Friday 09 May 2008
Hill set to bow out

A sizeable crowd is expected for England World Cup winner Richard Hill’s final game before retirement as Saracens take on Bristol at Milton Keynes.

Hill, capped 71 times, makes his 288th Saracens appearance, while the club’s director of rugby Alan Gaffney also bows out, handing the reins to Australian Eddie Jones next term.

Gaffney said: “Richard is a player I have long admired from a distance, and I consider it a privilege that I have been able to work with such a great over the past two seasons.

“I can’t speak highly enough of him as a player and a person, and he deserves all the plaudits he receives after what has been a fantastic career for Saracens, England and the Lions.

“As a group, we want to make sure we end on a high note for him and put in a performance that we can all be proud of to give him the send-off he deserves.”

Saracens have reached four semi-finals under Gaffney’s direction, and he added: “I would like to think that is not a bad return.

“We have come a long way in that time, but there is still a lot of work to do in terms of our consistency.

“I’ve really enjoyed my spell at the club and a pleasing aspect is that we have developed our own style of play and it’s something the players enjoy.”

Friday 09 May 2008
Trimble out for Ireland

Andrew Trimble has joined Gordon D'Arcy among the absentees for Ireland's summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Ulster centre Trimble requires rehabilitation on a leg injury and will miss the Tests against the All Blacks and Wallabies on June 7 and 14.

D'Arcy was ruled out of the tour earlier in the week after undergoing further surgery on the broken arm sustained during the Six Nations.

The loss of Trimble and D'Arcy has left Ireland short on options in midfield with captain Brian O'Driscoll the only recognised centre.

Munster's Ian Dowling has been called up to plug the gap left by Trimble while Leinster rookie Luke Fitzgerald is also included in the final 30.

Interim Ireland coach Michael Bradley, who is overseeing the tour, has named a 37-strong squad for the clash with the Barbarians on May 27.

This will be reduced to a final party of 30 that will head Down Under, with the omitted seven players linking up with the 'A' squad for the Churchill Cup.

Munster's European Cup final against Toulouse means their players will not be involved against the Barbarians but will join up with the touring party after the Kingsholm tune-up.

Bradley has opted against taking London Irish skipper Bob Casey to New Zealand, instead retaining Leinster veteran Malcolm O'Kelly with Alan Quinlan offering second row cover.

Bradley said: "New Zealand is a undoubtedly one of the most challenging places to tour and to win Test matches.

"After that we have a game against an Australian side that will have the fresh input of a new coach and are always among the top sides in the world.

"We are travelling on the tour with a strong squad conscious of the fact that IRB world ranking points are available and that is what we are playing for."

Ireland squad to face the Barbarians and for the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia:

Forwards: N Best (Ulster)*, R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), T Court (Ulster)*, B Casey (London Irish)*, R Caldwell (Ulster)*, S Ferris (Ulster)*, J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster), M Horan (Munster), B Jackman (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), M O’Driscoll (Munster), M O’Kelly (Leinster), A Quinlan (Munster), M Ross (Harlequins)*, D Wallace (Munster), B Young (Ulster).

Backs: T Bowe (Ulster), I Boss (Ulster), I Dowling (Munster), G Dempsey (Leinster), G Duffy (Connacht), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), R Kearney (Leinster), G Murphy (Leicester), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, captain), R O’Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Wasps), J Sexton (Leinster)*, P Stringer (Munster), P Wallace (Ulster).

*Players for Barbarians match squad but will not be travelling to New Zealand and Australia.

Friday 09 May 2008
Newby looking to end on high

The Highlanders will be keen to give skipper Craig Newby the perfect Carisbrook send-off when they take on his former franchise the Blues on Saturday night.

Newby announced on Thursday he had signed for Leicester and Saturday night’s Super 14 match will be the loose forward’s last appearance at Carisbrook for the Highlanders who he joined from the Blues in 2002.

The Highlanders have endured a tough 2008 season but avoided the wooden spoon with last weekend’s 31-28 win against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein – only their second win of the campaign.

The seventh-placed Blues however, are still in with a slim chance of making the semi-finals provided they win on Saturday night, beat the Hurricanes next weekend and have other results go their way.

But they have a poor record at Carisbrook having lost four of their past five visits to Dunedin, including a 25-13 defeat in 2006.

In their favour however, is the fact the Highlanders have travelled back from South Africa.

Highlanders coach Glenn Moore has turned to his number one halfback Jimmy Cowan for the match which will see the two teams battle it out for the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy.

Hunter coached both franchises and the trophy was introduced in 2002 to be contested by the two sides annually. The Blues hold it after winning 28-9 in Auckland last year.

Moore has also opted for Alando Soakai at openside flanker instead of Tim Boys, while injury has forced out wing Matt Saunders (leg) and Brett Mather (head knock).

They are replaced by Glen Horton and Aaron Bancroft respectively.

The Blues arrive in Dunedin on the back of a somewhat scratchy win against the Queensland Reds last week. Coach David Nucifora has decided to continue with Isa Nacewa at fly-half and Nick Evans at full-back despite coming in for criticism.

But he has dropped inside centre Isaia Toeava and brought in Benson Stanley, much to many people’s surprise.
 
Highlanders: Paul Williams; Glen Horton, Aaron Bancroft, Johnny Leota, Fetu’u Vainikolo; Mike Delany, Jimmy Cowan; Jamie Mackintosh, Jason MacDonald, Clint Newland, Hoani MacDonald, Tom Donnelly, Adam Thomson, Craig Newby.

Reserves: David Hall, Chris King, Isaac Ross, Steven Setephano, Toby Morland, Daniel Bowden, Niva Ta’auso.

Blues: Nick Evans; David Smith, Anthony Tuitavake, Benson Stanley, Rudi Wulf; Isa Nacewa, Taniela Moa; Tony Woodcock/Nick White, Keven Mealamu, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Troy Flavell/Kurtis Haiu, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Nick Williams.

Reserves: White/Tom McCartney, Bronson Murray, Haiu/Bryn Evans, Justin Collins, Danny Lee, Isaia Toeava, Ben Atiga.