When and where is it on?
Ireland’s second Rugby World Cup warm-up match is against England on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium, kick-off at 5.30pm. Andy Farrell’s team are playing for places and form heading into the September 8th tournament kick-off in Paris.
How can I watch it?
Ireland v England is live on both RTÉ 2 and Amazon Prime in the UK. Coverage on RTÉ (including RTÉ Player) gets under way at 4.45pm.
Is this Ireland’s last game before the World Cup?
This is the second of three warm-up matches ahead of the Rugby World Cup, with an experimental Irish side already beating Italy 33-7 at the start of the month. Next up is Ireland’s biggest pre-World Cup test, against England, also at the Aviva Stadium. Before the final game of the Nations Series against Samoa in Bayonne on August 26th completes their Rugby World Cup preparations.
The five-try win against Italy was an opportunity for Farrell to take a look at Caelan Doris at openside, and he was superb with seven on his back. Scoring two tries in an action-packed display. Young Leinster secondrow Joe McCarthy was given a chance from the start and he impressed too, Jack Crowley looked the part at 10, while Jack Conan’s injury was the only real downside. Although it’s not serious, according to the Irish coaching staff.
[ Gerry Thornley: Five things we learned from Ireland’s win over ItalyOpens in new window ]
Aren’t the Irish team in Portugal?
Ireland returned from their warm-weather training camp in Portugal at the weekend, where they were put through their paces at The Campus in the Algarve for the previous week. Joined too by their families, Roy Keane, Pádraig Harrington and singer Niall Horan.
What to expect from England?
Ireland’s last meeting with England was as big as it gets really, the Grand Slam on the line on St Patrick’s weekend. This time there’s much less to play for, but plenty of pride. As always against the old enemy.
Andy Farrell, against his native country, is hoping to guide Ireland to a fourth win in a row against England. His son Owen has dominated much of the build up. World Rugby has decided to appeal the controversial decision of an independent disciplinary panel to overturn his red card from Saturday’s win over Wales. They cleared the England captain to play despite his shoulder-led tackle to the head of Taine Basham that was expected to result in a significant ban. The outhalf however has been left out of the match day 23 for the trip to Dublin.
Aside from Wales, the only team England have beaten in 2023 is Italy, as they battle for form ahead of their tournament opener against Argentina. Japan, Samoa and Chile make up their pool.
Scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet will require surgery on an ankle injury sustained in that most recent win over Wales at Twickenham, ruling him out of the World Cup, with Northampton scrumhalf Alex Mitchell called up on Monday.
[ Henry Slade left out of England’s early Rugby World Cup squadOpens in new window ]
To date, Ireland and England have played each other on 140 occasions since their first meeting in 1875. England have won 80 of those matches, Ireland have won 52 and there’s been eight draws. Win number 53 and no fresh injuries would be the dream prep, but the win is certainly not to be taken for granted. A physical English side were well in the contest against Ireland back in March before a controversial red card was shown to Freddie Steward.
How important are the warm-up games?
Ireland’s final World Cup squad of 33 players will be confirmed on Monday, August 28th, two days after the Samoa match.
The Irish management released five players from the original training squad this week – Caolin Blade, Gavin Coombes, Calvin Nash, Jamie Osborne and Kieran Treadwell – but with Munster prop Jeremy Loughman called up there are now 38 players training in the squad. All playing for places with five more to be cut.
Is Johnny Sexton back?
This was set to be the Irish captain’s Aviva Stadium send off, with the 37-year-old drawing the curtain on his glittering career after the Rugby World Cup in France in September. But last month an independent disciplinary committee handed him a three-match suspension.
[ Johnny Sexton focused on business world after retirementOpens in new window ]
That came following a hearing into his post-match conduct after Leinster’s Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle. Meaning his most recent competitive game, and what has turned out to be his last match in Dublin, was Ireland’s Grand Slam sealing Six Nations win over England in March. An injury sustained there also ruled him out of the business end of Leinster’s season. Robbie Henshaw, however, has no concerns of his outhalf being undercooked for the start of the World Cup campaign.
Sexton did get some contact-minutes in during a training match against Portugal during the team’s recent camp.
Team news
Andy Farrell has recalled 11 of the starting players who defeated England in the Six Nations, the most notable exception being at number eight, where Cian Prendergast starts with Doris held in reserve off the bench.
Ross Byrne starts at outhalf, with Munster prop Jeremy Loughman among the replacements after recently joining the squad.
Jack Conan did not travel to Portugal with the rest of the squad following a foot injury picked up against Italy. The Irish camp have been playing the seriousness of the injury down, without providing an anticipated update ahead of the England game.
[ Ireland camp remaining coy about Jack Conan’s injury progressOpens in new window ]
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Ross Byrne (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), James Ryan (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht).
Replacements: Rob Herring (Ulster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster).
ENGLAND: Freddie Steward; Anthony Watson, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart; Maro Itoje, David Ribbans; Courtney Lawes (Capt), Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Jack Willis, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Ollie Lawrence.
Weather?
Met Éireann’s forecast for the Aviva on Saturday afternoon is partly cloudy with some rain showers earlier in the day, temperatures falling from 20 degrees and a wind speed of 10km/h.
Who’s on the whistle?
Saturday’s game will be refereed by New Zealander Paul Williams. He refereed Ireland’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship final defeat to England in 2016, and took charge of his first senior international Test match the following year. At the 2022 Rugby Championship he was on the receiving end of some toxic abuse on social media and traditional media in South Africa, following their loss to Australia.
[ Matt Williams: Nic White’s dive does not justify horrific online abuseOpens in new window ]
Any tickets?
Tickets for the Ireland v England went on general sale on Monday, with prices ranging from €35 (restricted category 4) to €135 (premium). Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster.ie.
