Ireland Summer Tour Squad 2022 – New Zealand 22-32 Ireland

Sarah Mockford

Andy Farrell's side make history with a series win in New Zealand

Ireland Summer Tour Squad 2022

Ireland closed out an epic series win in New Zealand by beating the All Blacks 32-22 in Wellington.

It’s the first time they have achieved back-to-back victories over New Zealand and the result means they go No 1 in the world rankings.

And they did it all in style, too, scoring three tries to lead 22-3 at the break. Josh van der Flier crossed from a maul early on while Hugo Keenan and Robbie Henshaw also finished well-worked tries in the first half.

New Zealand fought back in the second period, tries from Ardie Savea, Akira Ioane and Will Jordan reducing the deficit to three points going into the final quarter.

However, Ireland were clinical from another five-metre lineout, with Rob Herring burrowing over for a try, and they were able to hold out waves of pressure from the hosts in the closing minutes to make yet more history.

Ireland team to play New Zealand – Saturday 16 July

Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Keith Earls.

Maori All Blacks 24-30 Ireland

Jordan Larmour scored two tries as Ireland beat the Maori All Blacks for the first time, 30-24 in Wellington.

After conceding a try within three minutes – scored by Shaun Stevenson – the visitors recovered to lead 17-5 at the break thanks to tries from Larmour and Nick Timoney as well as seven points from the boot of Ciaran Frawley, who kicked another penalty shortly after the break.

Larmour was then sin-binned for a tackle off the ball, which resulted in a penalty try for the Maori. Ireland’s Gavin Coombes and Maori’s Ruben Love crossed within minutes of each other to make it 25-17 as the match headed into the last ten minutes.

Then, with two minutes to go, Larmour went over in the corner to guarantee the win, albeit that Brad Weber got a late consolation try for the hosts.

Ireland team to play Maori All Blacks – Tuesday 12 July

Michael Lowry; Jordan Larmour, Keith Earls (captain), Stuart McCloskey, Jimmy O’Brien; Ciaran Frawley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Tom O’Toole, Joe McCarthy, Kieran Treadwell, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Mack Hansen.

Second Test – New Zealand 12-23 Ireland

An historic win for Ireland in New Zealand means this series will come down to next Saturday’s decider in Wellington.

The Irish won 23-12 in Dunedin – the first time they have beaten the All Blacks on New Zealand soil – to level things up at 1-1.

Andrew Porter scored two tries and Johnny Sexton kicked 13 points in the famous victory.

The All Blacks were reduced to 13 players on a couple of occasions in the first half after Leicester Fainga’anuku and Ofa Tu’ungafasi were sin-binned and Angus Ta’avao was red-carded, but Ireland weren’t able to capitalise on those periods when they had a numerical advantage.

They were reduced in number themselves at the end of the opening half when James Ryan was sin-binned – but Porter grabbed his second try while it was 14 v 14 soon after the break.

That try and Ireland’s ability to dominate possession and territory for long periods allowed them to close out an historic victory. Now both teams head to Wellington for the decider.

Ireland team to play New Zealand – Saturday 9 July

Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Bundee Aki.

First Test – New Zealand 42-19 Ireland

Ireland’s wait for a first win against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil goes on after they lost the opening Test of this series 42-19 at Eden Park.

Andy Farrell’s side started well in Auckland, Keith Earls scoring in the sixth minute to put the visitors ahead, but a blitz of three tries in ten minutes at the end of the first period gave the All Blacks a comfortable 28-5 half-time lead.

Garry Ringrose reduced the deficit with a try at the start of the second half and Bundee Aki scored in the closing minutes, but Ardie Savea completing his double and Pita Gus Sowakula‘s try on debut ensured the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Ireland team to play New Zealand – Saturday 2 July

Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Bundee Aki.

Maori All Blacks 32-17 Ireland

Ireland were beaten by the Maori All Blacks in the opening game of their New Zealand tour in Hamilton.

It was tight early on with Zarn Sullivan and Bundee Aki scoring tries, but the Maori touched down another three times before the break – Shaun Stevenson, Brad Weber and Cullen Grace the scorers – to lead 32-10 at half-time.

The visitors stemmed the flow in the second half and scored another try of their own through Gavin Coombes, but ultimately they could not overcome the half-time deficit, with their ill-discipline a cause for concern.

The departure of experienced loosehead Cian Healy with injury will also be a worry for a side that have already seen lock Iain Henderson ruled out of the tour as Andy Farrell turns his attention to the first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.

Before kick-off there was an emotional tribute to Sean Wainui, who died aged 25 last year.

Ireland captain Aki laid down a No 11 Ireland jersey in honour of the winger and the Maori performed a powerful haka.

Ireland team to play Maori All Blacks – Wednesday 29 June

Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, James Hume, Bundee Aki (captain), Keith Earls; Ciaran Frawley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Dave Heffernan, Tom O’Toole, Joe McCarthy, Kieran Treadwell, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Michael Lowry.

Ireland Summer Tour Squad 2022

Andy Farrell has selected a 40-player squad for Ireland’s summer tour to New Zealand, with Johnny Sexton named as captain.

There is a real mix of experience and youth in the squad. Five players were involved in Ireland’s last tour to New Zealand in 2012 – Keith Earls, Cian Healy, Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Sexton.

There are also a handful of uncapped players – Ciaran Frawley, Jeremy Loughman, Joe McCarthy, Jimmy O’Brien and Cian Prendergast – as well as a dozen players who have won less than ten caps for Ireland. There are six uncapped players in the New Zealand squad for the Ireland series.

Ireland have a busy tour schedule, with three Tests against the All Blacks – in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington – as well as two midweek fixtures against the Maori. Hence the larger squad Farrell has selected.

Ireland beat New Zealand 29-20 in Dublin in November but have never triumphed against the All Blacks on NZ soil.

Farrell, who has added Connacht senior coach Peter Wilkins to his back-room team for the tour, said: “We will learn so much about the players and the group as a whole as we have to front up for five incredibly tough fixtures, far from the comforts of home and in grounds where the home support will greatly outnumber travelling Irish fans.”

The players will have more of a break between the end of the season and the start of the tour than expected after both Leinster and Ulster were knocked out in the United Rugby Championship semi-finals. But Ireland are without Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell and Ronan Kelleher, who have all been ruled out of the tour by injury.

Forwards

Ryan Baird (Leinster, 8 caps)

Finlay Bealham (Connacht, 24 caps)

Tadhg Beirne (Munster, 32 caps)

Ed Byrne (Leinster, 6 caps) Called up as cover at prop

Jack Conan (Leinster, 29 caps)

Gavin Coombes (Munster, 2 caps)

Caelan Doris (Leinster, 19 caps)

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster, 59 caps)

Cian Healy (Leinster, 117 caps)

Dave Heffernan (Connacht, 7 caps)

Iain Henderson (Ulster, 68 caps) Ruled out of the tour with a knee injury

Rob Herring (Ulster, 27 caps)

Jeremy Loughman (Munster, uncapped)

Joe McCarthy (Leinster, uncapped)

Peter O’Mahony (Munster, 86 caps)

Tom O’Toole (Ulster, 3 caps)

Andrew Porter (Leinster, 45 caps)

Cian Prendergast (Connacht, uncapped)

James Ryan (Leinster, 45 caps)

Niall Scannell (Munster, 20 caps) Called up as cover at hooker

Dan Sheehan (Leinster, 9 caps)

Nick Timoney (Ulster, 2 caps)

Kieran Treadwell (Ulster, 7 caps)

Josh van der Flier (Leinster, 42 caps)

Backs

Bundee Aki (Connacht, 39 caps)

Harry Byrne (Leinster, 2 caps)

Joey Carbery (Munster, 34 caps)

Craig Casey (Munster, 5 caps)

Keith Earls (Munster, 97 caps)

Ciaran Frawley (Leinster, uncapped)

Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster, 19 caps)

Mack Hansen (Connacht, 5 caps)

Robbie Henshaw (Leinster, 59 caps)

James Hume (Ulster, 3 caps) Ruled out of the tour with a knee injury, replaced by Stuart McCloskey

Hugo Keenan (Leinster, 22 caps)

Jordan Larmour (Leinster, 30 caps)

James Lowe (Leinster, 14 caps)

Michael Lowry (Ulster, 1 cap)

Conor Murray (Munster, 98 caps)

Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster, uncapped)

Garry Ringrose (Leinster, 44 caps)

Johnny Sexton (Leinster, 107 caps)

Ireland Summer Tour Fixtures 2022

Wed 29 June, Maori All Blacks 32-17 Ireland

Sat 2 July, New Zealand 42-19 Ireland

Sat 9 July, New Zealand 12-23 Ireland

Tue 12 July, Maori All Blacks 24-30 Ireland

Sat 16 July, New Zealand 22-32 Ireland

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