Month: October 2025

Ireland Vs New Zealand Chicago

Cian McGibneyRugby

Ireland have selected the 23 to face New Zealand in Soldier Field Chicago. 9 years on from the first win against New Zealand, Ireland will be trying to repeat the dose. Andy Farrell is the man in charge now after being in charge of Ireland’s defence in 2016.

Jack Crowley’s early season form has been rewarded with the 10 jersey alongside Jamison Gibson Park, Stuart Mc Closkey has got the 12 shirt to partner Garry Ringrose. Ireland are beginning a tough November that will see Japan, Australia and South Africa come to Dublin.

The draw for the 2027 RWC will happen in December and the results from the next month will have an impact for Ireland’s seeding heading into the draw. Ireland won two games over the summer and put 100 points on Portugal in a non-event back in July.

They will be looking to change a few things up in terms of attack as well as defence in the next while. Andrew Goodman has had time with this group and we will hopefully begin to see small tweaks in how they will attack teams over the next while.

They will need to be adventurous in how they do that. No better test than New Zealand to see how any new ideas fair out in practice. Up front Ireland will also need to evolve to keep pace with teams like France and England who have made strides forward over the past year.

We saw some new talent get it’s chance over the summer and while the Portugal game was a mess the first 40 minutes vs Georgia showed that Ireland still have areas to look after in particular up front.

It is another chance to beat New Zealand who themselves have had more upheaval with Jason Holland saying he will leave the coaching set up at the end of November, if results don’t go the way Scott Robertson hopes he could easily be joining Jason Holland in looking for another job. The pressure on New Zealand to win games in November is immense.

They kick off against Ireland and will have memories of beating them in Dublin a year ago, 24-13. The result in Chicago back in 2016 was monumental and started a run that saw Ireland win a number of games against New Zealand in the past 9 years although the wins at the 2019 RWC and 2023 RWC still went to New Zealand.

Ireland did win a Test Series down in New Zealand in 2022 and that is a measure of where this group has gone to under Andy Farrell winning the Grand Slam in 2023 and the Six Nations in 2024 only being beaten by England late on in Twickenham.

With the draw for the RWC 2027 around the corner and with Andy Farrell back from his time away with the Lions, here’s hoping Ireland will start the new International year on the right note in Soldier Field.

Here is the 23 to face New Zealand in Chicago :

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Tommy O Brien

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Jack Conan

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Ryan Baird

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 James Ryan

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Paddy Mc Carthy

18 Finlay Bealham

19 Iain Henderson

20 Caelan Doris

21 Craig Casey

22 Sam Prendergast

23 Bundee Aki

My Ireland XV Vs New Zealand

Cian McGibneyRugby

Here is the XV I would select to face New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday week in Soldier Field including the men that have been called in due to injuries. Ireland will face New Zealand, Japan, Australia and South Africa before the Pool draw for the 2027 World Cup will take place in December of this year.

Here is the XV I would select for the game at 8.10pm on Saturday November 1st live on Virgin Media for free to air coverage and TNT Sport.

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Jacob Stockdale

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Tom Farrell

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Caelan Doris

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Cian Prendergast

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 James Ryan

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Jack Boyle

18 Thomas Clarkson

19 Thomas Ahern

20 Nick Timoney

21 Craig Casey

22 Sam Prendergast

23 Jimmy O Brien

Ireland Squad November 2025

Cian McGibneyRugby

Ireland have named there squad for the 4 games over November where they face New Zealand in Chicago and then 3 games in Dublin facing Japan, Australia and South Africa. Questions have to be asked at this point about certain selections given that the World Cup in Australia in only 2 years away.

The World Cup is not the only show in town of course but a number of players will be wondering what they need to do to get into a squad. Our centres are moving on in age and while they still have plenty to offer where are there challengers, you have guys like James Hume, Cathal Forde, Jude Postlewaite and Dan Kelly naming 4 men that could easily be involved in November.

I know that the here and now is important but future proofing is so important and Ireland have been guilty over the years of not doing that and could easily be without one of those guys selected and then where does Andy Farrell go to select the next man.

Those that played in any of the mini tours of South Africa or the few A games in recent years have to be scratching their heads as to what they need to do to break into the main squad. You can’t wait until injury intervenes to force your hand.

I just hope that those players on the outside continue to perform and make it almost impossible not to select players for the upcoming 6 Nations as well as the November internationals. Andy Farrell needs to be asked why certain players can’t break into a squad.

Age could easily catch Ireland over the next few years, all of our selected centres are well over 30. Those selections don’t scream future to me unfortunately and while the men selected won’t let the jersey down, it is time others got the chance to fight for a spot in the main squad.

Of course, when a coach is selecting a squad his priority would be to get the best players on the field for the games, it some circumstances the squad selected might not be the best one. If Farrell picked a load a new players or lads with single figures in terms of caps he would be fed to the wolves. There was room for some more fresh faces but like most Ireland squads, he went with caution over youth…

Let’s hope, we see more fresh faces over the next 12 months between the November games and 6 Nations of 2026. We do have youth in both the scrum half department and at out half.  

Another crack at New Zealand is just over the horizon and that is always a special game in Chicago this time 9 years after the game in Soldier Field before facing Japan, Australia and South Africa in the Aviva Stadium.

My Ireland Squad For November Series

Cian McGibneyRugby

Ireland Squad for November Series 2025 :

Prop : Micheal Milne, Jack Boyle, Jordan Duggan (3)

Hooker : Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Lee Barron (3)

Prop : Oli Jager, Thomas Clarkson, Tadgh Furlong (3)

Second Row :  Thomas Ahern, Tadgh Beirne, Joe Mc Carthy, Darragh Murray, Cormac Izuchkwu (5)

Back Row : Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes, Cian Prendergast, Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird, Josh Van Der Flier (6)

Backs :

Scrum Halves:  Craig Casey, Fintan Gunne, Ben Murphy (3)

Out Half : Jack Crowley, Sam Prendergast, Jack Murphy (3)

Wing/Full Back : Calvin Nash, Tommy O Brien, Shayne Boulton, Finn Tracey, James Lowe,

Shane Daly, Jimmy O Brien, Jamie Osbourne (8)

Centre :

Hugh Gavin, Dan Kelly, Jude Postlewaite, Robbie Henshaw, Ciaran Frawley…. (5)

Here is the squad I would select to face into the games over the November Series. There will be others selected ahead of some of these players. With Andy Farrell back in charge it is time to focus on the next two years before World Cup Australia in 2027.

Lewis Moody MND Battle

Cian McGibneyLife

The news of Lewis Moody being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the age of 47 defiantly brings things into perspective and again highlights the continued work that rugby will need to do to safeguard it’s future given the proven links between the sport and CTE and diseases like MND, dementia etc.

A growing number of people who were the first true professionals in rugby union are suffering with the effects of concussions and in turn are having to deal with various ailments attached to them. Lewis is only 12 years older than yours truly and it again brings home the true reality of playing a contact sport.

Many of the guys that Lewis faced while playing for England, Leicester Tigers and the British and Irish Lions are in the same boat. Men like Carl Hayman, Ryan Jones and Alix Popham are all in the same boat as Lewis and it highlights the vulnerabilities of the human brain.

The first generation of pro’s who didn’t cross over from the amateur game have begun to retire in the past few years and unfortunately they will be used as test cases to help the game to try and combat against the effects of these diseases into the future.

Only a few weeks ago, Shane Christie was buried in New Zealand after battling the effects of CTE and it has been stated that he suffered a number of concussions through his career. He worked tirelessly in retirement to try and highlight the ongoing issues.

While work is being done by World Rugby to try and help combat against the effects of concussion with stand down periods, in game head injury assessments. One does wonder is that going to be enough for the future of the game of rugby in both union and league.

Some ex players have said they would do it all again in a heartbeat even knowing the risks. Purely from a human stand point it is gut wrenching to see men like Lewis and others come out on National TV  and explain that they have been given the most devastating diagnosis where in the case of MND there is no cure.

Ex team mates of Lewis, Leon Lloyd and Geordan Murphy set up a Go Fund Me page to help Lewis and his family with costs that will be related to the road ahead for the Moody family. It has been a well-trodden path for the families of people over the past number of years.

The Doddie Weir Foundation was set up by Doddie Weir to help families and also assist in research for a cure to be found after his own diagnosis. Lewis has done much fundraising himself in the years since his retirement and now he is looking for some support himself.

I love the game of rugby but in the past few years in the instance of concussions has really hit home. Watching the game either live or on TV you even wince yourself with some of the heavy contact between bodies.

I personally fear that the game could grind to halt at amateur level over the next number of years because parents will say they don’t want their kids involved in the game. Even though the game is built on strong values and morals, I don’t think that will even save it from extinction.

Only time will tell of course but the reality is that both league and union could be heading down a very slippery slope that those in charge at the highest level might not be willing to face but those in the amateur game may be beginning to see the reality of the changing attitudes towards the game of rugby.

I was knocked sideways when seeing the news yesterday and then to realise that he is only 12 years older than myself really made me sit up and take notice. A team mate of his Ed Slater is also suffering from MND and is a few years ahead of Lewis in his battle. He was also only in his 40s when he got his own bad news.

While I still love the game of rugby union and it has given me some of the best moments of my life following Munster in their quest to conquer Europe which came to pass in 2006 and 2008, I am very aware that some of those guys I watched and idolised are now suffering long term health issues attached to playing the game has given me food for thought.

Those in charge must continue to work with those in the medical profession to try and come up with long term solutions that will work for everyone. That of course won’t be easy but if people at all levels just do what they can, like the simple message of If in doubt, sit it out….

My thoughts are with Lewis Moody, his family and friends as well as his team mates at this time. I am also thinking of all of those who suffer from MND and any other health issues similar to that.

After all rugby is only a game with a short shelf life and there is a long life to live post career in both the amateur game as well as in the professional game…..