Brief Reminder Of Ireland Matches Versus Canada and the USA

Now that the Ireland squad to tour North America has been announced, let us familiarise ourselves with Ireland's previous dozen encounters against Canada and her noisy neighbours, the USA. At this juncture, Ireland are unbeaten against their North Atlantic opponents. Canada have managed one draw as well as four defeats, while the USA thus far have been conquered seven times out of seven. They are not yet a world superpower in the field of rugby union. Given the nation's overriding preference for American football, this situation will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.

Canada 19 IRELAND 46; 30th May 1987; at Carisbrook, New Zealand (the World Cup)

15 MacNeill (TRY)

14 Ringland (TRY)

13 Kiernan (drop goal, 2 penalties, 5 conversions)

12 Mullin

11 Crossan (2 TRIES)

10 Ward (drop goal)

9 Bradley (TRY)

8 Spillane (TRY)

7 Collins

6 McGrath

5 Anderson

4 Lenihan (captain)

3 Fitzgerald

2 McDonald

1 Orr

A try early in the second half threatened to provide Canada with a World Cup upset, but then Ireland cut loose.

IRELAND 26 United States of America 15; 5th November 1994; at Lansdowne Road

15 O'Shea (penalty)

14 Geoghegan (TRY)

13 Mullin

12 Danaher

11 Bell

10 McGowan (3 penalties, 2 conversions)

9 Bradley (captain) (TRY)

8 Johns

7 Corkery

6 O'Hara

5 Francis

4 Fulcher

3 Clohessy

2 Wood

1 Popplewell

Both teams scored their two tries after the interval. Alan McGowan kicked 13 points on his only appearance.

United States of America 18 IRELAND 25; 6th January 1996; at Marietta

15 Staples

14 Wallace.R (TRY)

13 Bell

12 McQuilkin

11 Geoghegan

10 Elwood (3 penalties, conversion)

9 Saverimutto

8 Johns

7 Corkery

6 Costello

5 Francis

4 Fulcher

3 Wallace.P

2 Kingston

1 Popplewell

Replacement Paul Burke kicked three penalties. Ireland were actually out-scored by two tries to one. 

IRELAND 33 Canada 11; 30th November 1997; at Lansdowne Road

15 Nowlan (2 TRIES)

14 Hickie

13 Henderson

12 McCall

11 Maggs (TRY)

10 Elwood (2 penalties, conversion)

9 McGuinness (TRY)

8 Costello (TRY)

7 Dawson

6 Erskine

5 O'Kelly

4 Johns

3 Wallace

2 Nesdale

1 Popplewell (captain)

Kevin Nowlan collected a brace of tries on his second cap. Reggie Corrigan made his debut as a replacement.

IRELAND 53 United States of America 8; 2nd October 1999; at Lansdowne Road (the World Cup)

15 O'Shea

14 Bishop (TRY)

13 O'Driscoll (TRY)

12 Maggs

11 Mostyn

10 Humphreys (2 penalties, 4 conversions)

9 Tierney

8 O'Cuinneagain

7 Ward

6 Brennan

5 Davidson

4 Johns

3 Wallace

2 Wood (captain) (4 TRIES)

1 Clohessy

Brian O'Driscoll scored his first Ireland try but this was overshadowed by Keith Wood's haul of four!

United States of America 3 IRELAND 83; 10th June 2000

15 Murphy (2 TRIES)

14 Topping (TRY)

13 Henderson

12 Mullins (3 TRIES)

11 Howe

10 O'Gara (8 conversions)

9 Easterby.G (2 TRIES)

8 Miller

7 Wallace. D

6 Easterby.S (2 TRIES)

5 Davidson

4 O'Kelly (TRY)

3 Wallace.P (TRY) 

2 Wood (captain) 

1 Fitzpatrick

A pair of Wallace brothers played while a pair of Easterby brothers each recorded a pair of tries!

Canada 27 IRELAND 27; 17th June 2000; at Fletcher's Field, Markham

15 Crotty

14 Horgan (TRY)

13 Mullins

12 Maggs

11 Bishop (TRY)

10 Humphreys (penalty)

9 Stringer

8 Foley

7 Ward

6 Easterby

5 Davidson

4 Galwey

3 Hayes

2 Wood (captain)

1 Fitzpatrick

Replacements Paul Wallace scored a try and Ronan O'Gara converted 3 penalties after Canada had led 21-8.

IRELAND 55 United States of America 6; 20th November 2004; at Lansdowne Road

15 Murphy (2 TRIES)

14 Horgan

13 O'Driscoll (captain)

12 Maggs

11 Bowe (TRY)

10 Humphreys (2 penalties, 7 conversions)

9 Easterby.G 

8 Leamy

7 Miller (TRY)

6 Easterby.S

5 O'Connell

4 O'Callaghan

3 Hayes

2 Sheahan (TRY)

1 Horan (TRY)

Replacement Peter Stringer added to the tries' avalanche while David Humphreys kicked twenty points.

IRELAND 55 Canada 0; 8th November 2008; at Thomond Park

15 Earls ( TRY)

14 Bowe (2 TRIES)

13 O'Driscoll (captain)

12 Fitzgerald

11 Kearney (2 TRIES)

10 O'Gara (penalty, 5 conversions)

9 Reddan

8 Heaslip (TRY)

7 Jennings

6 Ferris

5 O'Connell

4 O'Callaghan

3 Buckley

2 Flannery

1 Horan

Replacements Alan Quinlan and David Wallace also scored tries on the debut of fellow Munster player, Keith Earls.

Canada 6 IRELAND 25; 23rd May 2009; at Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver

15 Duffy

14 Murphy (TRY)

13 Cave

12 Whitten (TRY)

11 Dowling

10 Keatley (2 penalties, 2 conversions)

9 Stringer

8 Leamy

7 Ronan

6 Muldoon

5 O'Driscoll

4 Casey

3 Buckley (TRY)

2 Best (captain)

1 Court

Ian Whitten recorded a try on his debut. He was one of eight new recruits deputising for numerous absent Lions.

United States of America 10 IRELAND 27; 31st May 2009; at Buck Shaw Stadium

15 Duffy

14 Murphy

13 Cave

12 Whitten (TRY)

11 Dowling

10 Keatley (penalty, 2 conversions)

9 Stringer

8 Leamy

7 Ronan

6 Muldoon

5 O'Driscoll

4 Casey (TRY)

3 Ross

2 Best (captain) (TRY)

1 Buckley

In the absence of Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll, Ulster's Ian Whitten grabbed his second try in two tests.

IRELAND 22 United States of America 10; 11th September 2011; at Yarrow Stadium (the World Cup)

15 Murphy

14 Bowe (2 TRIES)

13 O'Driscoll (captain)

12 D'Arcy

11 Earls

10 Sexton (penalty, conversion)

9 Murray

8 Heaslip

7 Jennings

6 Ferris

5 O'Connell

4 O'Callaghan

3 Ross

2 Best (TRY)

1 Court

Replacement Ronan O'Gara added a conversion. The USA were playing on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.