These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, November 10.
Carter gets chance
Wales coach Wayne Pivac says the absence of Alun Wyn Jones against Argentina gives Ben Carter the opportunity to lay down a marker with the World Cup firmly in mind.
Pivac named a 23-man squad to face the Pumas on Thursday lunchtime, with veteran star Jones left out of the matchday squad and Carter named among the replacements.
“It’s an opportunity for us before the Six Nations and then it’s into the World Cup," Pivac said, explaining the reasoning behind Jones' absence.
"It’s really the last opportunity to give guys like Ben Carter and guys who have been on the fringes for a while more opportunity. If they are called upon in the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup they need to be exposed to this sort of Test match and we think now is the time to give Ben another opportunity.”
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Jones rings the changes
England coach Eddie Jones has rung the changes in the wake of the home defeat to Argentina as he selects his side to take on Japan at Twickenham this Saturday.
Northampton’s South Africa born-and-raised second row David Ribbans makes his Test debut, while No 8 Sam Simmonds and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet also come into the side.
Manu Tuilagi drops to the bench, with Leicester’s Guy Porter getting the nod at outside centre, while Jonny May replaces Joe Cokanasiga on the wing, only 22 days after dislocating an elbow on club duty with Gloucester.
In addition to the five changes to the starting line-up, 69-cap hooker Jamie George has recovered from the foot injury which was expected to rule him out of the autumn campaign and is included on the bench.
England: Freddie Steward (Leicester, 14 caps); Jack Nowell (Exeter, 43 caps), Guy Porter (Leicester, 2 caps), Owen Farrell (capt, Saracens, 98 caps), Jonny May (Gloucester, 69 caps); Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 14 caps), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester, 4 caps); Ellis Genge (Bristol, 40 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter, 38 caps), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol, 53 caps), David Ribbans (Northampton, uncapped), Jonny Hill (Sale, 16 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 59 caps), Tom Curry (Sale, 42 caps), Sam Simmonds (Exeter, 15 caps).
Replacements: Jamie George (Saracens, 69 caps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 71 caps), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 1 cap), Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 65 caps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 118 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 49 caps), Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 47 caps).
Japan: Yamanaka; Matsushima, Riley, Nakamura, Van den Heever; Yamasawa, Nagare; Inagaki, Sakate (c), Gu, Dearns, Cornelsen, Leith, Himeno, Tatafu.
Replacements: Norikoshi, Millar, Kizu, Van der Walt, Labuschagne, Saito, Lee, Fifita.
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Ireland make nine changes
There are even more changes from Ireland - nine in all - for Saturday’s game against Fiji as they rotate their squad following the 19-16 victory over South Africa.
The versatile Joey Carbery wears the No 10 jersey, while Leinster full-back Jimmy O’Brien makes a first start and there’s a debut for Munster prop Jeremy Loughman in the front row.
Centre Stuart McCloskey has recovered from the arm injury which forced his early departure against the Springboks and he will line up alongside the fit-again Robbie Henshaw in midfield,
Lions tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong captains Ireland for the first time on his 62nd cap, while back-row Cian Prendergast and fly-half Jack Crowley are in line to make their debuts off the bench.
Regular captain Johnny Sexton picked up a dead leg in the second half of the South Africa game. He played on, but has been given an extra week to recover ahead of the meeting with Australia on November 19, so it’s over to Carbery at fly-half.
Ireland: Jimmy O’Brien; Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong (capt); Kieran Treadwell, Tadhg Beirne; Caelan Doris, Nick Timoney, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Cian Prendergast, Max Deegan, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose.
Muster sell-out crowd
It will be a big night at Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh this evening with a 41,400 sell-out crowd set to watch Munster take on a South Africa Select XV.
This will be the first ever rugby match staged at the ground which is the home of Gaelic football and hurling in Cork and has also hosted concerts by the likes of Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, U2, Oasis, Elton John and Ed Sheeran over the years.
Back row Jack O’Donoghue captains Munster for this historic fixture, with a number of Springboks in the visiting ranks.
Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Roman Salanoa; Edwin Edogbo, Kiran McDonald; Jack O’Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Liam O’Connor, Keynan Knox, Cian Hurley, Alex Kendellen, Neil Cronin, Patrick Campbell, Malakai Fekitoa.
South Africa XV: Aphelele Fassi (Sharks); Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Lions), Cornal Hendricks (Bulls), Leolin Zas (Stormers); Johan Goosen (Bulls), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers); Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Joseph Dweba (Stormers), Thomas du Toit (capt) (Sharks); Jason Jenkins (Leinster); Ruan Nortje (Bulls); Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks).
Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Simphiwe Matanzima (Bulls), Sazi Sandi (Stormers), Dan du Preez (Sale Sharks), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks), Grant Williams (Sharks), Sanele Nohamba (Lions), Gianni Lombard (Lions)
300 up for Rees
Llandovery scrum-half Lee Rees reaches a notable landmark this evening when he makes his 300th appearance for the club in their Welsh Premiership game away to Llanelli.
Known through the game as Scrappy, the 31-year-old Rees was with the Scarlets for a spell and has also represented Wales at U20s and Sevens level. But it’s for the Drovers he’s played the bulk of his rugby, proving a great servant since making his debut for the club in the autumn of 2008 as a 17-year-old.
Among those to wish him well on his big day have been World Cup final referee Nigel Owens, who tweeted: “A very big congratulations. It was always a pleasure.”
READ MORE:
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Wayne Pivac Q&A: We need to be ready for what's coming and my conversation with Alun Wyn Jones
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Wales v Argentina team news as Wayne Pivac makes three changes after All Blacks defeat
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The verdict on Wales team to play Argentina as Wayne Pivac takes major gambles
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Win one of four pairs of tickets to see Wales play Georgia courtesy of Dove Men+Care
