IRELAND TRIO FLY OUT FOR CONNACHT
BUNDEE Aki, Mack Hansen (inset) and Finlay Bealham have flown to South Africa and will feature for Connacht against champions Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
Leinster will have a similar number of internationals in their team for Benetton — who can start an entire Italy Six Nations pack if they wish — at the RDS also on Saturday.
The inclusion of so many Ireland stars at provincial level this early in the season is unprecedented.
But the rousting of three-nailed RWC2023 squad players to fly half-way round the world in the second week of the season has Andy Farrell’s RWC2023 fingerprints all over it.
Ireland and South Africa will meet in the third of their pool games at Stade de France on September 23.
To this end, all opportunities to play South African opposition any time, any place, any competition are, it appears, to be embraced.
“We don’t normally have front-line internationals available at the starts of he season,” agreed Connacht head coach Peter Wilkins, “but we also don’t normally start the season at this stage.
Block
“We’ve got a sevengame block before the November internationals.
“The guys, in terms of having their period of rest and then preseason, wouldn’t have been available for any of the provinces in round one but they are available in round two.”
Wilkins points out Ireland will need players to build game time ahead of the November series which opens with an ‘A’ game against New Zealand and continues against South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
“I imagine those who will be involved in the November campaign will go into international camp somewhere around URC Round Seven.
“So it will be the same for all the provinces this week, they’ve got the guys available that are fit and have completed enough pre-season.
“Those guys have come back fit. They’ve completed their preseason, and they’re ready to go.”
Squad
Four Connacht-based Emerging Ireland players, Caolin Blade, Sam Illo, Cian Prendergast and Dylan Tierney-Martin are also in the squad for Saturday.
Of those travelling, Conor Oliver is ill and Gavin Thornbury has a knee problem and they are both struggling to make the first game.
Skipper Jack Carty has been left out but could be among a group of players flown out next week ahead of the game against Bulls Friday week.
“Jack won’t be available this week,” said Wilkins. “He will continue working in Galway and we will see how he is.”
Leinster, who will be without their significant Emerging Ireland contingent, don’t, as yet, have Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong or Jack Conan back in full training.
But they are expected to have a good number from Cian Healy, Dan Sheahan, Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird, James Ryan and Josh van der Flier in Saturday’s match-day squad.
CONNACHT SQUAD: B
Aki, C Blade, Tm Daly, T Farrell, C Fitzgerald, M Hansen, D Hawkshaw, K Marmion, O McNulty, J Porch, B Ralston: J Aungier, F Bealham, C Booth, P Boyle, D Buckley, J Butler, P Dooley, O Dowling, L Fifita, D Heffernan, S Hurley-Langton, S Illo, J Murphy, N Murray, C Prendergast, G Stewart, D Tierney-Martin.