WHILE THE IRISH provinces got their Guinness Pro12 seasons underway over the weekend, there were many Irishmen also involved in the professional English and French leagues.
Here, we round-up the exiles’ contributions over the past few days.
Aviva Premiership
Ireland international Marty Moore made his Premiership debut off the bench as Wasps started the season with a 25-20 win over Exeter yesterday, the victory coming thanks in part to inside centre Jimmy Gopperth’s excellent try and 10 points off the tee.
Tighthead Moore played the closing quarter of the game after replacing Philip Swainston.
Former Ulster back Ian Whitten started on the left wing for the Chiefs, but lasted 10 minutes before being taken off injured, while Gareth Steenson got only seven minutes off the bench after Henry Slade started at out-half.
Ex-Ireland U20 hooker George McGuigan came off the bench for his Leicester debut in their impressive 38-31 win away to Gloucester on Friday. 23-year-old McGuigan played for the England Saxons in June, but is not yet tied to England permanently.
Loosehead prop Paddy McAllister, once of Ulster, played the closing 30 minutes of the game off the bench for David Humphreys‘ Gloucester.
Elsewhere, USA international and Dublin native AJ MacGinty started at out-half and kicked a penalty for Sale in their 19-17 defeat away to Newcastle, although he was replaced at half-time due to a hamstring tweak.
Mark McCall‘s Saracens made an imposing start to their title defence on Saturday with a bonus-point 35-3 victory over a Worcester team that included former Ireland U20 hooker Niall Annett and ex-Leinster centre Ben Te’o.
Former Ireland U20 lock Joe Joyce completed 24 minutes as a replacement for Bristol as they began life back in the Premiership with a 21-19 defeat away to Northampton Saints.
Northampton’s JJ Hanrahan missed the game due to his current ankle injury.
Top 14
Ian Madigan was in the 10 shirt for Bordeaux yesterday, kicking four penalties and a drop-goal as the club slipped to a 32-15 defeat at home to Jake White’s Montpellier.
The result leaves UBB 13th in the league after two losses in their opening three games.
Yesterday’s other Top 14 game saw Racing 92 beat Toulouse 28-14 at home to rise to third, with Ronan O’Gara watching on as part of the coaching staff. James Hart was not involved for Racing.
Number eight James Coughlan scored a try from the back of a dominant scrum in Pau’s 25-9 win over Bayonne on Saturday, with Paddy Butler featuring off the bench after starting the first two games of the season.
Meanwhile, Ulsterman Chris Farrell was in the 13 shirt for Grenoble again as they lost 32-13 away to Lyon.
Ex-Connacht lock Aly Muldowney was also in the starting XV, while loosehead Denis Coulson made his first appearance of the season off the bench but was yellow carded for a tackle off the ball.
The result means Bernard Jackman‘s side have started the season with three defeats.
Guinness Pro12
Ian McKinley made a well-received comeback to the RDS as he was used as a replacement at out-half by Treviso in their 20-8 defeat to Leinster on Friday evening.
Saturday saw former Ulster and Ireland U20 wing Rory Scholes make his Edinburgh debut, completing 80 minutes on the wing in a 34-16 defeat away to the Cardiff Blues.
Ex-Leinster lock Tadhg Beirne was another to make a first competitive appearance for his new club, with the Kildare man playing the closing quarter for the Scarlets in a 23-13 loss against Munster.
Greene King IPA Championship
London Irish enjoyed a winning start to their bid to return to the Premiership at the first time of asking, with ex-Ireland international Tom Court and lock Jerry Sexton, younger brother of Johnny, both featuring off the bench in a 19-0 win over Doncaster.
Ulsterman Michael Heaney started at scrum-half for Doncaster, last season’s beaten finalists, while ex-Munster man Declan Cusack was at out-half. Former Connacht lock Dave Nolan made his league debut for the Knights in the second row.
There was a promising start for the new Irish contingent at Nottingham yesterday, as Ian Costello‘s side beat London Scottish 25-22 thanks to a late penalty.
Shane Buckley impressed at number eight, Gearoid Lyons started at inside centre and Jordan Coghlan came off the bench to make an impact in the back row.
Former Stade Français man Peter Lydon was at out-half for the defeated London Scottish, kicking four penalties and a conversion, while back row Danny Kenny - who once spent a pre-season with Munster – came off the bench.
George Cullen, who played for Ireland at U18 level, was another replacement for the Exiles.
Cork man Willie Ryan, another who has spent a pre-season with Munster in the past, started in the back row for Ealing Trailfinders in a 30-13 defeat at home to Yorkshire Carnegie.
Elsewhere, former Ulsterman Ross Adair [on the wing] and one-time Leinster prop Sean McCarthy [off the bench] were both involved as Jersey Reds recorded a 41-16 win away to Championship newcomers Richmond.
Pro D2
Ex-Ulster wing Conor Gaston started again as Jeremy Davidson‘s Aurillac racked up a bonus-point 42-13 win against Perpignan on Thursday evening, with former Munster man Lifeimi Mafi wearing USAP’s 10 shirt for the second weekend in a row.
Dave Ryan was on the Agen bench yesterday for their 36-20 victory against Albi.
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