THE FRENCH AND English rugby leagues continued apace over the weekend, with plenty of Irish involvement.
Here, we round-up the exiles’ contributions over the past few days.
Aviva Premiership
Wasps made it two wins from two games with an impressive 34-22 success away to Leicester on Saturday, as Ireland international Marty Moore made his first start at tighthead prop.
The 25-year-old delivered a good performance, enjoying some powerful moments in his scrum tussle with Marcos Ayerza, winning a breakdown turnover penalty and clearing out well in attack. He did also concede one penalty at the breakdown.
Ex-Ireland U20 hooker George McGuigan featured off the Tigers’ bench for the second consecutive weekend. Meanwhile, promising Irish tighthead Ben Betts is on the Leicester ‘A’ bench for their meeting with Wasps this evening [KO 7.30pm].
Mark McCall‘s Saracens were excellent away from home yesterday, with a bonus-point 34-13 victory over Exeter Chiefs sending them to the top of the Premiership.
Irish lock Mark Flanagan is in the second row for the Saracens Storm in their A League meeting with Gloucester this evening.
Ulsterman Ian Whitten started on the left wing for Exeter in yesterday’s home defeat to Sarries, with out-half Gareth Steenson coming off the bench after Henry Slade was named in the 10 shirt again.
Cork man Paddy Ryan made his first appearance of the season off Newcastle’s bench as they suffered a 58-5 defeat to Bath. The 26-year-old tighthead will hope for further opportunities in the coming weeks, having made six appearances last season.
Ireland U20 international Brett Connon was on the bench for the Falcons’ ‘A’ team in a 38-14 win against Northampton today.
AJ MacGinty was forced to withdraw from Sale’s 19-10 win over Harlequins on Friday night at a late stage, having been injured the previous weekend in their defeat to Newcastle. Ex-Ireland U20s back Charlie Ingall starts at 15 this evening for the Sharks ‘A’ side.
Meanwhile, former Connacht back row George Naoupu will start for Harlequins ‘A’ against Bristol, while ex-Ireland U18 international scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone is on the bench.
On the Bristol bench for that clash are ex-Leinster loosehead Jack O’Connell and former Ireland U20 lock Joe Joyce.
Returning to the weekend’s Premiership action, Niall Annett and Donncha O’Callaghan both started Worcester’s home 23-23 draw against David Humphreys‘ Gloucester. Former Leinster centre Ben Te’o scored a try for the Warriors.
Top 14
Ireland international Ian Madigan kicked four penalties and two conversions as Bordeaux got back to winning ways with a 40-20 success at home against Bayonne.
Madigan, who has made three starts in the 10 shirt so far and kicked 52 points, made way for former France international Lionel Beauxis with 12 minutes remaining as UBB moved up to seventh in the league.
Chris Farrell was at outside centre in Grenoble’s 36-23 win over Brive yesterday, the first win of the season for Bernard Jackman‘s side.
Former Ireland U20 international Denis Coulson made an appearance at loosehead off the bench, while Aly Muldowney‘s excellent performance earned him a place in Midi Olympique’s team of the weekend.
Scrum-half James Hart came off the bench in Racing 92′s 47-10 defeat to Clermont on the road. Defence coach Ronan O’Gara will have been disappointed to see his men give up six tries to Franck Azéma’s side.
Elsewhere, Pau suffered a 41-13 defeat away to Montpellier, as Sean Dougall made his first start of the season in the competitive back row. Paddy Butler, who has already started two games, came off the bench in the second half.
Guinness Pro12
Ex-Ulster wing Michael Allen scored his second try for Edinburgh as he made a first start of the season in the Scots’ 20-9 win at home against the Scarlets on Friday night.
Having earned his Scarlets debut on the opening weekend of the Pro12, ex-Leinster lock Tadgh Beirne played the closing 10 minutes of the Welsh region’s defeat.
On Saturday, former Ireland U20 international Ian McKinley made his second appearance of the campaign off Treviso’s bench as the Italians were beaten 22-11 at home by Ulster.
Greene King IPA Championship
Second row Jerry Sexton played a large part of the second half as London Irish’s bonus-point 36-12 win over Richmond kept them at the top of the Championship.
Former Ireland U19 international out-half Sean O’Hagan scored a try and conversion on his Richmond debut. O’Hagan is a product of the Exiles system and featured on the same Ireland U19 team as the likes of Garry Ringrose and Billy Dardis.
Jersey Reds are second in the English second-tier competition following their 14-9 victory over a Bedford Blues team that included ex-Leinster and Lansdowne centre Tom Farrell, making his debut in the 13 shirt.
Ulsterman Ross Adair started on the left wing for Jersey again, while former Leinster prop Sean McCarthy came off the bench.
Ian Costello‘s Nottingham went down to a narrow 26-24 defeat away to third-placed Yorkshire Carnegie, but did manage to pick up two bonus points for their efforts.
Ex-Munster and Leinster back row Jordan Coghlan made his first start at openside, while Shane Buckley was at number eight again.
Cork man Willie Ryan bagged a try for Ealing Trailfinders in a 31-31 draw with the Cornish Pirates yesterday, having started in the back row for the second weekend.
London Scottish suffered their second defeat of the season on Saturday, going down 36-9 in the derby clash with London Welsh.
Peter Lydon was in the 10 shirt for Scottish, kicking three penalties, while Danny Kenny started at number eight. Former Ireland U18 out-half George Cullen was included on the bench.
Meanwhile, Doncaster bounced back from an opening-day defeat to beat Rotherham 25-13, with Ulster man Michael Heaney and ex-Munster out-half Declan Cusack in the starting XV.
Lock Dave Nolan, formerly of Connacht, played off the bench as scrum-half Heaney scored a first-half try.
Pro D2
Jeremy Davidson‘s Aurillac won again to move to the top of France’s second division, with a 20-12 victory over Montauban yesterday doing the trick.
Former Ulster and London Irish wing Conor Gaston scored a try and earned himself a place in Midi Olympique’s Pro D2 team of the season.
On Thursday evening, ex-Leinster centre Eamonn Sheridan made his first appearance of the season off Oyonnax’s bench in a disappointing 21-19 defeat at home to Colomiers.
Saturday saw Dave Ryan, once of Munster, feature off the Agen bench in their 19-19 draw away to Vannes.
- This article was updated at 18.35 to correct George Naoupu’s first name, while Mick McGrath’s start on the wing for Leicester ‘A’ was also added.
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