppose – fire shots. You need to be able to play against them, and how you manage possession (is key). But they’re a very efficient team. They don’t burn that much energy. They’re happy through 3, 6, 9, 12 early in a game, so your discipline needs to be good and now allow that scoreboard pressure. They’re a very hard team to chase the game against because they just strangle you then.”
“They’re a well coached team. They’ve been doing it for a number of years now. They’ve built a lot of experience as a group together as well which makes them doubly dangerous. They’re great challenge for us.”
“It’s really exciting. We talked about it being a privilege to be in a semi-final, it’s an absolute privilege now to be in final, and now we’ve just got to get busy working again, which is a great thing.”
“We just need to get the heads down again now and understand what it’s going to take, and put a good plan together.”
Leinster will go to Newcastle in search of a record fifth European Cup. So far, they are four from four in Heineken Champions Cup deciders, while Saracens built on their 2014 loss to Toulon to return for back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017.
Sexton can’t say whether Saracens will be his toughest final opponent yet – Leicester, Racing or Northampton with a 16-point head-start ought not to be forgotten – but the out-half and captain did reiterate that it will be “a massive battle” while head coach Cullen stressed the importance of playing the match rather than the occasion.
“The main thing is just not to get too caught up in the occasion. It’s another game of rugby that we need to prepare well for so guys are clear around what’s expected of them.
“It’s unusual in that we’ll go to a ground we’ve never gone to before, similar to last year in Bilbao, so we understand what that’s like.
James Lowe celebrates the win. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
“The main thing is that (and) physically resting up and recovering for guys when they get those windows. Players get managed well by the backroom team so they’re able to fire as well as possible at this time of year and give all of themselves when it comes to these big games.
“That’s the important part, and then not getting too caught up in the occasion, making sure that we play the game because it’s another 80 minutes we need to get a win from.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
‘I MIGHT NEED to be more optimistic,‘ says Eric O’Sullivan with a self-depreciating laugh.
He’s on the subject of goal-setting, because – frankly – he has smashed through every personal target set in front of him this past year.
O’Sullivan making a carry against Zebre this season. Source: Matt Mackey/INPHO
Entering his second year in Ulster’s academy, the Dublin native set what now looks like an incredibly modest bar. His short-term mid-summer outlook centred around getting to train with the seniors and, from there, building himself up in search of five appearances with the red hand on his chest.
He completed that before September turned to October and sitting in Dublin for media duties in the name of Ulster’s main sponsor Kingspan last week, he ought to boast about his 23 caps, six of them in the Heineken Champions Cup.
O’Sullivan’s push for caps was, as is always the case in rugby, aided by injury. Kyle McCall’s misfortune was his gain, but after impressing with his insatiable work-rate, he took stock, reset his goals and promptly blasted through them too.
By Christmas, his name was one of just two to pass the lips of Joe Schmidt when the Kiwi was asked to offer hope for beyond his own tenure as Ireland head coach. For O’Sullivan it’s still crazy talk. He’ll accept the slap on the back, but he’s not yet ready to slide ‘Japan 2019′ in among his target range.
“That was a total shock,” the smiling O’Sullivan says of Schmidt’s compliment.
“No contact or anything (beforehand), but it’s flattering when you get that kind of namecheck. He’s obviously a great coach and to know you’re on his radar in any way is pretty special.
“I think my (Templeogue College) principal might have been at it (the Phillips manager of the year presentation) and she text me… it was pretty special, yeah.”
Eric O’Sullivan will play a key role for Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
“I know myself, I’m focused on playing well for Ulster week in week out, if that gets me anywhere else I’m happy for that to happen. It’s just about playing hard and getting results for Ulster.”
Playing hard has certainly been at the core of O’Sullivan’s rise and he has consistently hit high marks in tackle count and ruck involvements, while as a former back row, his skill-set has allowed Dan McFarland more variety emerging from his pack.
When it comes to improvements, though, he has lofty goals indeed. Scrummaging can always be improved, he insists – “if you think you’ve made it you’ll get punished pretty quick” – but in open play he is working towards the benchmark set by Lions props from his native province.
“Breakdown work, if I can get to a stage when my breakdown is like Tadhg Furlong then it will be good for me and Ulster,” says the 23-year-old.
“When you see them just down the road in Leinster that adds a bit of spice, if you can be better than them Ulster will be in a great position.”
Of course, O’Sullivan is not long removed from being pitted head-to-head with those standard-bearers as he played 71 hard-fought minutes of Ulster’s narrow Champions Cup quarter-final loss to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium last month.
O’Sullivan runs at Cian Healy in the Champions Cup quarter-final. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland
He will hope to see a better outcome in this weekend’s inter-provincial clash, when Connacht go to Belfast with a Pro14 semi-final on the line. Ulster will hope to see Rory Best fit and able to pack down alongside O’Sullivan and add some much-needed experience to a front row which will be short Marty Moore’s power on the tighthead side.
O’Sullivan speaks of both in glowing terms and credits their influence with improving his set-piece work, but with the Poyntzpass legend playing his final provincial matches this month, Ulster would dearly love to see him hoist an overdue trophy before leading Ireland in his fourth World Cup.
“He’s been very good for me personally. He helps everyone in the squad, he’s been there done that. He has so much knowledge.
O’Sullivan, right, with Best, Henderson and Moore in the Champions Cup win over Scarlets. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
“I don’t think there’s any problem you can go to him with that he hasn’t seen before. If you need help scrummaging, he’ll help you, he’ll go into the review room and have a look at it with you.
“Then on the pitch he’ll give you little cues that keep you right. It’s great to have him there in some of the bigger games when you might be a bit nervous. He gives you confidence.
“He’s very good that way, stays calm and has a word when it’s appropriate.
“It’s obviously going to be tough for Rory. He’s been such an integral part of Ulster for so long. I’m sure he’ll miss it and we’ll all miss him.
“Hopefully we’ll have a good run-in and get some silverware at the end of it.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
IRELAND SEVENS ANNOUNCED themselves on the big stage in their invitational run to bronze at last year’s London 7s tournament.
This year, with a World Series berth secured, Anthony Eddy will hope to see his side further prove their credentials ahead of a Rugby Europe Olympic qualifier in July.
12 nations will qualify for the 2020 Olympic tournament, the second time Sevens will be played at the Games. The top four teams from the World Series will qualify automatically and then six regional qualifying tournaments will reward a winner with a berth in Japan before the final two places are awarded through a world repechage.
Ireland missed out on Rio 2016, but have made leaps and bounds forward in the game since and success last month in Hong Kong — to qualify for next year’s World Series — was the latest evidence of quality.
At this weekend’s London leg of the World Series, Ireland will again play as an invitational side and will be pitted against New Zealand, hosts England and Scotland at the pool stage (kicking off from 12.04 Saturday, Sky Sports).
Eddy has included three uncapped players in his 13-man squad. AIL Division 1A’s top try-scorer Peter Sullivan is included along with Jack Kelly, who made his senior Leinster debut this season, and Kerry man Jack Daly.
“To win the tournament in Hong Kong and secure a place on next season’s World Series was a great outcome for all the hard work many players have contributed over a short time,” said Eddy as he unveiled his squad for the trip across the Irish.
“It is great to have the opportunity in London and Paris to test ourselves against the top sides in the world as we build towards the Rugby Europe Olympic Qualification tournament in July.
“We’ll be up against quality opposition in our pool, so it will be a real challenge, particularly as core teams are fighting for a Top 4 position to secure Olympic qualification through the series.”
Ireland Men’s squad for London 7s:
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers) Jack Daly (Garryowen/Munster) * Billy Dardis (Terenure College)(captain) Foster Horan (Lansdowne) Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster) * Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College) Adam Leavy (Lansdowne) Hugo Lennox (Clontarf) Mick McGrath (Clontarf) Harry McNulty (UCD) Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College) Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne)* Mark Roche (Blackrock College)
CONCUSSION DOES SOME very, very odd things to the sufferer’s thought processes and mindset.
As onlookers, we’ve become all too familiar with the sight of players trying to talk down the affects of the ‘head knock,’ even making an effort to shun their immediate medical responder and try to play on.
‘Be grand,‘ goes the typical ignorant man approach to health and well-being.
For up-and-coming Ulster centre Stewart Moore, there was actually a strange moment of clarity. The 19-year-old suffered a concussion in a pre-Christmas U20 trial against Leinster in Donnybrook, but the first thought he remembers was the prescient knowledge that this was not something he could walk off in a day or two.
Moore makes a break during the trial match against Leinster in December. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
“When I did it I was completely out of it,” the centre said before heading off to Argentina for this week’s World Rugby U20 Championship, “but I remember waking up in hospital and kinda knowing what was happening there.
“The first thing I said to my mum was, ‘oh, that’s the Six Nations.’ I was distraught watching it and my parents didn’t actually like me watching it and stuff but I wanted to watch it.
“I knew I would be back for the World Cup and I knew I would want that position if I could get it.”
During his three months out with concussion he returned to Dublin for reassuring updates from his neurologist.
“The next day I felt grand, but I just listened to what needs to be done. Angus Curtis, especially, has had a lot of concussions and he had season-ending after Leicester in the Champions Cup.
“Everyone goes through (injuries), they have their lows and ups so it was mainly low the whole season. Hopefully it can end on an up.”
Stewart Moore at PWC HQ before Ireland headed for Argentina. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
Moore pluralises low, because his return from concussion has been far from straightforward. Back in AIL action with Malone, he picked up a medial collateral ligament injury. That left him sidelined for a further stretch before chasing minutes at the end of the season.
This time, he has progressed through the pre-tournament trial matches, shedding rust and building match fitness as he goes. ‘The position’ he mentions wanting above is the inside centre role that became available with captain David Hawkshaw out injured. Moore is gutted for the Leinster man, but has spent his time on the sidelines wisely, picking over Ireland’s midfield play to make sure that he can hit the ground running on his U20 debut.
“I watched all the games and how Hawkshaw plays. I know the role and exactly what he wants. I watched Angus Curtis the year before as well so I know the style they want to play and I will just do that to the best of my ability.”
“I was obviously jealous (of playing a part in the Grand Slam) but it was great for the lads. I have trained with them and played with them and played against them and just watching them go out there was class. I had no doubts about them against England or France. I knew they were going to do it.”
“With the three months and the concussion as well you can train but you can’t do contact. So you are training away and good fitness-wise and I felt really good coming back into the rugby. A bit nervous obviously because it was my head and contact and stuff but (Ulster skills coach) Dan Soper is there and he is taking injured skills and he is top class. There are boys still keeping their skills up as well as their gym and fitness.”
Moore during his debut against Gloucester. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Injuries aside, and hopefully behind him, the past year has still represented a time of forward progress for Moore even if he has not been on the field anywhere near as much as he would like.
With an academy berth in place, he had to cancel plans to go on holiday in Magaluf last summer and instead slotted in for senior training.
He made his Ulster debut shortly after turning 19 in a pre-season fixture against Gloucester. Senior rugby has been a steep learning curve, but he has enjoyed working through it.
“You have boys like Will Addison, who has been a great help on and off the field. It is big jump but when you are exposed so much to that.
“I did the whole pre-season, which was unexpected, and I enjoyed it. I felt like I had a really good pre-season behind me and I started the pre-season games against Wasps and Gloucester.
“Got injured again so it has probably been the hardest year of rugby in terms of loads and stuff, but it is nice that I’ve been brought back into the seniors and into the mix as soon as I’ve come back from injury.
“It’s been good getting that exposure to players like Stu McCloskey, Luke Marshall — I’ve been training in the ‘injured club’ with Luke for a good bit so it’s good to see him back. It just shows quickly you can go from that to playing in the Champions Cup.”
“I feel, going to the next pre-season, that I do belong there and they are great lads.
“You are training beside Jacob Stockdale, who is possibly the hottest winger in world rugby and you are passing to him and he is passing back, you do feel a sense of belonging.”
Gavan Casey is joined by Murray Kinsella and Sean Farrell for a review of the 2018/19 season, and cast an eye forward to next year and the Rugby World Cup in Japan.:
Source: The42 Rugby Weekly/SoundCloud
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
AMEE LEIGH MURPHY Crowe has the blinkers on. Head up, eyes darting straight ahead focusing on each individual stride as much as the finish line.
Kazan is nobody’s idea of a dream-fulfilling location, but by next Sunday evening it could prove to be just that for Murphy Crowe and Ireland’s Sevens sorority.
Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland
The 24-year-old Tipperary woman finished this year’s World Series as the tournament’s leading try-scorer. Touching down 35 times, edging ahead of New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde and Canada’s Bianca Farella, was a phenomenal feat and made Murphy Crowe the first woman from beyond Australia or New Zealand to finish as top try-scorer.
She is almost as proud of the achievement as her family are of her. Not that anyone connected to the Clanwilliam flyer would allow feet to drift off the ground before tomorrow brings the trek to the European leg of Olympic qualifiers.
“They (her family) are pretty grounded, like I am. They are very proud, but they wouldn’t be throwing a party for me, because they know I wouldn’t want that,” the prolific Murphy Crowe tells The42.
“But my mam is looking for more shelves now in the house.”
“It was huge honour to get. It hasn’t really sunk in because our focus is these two tournaments, and I don’t like to think outside of those boxes.
“I’ll enjoy it in the summer, on our off-season… I’ll probably appreciate it more when I don’t have an Olympic qualifier to focus on. That’s just a huge thing for us to build for.”
The 24-year-old won’t speak about the individual achievements or her nomination into the tournament team of the year without a hefty dose of credit for the work her team-mates put in to set her clear.
It isn’t hard to downplay her gongs. Her humility comes easy and the trait is shared throughout the women’s squad.
Murphy Crowe credits an early experience in athletics with giving her tools and technique to build her speed, but found it tough to square off the individualistic nature of sprinting.
Rugby is a different animal.
“The team environment is much better. There’s 23 girls on our panel and to be doing something like that (qualify for the Olympics) for those girls who have to stay at home, the girls who are injured long-term – it’s a hard thing to accept when you’re injured or not selected – so doing it for them is huge
“We all get along really well. I think it’s because we’re all going for the same goal. We all want to be at the Olympics.
“So we’re all on the same page, the same level and so it’s easy to bond with a team then, knowing everyone’s going to work really hard to achieve what we want to achieve.”
As a junior track athlete, Murphy Crowe was raised in an era when Usain Bolt showed that incredible things can start in rural towns in island nations. So sealing a Tokyo 2020 place by winning the tournament and taking the only berth on offer next weekend would represent a ‘dream come true’ for Murphy Crowe, but also propel Sevens squarely into the limelight of public consciousness.
Not that she needs any more fame according to her youngest sister, eight-year-old Lily Ella.
Source: World Rugby/YouTube
“They’re always YouTubing me,” she says with a laugh, “the younger ones go to the same school and everyone’s always telling them ‘your sister’s famous!’
“And Lily Ella is always embarrassed. She doesn’t get it, the whole World Series rugby and that. She just thinks I come home at the weekend and play with her.”
Home to visit, play and maybe get a few tips on how to celebrate tries.
Murphy Crowe has made a trademark celebration of a clenched-fist elbow drop and credits her sister for its invention. But while watching Ellen White celebrate her disallowed World Cup semi-final goal during England’s loss to the USA in, she found that she dare not claim ownership.
“I says, ‘who’s celebration is better’ and (Lily Ella) goes ‘mine!’ So it’s her celebration.”
Murphy Crowe cherishes those moments outside of what can be an intense elite sport bubble when living with four fellow Sevens stars.
Yett popping out of the bubble isn’t appealing when she can see and feel the benefits manifest in more than just her impressive try-scoring numbers.
“I wasn’t this size or weight when I joined the programme, I’ve put on good size and, with nutrition, I’ve gotten my weight up to a good standard to perform at a World Series level.”
The Olympic motto – faster, higher, stronger – suits her to a tee.
WILL ADDISON’S AHEAD-OF-SCHEDULE return has catapulted the Ulster man back into Joe Schmidt’s World Cup training squad as Ireland’s preparations for Japan continue.
Addison underwent back surgery in April and was originally left out of Schmidt’s 44-man pre-season panel, but linked up with Ireland in Galway during their third week of World Cup preparations.
Addison is back training with Ireland. Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
The 26-year-old, who came into Schmidt’s squad last November to win three Autumn international caps, returned to pre-season training with Ulster at the start of the month and has made good progress in his comeback.
Addison made 11 appearances for Ulster during his debut season at Kingspan Stadium before the back injury, sustained on Ireland duty during the Six Nations, curtailed his involvement as Dan McFarland’s side qualified for the Pro14 semi-finals.
The English-born back came off the bench against Italy in Chicago for his debut cap and then started in Ireland’s midfield against Argentina in Dublin after the late withdrawal of Robbie Henshaw. Addison also started the November win over USA at fullback.
Addison’s call-up provides Schmidt with further options across the backline and certainly, his versatility may be of value when the Ireland head coach is tasked with whittling down his squad in the coming weeks.
After a two-week block in Carton House, Ireland have spent this week training in Galway, culminating with this morning’s open session for supporters at Connacht’s Sportsground.
Schmidt’s squad will then move on to Limerick next week, where they will host another open session at Thomond Park on Friday, before gearing up for the first warm-up game against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on 10 August.
After further warm-up games against England and a home-and-away double-header against Wales, Ireland open their World Cup campaign against Scotland on 22 September.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
INJURY-HIT FORMER CAPTAIN David Pocock was today included in the Wallabies squad to face the All Blacks next week in a major boost for Australia as the World Cup looms.
The acclaimed flanker struggled with a calf injury all season, restricting him to just 138 minutes for the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby and ruling him out of the first two Rugby Championship games.
Pocock also suffered neck and concussion problems, but has recovered sufficiently to make the 36-man squad for the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Perth on 10 August.
Scrum-half Nick Phipps, backrower Jack Dempsey and winger Jack Maddocks were notable omissions, with teenager Jordan Petaia a surprise inclusion.
The exciting 19-year-old outside back was due to make his Test debut against Italy last year but withdrew after suffering a foot injury in training. He missed most of the Super Rugby season, and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said he was happy to see him in contention once again.
“Squad decisions are getting harder and harder to make. So many lads are putting their hands up at training and at club rugby around the country, and each one of them is pushing the other to get better each day,” he said.
“It’s great to see Jordan back. He’s had a few games of club rugby under his belt now so we’ll look to integrate him this week in Perth and give him time to settle in.”
The Wallabies head into the match on the back of a confidence-boosting 16-10 win against Argentina in Brisbane last Saturday, following a disappointing 35-17 loss to South Africa.
“We were pleased to get the win against Argentina and we felt we built on some things from the previous game against South Africa and now we’ll be looking to build on that,” said Cheika.
“There’s strong belief in the group and it’s showing itself in how hard they’re training and how committed they are to doing whatever they need to do to achieve our goals.”
Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Folau Fainga’a, Michael Hooper (capt), Luke Jones, Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Isi Naisarani, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese, Rob Valetini, Liam Wright.
Backs: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tom Banks, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, James O’Connor, Jordan Petaia, Joe Powell, Matt Toomua, Nic White.
