How’s everyone? Gavan Casey with you here and I’ll be bringing you live updates from Ireland’s final World Cup warm-up game against Samoa at the Parc des Sports Jean Dauger, Bayonne.
Team news — with one change to Ireland’s named XV — is on its way!
Keith Earls has been ruled out with what Ireland say is a ‘minor niggle’, and so Jacob Stockdale starts on the left wing.
Ireland’s bench remains unchanged.
Ireland:
- 15. Jimmy O’Brien
- 14. Mack Hansen
- 13. Robbie Henshaw
- 12. Stuart McCloskey
- 11. Jacob Stockdale
- 10. Jack Crowley
- 9. Conor Murray
- 1. Cian Healy
- 2. Tom Stewart
- 3. Finlay Bealham
- 4. Iain Henderson (captain)
- 5. Tadhg Beirne
- 6. Ryan Baird
- 7. Josh van der Flier
- 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
- 16. Rob Herring
- 17. Jeremy Loughman
- 18. Tom O’Toole
- 19. James Ryan
- 20. Peter O’Mahony
- 21. Craig Casey
- 22. Ross Byrne
- 23. Garry Ringrose
Former All Blacks out-half Lima Sopoaga gets his test debut for the Samoans.
Incidentally, Leinster attack coach Andrew Goodman and one of their analysts, Brian Colclough, are both working with Samoa for this World Cup!
Murray is on hand for an on-the-whistle report, while Ciarán Kennedy will follow up with an analysis piece. There’ll be plenty of reaction, too, on The 42 later tonight.
It’s been raining for the last while at Stade Jean Dauger. Will be a slippery ball. pic.twitter.com/AgInvkqgwm
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) August 26, 2023
‘Tell them to go easy, mate, yeah?
Andy Farrell in conversation with Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua.
It’s a 14,000-sellout in Bayonne this evening, where Ireland will wear their white away kit.
Anthems about to get underway. Kick-off in just over five minutes. Catch you then!
Barnesy sounds his whistle and Jack Crowley gets us underway in Bayonne!
2′ – IRL 0-0 SAM:Ireland rock solid in the first scrum; Samoa’s pack is incidentally about 20kg heavier.
Greasy ball, let’s hope for minimal handling errors and no nasty slips!
4′ – IRL 0-0 SAM: Samoan right wing Ed Fidow calls a mark but skews his clearance, doesn’t even make it out of his own 22′.
Good entry point for Ireland but Iain Henderson can’t hang onto Tom Stewart’s perfect throw. Conditions a factor, there.
Samoa eventually win a penalty on the ground, and Lima Sopoaga boots them into the Irish half.
7′ – IRL 0-0 SAM: Samoa’s first opportunity comes from a good platform in the scrum, inside Ireland’s 22′.
They go wide right in rapid fahsion and Fidow fends off Jimmy O’Brien before Conor Murray and Stuart McCloskey bundle the wing into touch.
9′ – IRL 7-0 SAM: SUBLIME SCORE! It’s Jimmy O’Brien who scores!
It all began with a monstrous carry by Caelan Doris — and then, it was about the artistry of Jack Crowley.
A beautiful crossfield kick from midfield out right to Mack Hansen takes two Samoan defenders out of the game, and Hansen cuts infield before popping inside to O’Brien for the score.
Crowley slots the extras from wide right.
Lovely stuff.
20′ – IRL 7-0 SAM: Sloppy period of penalties and forward passes, most of them perpetrated by Ireland. Stagnant enough period of possession for Samoa in their own half. Not a great deal to write home about aside from the try so far.
21′ – IRL 7-0 SAM: Gutting. Cian Healy has gone off with what looks like a pretty significant calf injury. His reaction — which includes a few choice words aimed at the sky — tells its own story.
That’s Healy’s World Cup in serious jeopardy, now. Ah, what an absolute balls that is. Sickened for him.
30′ – IRL 7-0 SAM: Any attack from either side is inevitably ending in a spillage.
The weather is atrocious and, through no fault of Ireland or Samoa, this is a tough watch.
If you’re out and about, enjoying your life, I’m really happy for you. Honestly.
34′ – IRL 7-0 SAM: Ryan Baird makes a huge rip in the Samoan 22′ and Ireland win a penalty. Crowley — who’s been one of Ireland’s few standout players so far — pokes it into touch.
Ireland’s lineout, however, is malfunctioning again. They’ve lost a second one. Paul O’Connell will be snapping.
35′ – IRL 7-7 SAM: Well, that was quite something!
A complete breakaway score by the Samoans, as Stuart McCloskey’s pass in a two-man Irish overlap hits the onrushing Duncan Paia’aua in the face, and the fullback is able to pounce on the loose ball and take it to the house from 80 yards.
Great spot by Wayne Barnes to identify that it hit Paia’aua in the face and not award Ireland for a knock-on.
Sopoaga slots the conversion and we’re level in Bayonne, two minutes from half-time.
40′ – IRL 7-10 SAM: Ireland’s scrum has been under serious pressure since Healy’s withdrawal and it cracks on the stroke of half-time. Penalty Samoa, and Sopoaga knocks over the three.
Samoa lead at the break!
This has been… bad by Ireland.
And Cian Healy’s World Cup is also in serious doubt.
Eugh. Catch you in 15.
41′ – IRL 7-10 SAM: Back underway in the second half — and it’s a big second half for Ireland after a really poor opening 40.
Samoa smell blood and a famous win — just as Fiji did against England earlier. Ireland need to steady the ship, here.
45′ – IRL 7-13 SAM: Samoa have Ireland under all kinds of pressure on their own 5′.
Ireland are pinged for not rolling away.
Poor start to the second half by Andy Farrell’s side, and Samoa might have stretched their lead to two scores, there, were it not for some resolute defence.
Instead, Sopoaga chips over from close range. 13-7 to the Pacific Islanders.
51′ – IRL 12-13 SAM: Lovely — and vital — Irish score.
It’s Conor Murray who gets it, and it was Conor Murray who started it. The scrum-half goes spins blind off a maul and sets Jacob Stockdale away. The Ulster wing, channeling his inner 2018, chips beautifully down the left wing and it’s Murray who dives on the ball as it crosses the try line!
That’s better.
Crowley’s conversion from wide left skews off his boot and drifts wide, so Samoa retain a lead.
59′ – IRL 12-13 SAM: Robbie Henshaw was having trouble with his right leg but seems fine for the moment.
James Ryan and Peter O’Mahony are on for Iain Henderson and Ryan Baird respectively.
62′ – IRL 12-13 SAM: Ireland win a penalty at the scrum — what a battle that’s been, by the way — and Ross Byrne bangs them deep into the Samoan 22′.
The lineout, which is functioning properly, goes off without a hitch — and here comes the maul — and OVER GOES ROB HERRING!
64′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Herring, who’s been brilliant since his introduction, provides the finishing touch to a refreshingly simple lineout-maul try.
Ireland lead — but Crowley’s conversion is half blocked down!
67′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Another big penalty kick to touch by Byrne — and Ireland have another chance at the maul. ON IT GOES! And it’s just stopped a yard short of the Samoan line.
Penalty advantage to Ireland as they knock on the door, here. Big chance.
68′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Samoa defend their line well and Barnes sounds his whistle for the Irish penalty.
Byrne pops it into the corner.
69′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Samoa again sack the maul, great defence by them. James Ryan has a pop at the line! But he’s held up…
Goal-line drop-out for Samoa. Missed chance by Ireland to put this beyond the men in blue.
76′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: It’s all Ireland, now, albeit without the clinching score.
The introductions of vets like Herring, Ryan and O’Mahony have settled them.
I forgot to mention, as well, that Ross Byrne came on for Jimmy O’Brien — not Jack Crowley. The Munster out-half is gone to fullback.
77′ – IRL 17-13 SAM:Samoa win back-to-back penalties and have a big chance, deep in Irish territory!
Aaaand Sopoaga kicks a penalty dead from inside the Irish 22′. Goodness, gracious me. It’s been that kind of a night. That’s sickening for Samoa.
79′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Back come Samoa and Ireland are pinged again in their 22′! Sopoaga makes no mistake this time, drilling it to the Irish 5′.
Big, big chance for Samoa to claim a famous win here…
79′ – IRL 17-13 SAM: Here we go!
In comes the lineout and IT’S A HUGE STEAL BY JAMES RYAN!
Ireland gambled, challenged Samoa in the air on their own 5′, and they’ve pretty much sealed the deal.
Ireland, eh, survive and claim a 13th straight victory.
Keep an eye on The 42 for reaction and analysis tonight and over the weekend!
Thanks for joining us for this one. Catch you soon.
