Ireland’s post derby match on November 23 at the Aviva Stadium is for the All Blacks fixture

Leinster defeated Munster and Ulster defeated Connacht in Irish Rugby’s first round of derby matches for the 2024–25 URC. Leinster came out firing in front of a record-breaking 83,000 spectators at Croke Park, crushing Munster in the first twenty minutes to win 26–12. Though they gave it their all to cut the gap, the Munster men were never in a realistic position to win the game.

In Belfast, the game was deadlocked going into the last ten minutes until second row Josh Murphy’s crazy move, which involved hitting an Ulster player off the ball, gave the home team the advantage and a much-needed 32–27 bonus point victory.

As usual this early in the season, Irish Rugby’s injury log is getting very long, with many starting players already ruled out of the November Internationals.

This and form are taken into consideration when selecting the Irish 23 and squad that Andy Farrell may choose for his farewell tour before joining the British and Irish Lions.

Porter continues to be the best loosehead in Irish rugby, despite his concerning and persistent problems during scrum time, which, according to far more knowledgeable people than us, are caused by Leinster’s aggressive scrum tactics.  A very encouraging development is Munster’s Jeremy Loughman, who has performed admirably in the URC’s initial stages and seems to be a strong substitute for Porter in some games or as a reserve player.

Farrell could decide to take the less drastic route of giving the highly skilled Leinster hooker a go, especially in light of the injuries sustained by the presumptive top three picks, Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, and Tom Stewart. With his background as a former Ireland U20 captain and his undeniable physical prowess, the 21-year-old is primed for the big time.

Since replacing Peter O’Mahony as captain of Munster, the player is perhaps the finest turnover trader in professional sports. He has set an excellent example for the team. Despite playing in a pack decimated by injuries, Beirne is a statistical monster and will be happy to be back in a side that is extremely well-rounded. News for The Daily Rugby

Ryan, who is back to his best, beats over Joe McCarthy in our starting lineup for several reasons. Ryan has demonstrated unwavering focus on his own play and adds a significant amount of toughness to the game, even at line-out times. When you combine that with his leadership abilities even though they aren’t directly related to the referees—his return to the starting lineup makes perfect sense.

Undoubtedly, Irish Rugby’s backrow is in great shape, and Conan’s performance aligns well with the speculation that he may join Racing 92 in the upcoming season. The calibre of backrows in Leinster’s squad makes it difficult for them to decide whether to keep him, but if they can, they should be able to considering his current form.

Unusual for a past World Player of the Year, the Leinster backrow is often underappreciated and, at thirty-one, is still very much at the top of his game. Van der Flier continues to be without a doubt the greatest seven in Ireland, putting in a tonne of work in both the carry and defence.

Refer to Furlong’s statement above without a doubt, Doris is the greatest in the world in his position. For laughs, though, the Leinster backrow presumably the team’s captain for the next fifty-plus years was playing a distinct game from everyone else at Croke Park, and at twenty-six, he still has opportunity to improve, which is a scary thought.

Despite being in top form, this November feels like it may be his last as the unquestioned starter due to Craig Casey’s ongoing improvement and the emergence of other young players, including Ben Murphy. With the exception of Antoine Dupont, JGP plays the game at a cerebral level that will once again set the pace for the Irish assault in November.

The generally exceptional Crowley, who has elevated himself since succeeding Johnny Sexton, is not defined by one poor performance. Anticipate him to reach new heights when he reunites with a formidable team in November, striving to stave off the impending challenges posed by Ciaran Frawley and Sam Prendergast.

The 32-year-old winger, who is now with Gibson Park and nearing the conclusion of his career, is still a top player but will have many obstacles to overcome in the coming year to keep his shirt. With his excellent finishing, enormous left boot, and consistency, he continues to be the unquestioned ruler on the left wing for the time being.

With Robbie Henshaw’s status unknown and Bundee Aki’s poor play, the Swiss army knife returns to his preferred inside centre position for November. Osborne, to put it briefly, is a generational talent and seems to be the 12 shirt’s long-term solution for both the province and the nation.

When healthy and on the ball, Ringrose seems to be the only player that is untouchable save for Doris.  Although Robbie Henshaw has performed admirably in Ringrose’s absence, the 29-year-old adds a cutting edge to both sides of the ball that strengthens the Irish defence and unleashes their offence.

Evidently encouraged by the support he got while Mack Hansen wasn’t there, Nash is still the one wearing the shirt, and he plans to do so for the entire month of November.  The Munster winger adds a unique appearance to the backline as one of the few Irish backs with really outstanding pace, and his defensive work effort is unmatched.

 

 

 

source https://thedailyrugby.com/irelands-post-derby-match-on-november-23-at-the-aviva-stadium-is-for-the-all-blacks-fixture/