Latest news with #IanCostello
RTÉ News
04-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
No disciplinary action planned for Sharks 'gamesmanship', says URC chief
The URC has no plans to take any disciplinary action after the confrontation at the end of Munster's quarter-final defeat to Sharks on Saturday. Ian Costello's side lost out in a place-kicking shootout after the teams finished level, 24-24, following 100 minutes of rugby in Durban. However, controversy arose during the shootout with Jack Crowley and Jaden Hendrikse exchanging words, with the Sharks scrum-half also appearing to wink at the Munster out-half. Hendrickse had also fallen down with cramp after his second kick, forcing a delay in Crowley's second shot at goal. Conor Murray also became involved the altercation when multiple members of the Sharks backroom team came on to treat the Springboks back. BKT United Rugby Championship chief executive Martin Anayi spoke to reporters on Wednesday morning and said that the situation "hasn't been flagged on a disciplinary level". He did admit that the incident helped viewership numbers with highlights reaching 390,000 views on their YouTube channel. "There is pretty tight regulation about staff so I think if there was somebody on the pitch who shouldn't have been that will get flagged," he told RTÉ Sport. "From it being something that has spiked viewership, quite honestly, it has. "That game has the most viewed highlights on YouTube we've ever had. "It shows the level of intrigue and interest in the game, spiked by, I guess, gamesmanship. "There's a thin line between that being a positive and a negative. "It's a difficult one, I've listened to a lot of podcasts over the last couple of days talking about it. "Ultimately, we want characters in the sport and when you have characters and when you encourage people to show their character, that can be positive and negative. "There are heroes and villains in all great sporting stories "I think that kind of what is emerging here, isn't it. "Whether that turns to disciplinary [action], I just haven't seen anything like that but needless to say, it certainly spiked an interest in the league. "In the rivalry between Ireland and South Africa, which is really bubbling along, I guess it's another chapter in that story." Anayi added that the place-kicking shootout, called "whatever you call that c**p" by Munster captain Tadhg Beirne, was the best way to decide a winner when the teams are tied and have scored the same number of tries. "There really is very little other way to get the winner in the timeframe, which is obviously what we need for the following week," he said. "It showed drama, intrigue and got a lot of people talking. Which is not a bad thing." Sharks play Bulls in Saturday's second semi-final with the winners playing either Leinster in Croke Park or Glasgow Warriors in South Africa on 14 June. Meanwhile, Anayi said he hadn't any more details than have been made public about the proposed R360 breakaway league, which would be similar to the LIV golf and Indian Premier League cricket tournaments. Organisers, led by former England centre Mike Tindall, of the project want to create both a men's and women's superclub competition, playing over 16 weeks in two blocks between April and June, and August and September, outside of international windows. "You try to do it physically, you try to do it with your mouth...a lot of things, rubbing guys' hair, faces in the ground." - Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber on Sharks-Munster gamesmanship #RTERugby #RTESport — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 2, 2025 They want to take the best 360 players in the world and double their pay. The games would take place between the franchises in different cities around the world. "I probably know as much as you guys know, quite honestly," said Anayi. "What we do is just focus on ourselves. We've got big games. "We get 80,000 at Croke Park for Leinster-Munster, so to have big events like that, we encourage those games, we're in big cities. "We're about community as well. "We are about being part of an ecosystem that we care deeply about, that has grassroots at one end and international rugby at another. "We play a really important part in that pyramid. We just focus on making URC as good as possible and that's all we can control."
The 42
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'It is a hard one to process' - Devastation for Munster following URC exit
MUNSTER BOWED out of the United Rugby Championship most heartbreakingly when they lost a quarter-final in Durban to the Sharks, but coach Ian Costello could not be prouder of his charges. The Sharks beat Munster after a penalty shoot-out following a 24-24 score at full-time, and then also after 20 minutes of extra time. 'It is a hard one to process,' Costello said. 'It is a bit of a blur when the game goes to extra time and then to a kick-off. 'There are two emotions. Initially, I am devastated for the boys for how much they put into this game. They invested so much,' Costello said. 'It was exceptional what they did before and in the game. I am unbelievably proud of the fight, character and quality that they showed.' Advertisement Costello said that playoff games often come down to a roll of the dice. 'Games like this, away from home, come down to moments, and we came down slightly on the wrong side of the moments. It is as simple as that. 'I want to make a distinction when we talk about a proud performance. I wasn't just proud of the effort and fight. The quality was there, too. 'The coaches put together a very good plan and, as a result, we were very good in the set pieces. The players implemented the plan, and we scored good tries. 'I don't want to talk about a glorious defeat,' Costello continued. 'There was a lot of quality. We came out on the wrong side of a penalty shootout where the Sharks kicked six out of six, and that is hard to beat.' Kicker Rory Scannell missed a kick in the shoot-out, but Costello comforted him. 'Sport can be cruel. Rory missed one, but he also nailed a very good second one. I am proud of how he kept us in it.' Munster have felt the pain before — they lost a few years back in a similar fashion to Toulouse in a European Cup quarter-final against Toulouse. Costello instead wanted to pay respect to retiring Munster legends, Peter O'Mahony, Stephen Archer and Conor Murray. 'They are exceptional people, legends of Munster, and they leave a massive legacy behind,' Costello said. 'It will be difficult for us to live up to it, but you want people to leave the jersey in a better place, and that has happened in a big way. 'The challenge is for the emerging guys to live up to it.'
Irish Examiner
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Etzebeth expecting 'tight game' as Costello demands Munster discipline
It all depends where you look for the evidence that backs up Sharks captain Eben Etzebeth's prediction of 'a very close game' when Munster roll up to Kings Park on Saturday evening for this URC quarter-final. Sure, the 22-22 draw on the last day of the 2022-23 regular season will go down in the record books as a pivotal game in Munster's URC title-winning season, the second of five unbeaten matches on the road which delivered a first trophy in a dozen years to the Irish province. Yet either side of that outcome, the Sharks have enjoyed the dominance to suggest that the visitors are one lax decision or a mistimed pass away from another difficult day in Durban. That was the case three weeks before that vital share of the points. The Sharks blew Munster away on a steamy April afternoon in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with five second-half tries in a disastrous 25-minute window for the visitors, who only had their poor discipline and skill execution to blame. Yet every Munster supporter knows what their side is capable of if it all comes together and recent memories of their epic knockout victory in La Rochelle last month give hope that another famous day could be in the offing down by the Indian Ocean. A settled starting line-up certainly helps, with interim head coach Ian Costello naming an unchanged XV for third game in a row, as does the muscle memory of that title run that saw Munster visit Cape Town at the start and end of a sequence of results that also took in Durban, Glasgow and Dublin without a defeat. The 2025 Sharks, though, represent a significant challenge from two seasons ago, as their captain suggested this week as he reflected on his side coming through several close-run contests this season. 'We've seen in the past that play-offs can be tight affairs, and winning tight games is something we've done a bit of this year,' Etzebeth said. 'Last year, when we ended up lower on the log, we lost those tight games but this year we've turned things around and won them. 'We're used to those kinds of games, hopefully we don't make it that tight on Saturday. They're a quality side and it's probably going to come down to discipline on the day and who has the better goal-kicker. It's going to be a very close game.' Munster know what is coming with Costello neatly delivering a synopsis of the key threats on the squad's arrival in South Africa on Tuesday. 'We would have highlighted some areas that they are really strong – transition is the big one,' the interim head coach said. 'If you give them access through their power game, they can hurt you close to the line but if I was speaking about one area where they really come to life, it's in transition, but so do we. 'That will be a really fascinating battle. I think against Benetton, yeah we conceded two tries that we were disappointed with, but their set-piece strikes are outstanding and I probably look again at the second-half in the Ulster game and there were some outstanding defensive sets, moments, again fuelled by a lovely balance of physicality and calmness – getting that discipline balance. 'If we can keep that to the positive side, seven or eight (penalties) max, that gives us a really good chance against the Sharks. 'That's the same thing in D, having that balance of making sure that we are aggressive but also smart and disciplined with it. Costello added: 'We have had a good record here (in South Africa) and the last couple of weeks have been really good for us to deliver under pressure. It's no different this week, we need to deliver under pressure.' Sharks head coach John Plumtree's team selection on Friday underlined the size of the challenge facing Munster, with five changes from the side which edged the Scarlets 12-3 at home in the final round of the regular season a fortnight ago, and including Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Lukhanyo Am. In contrast to an unchanged starting line-up Munster have changed up their bench from the one which came on for the final two games of the campaign to help secure bonus-point home victories over Ulster and Benetton which lifted Costello's side into the play-offs and secured Champions Cup rugby for next season. A fit-again Diarmuid Barron replaces loanee Lee Barron, an impressive try scorer off the bench against Benetton two weeks ago, as replacement hooker and there is a switch from a six-two split from the previous two outings to five forwards and three backs. Lock Fineen Wycherley is the forward to miss out while veteran scrum-half Conor Murray is joined by two fresh backline replacements in the form of Mike Haley and Rory Scannell, who is set to make his 200th appearances for Munster, as Sean O'Brien is stood down as the lone outside back cover. SHARKS: A Fassi; E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth – captain, J Jenkins; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi. Replacements: F Mbatha, N Mchunu, H Jacobs, E van Heerden, P Buthelezi, B Davids, F Venter, Y Penxe MUNSTER: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Casey; M Milne, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne - captain; P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
Irish Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time and TV channel is Sharks v Munster on today in the URC quarter-final
Munster are hoping to make it a hat-trick to remember by seeing off the Sharks for a place in the last four of the BKT URC, having won their quarter-finals in the last two years. The Reds' victory over Benetton in their final regular season game secured a place in the play-offs, with Ian Costello's charges finishing in sixth place in the table. The Sharks are third seeds and are at home at altitude, so this will be a tough assignment for a Munster side that has an unchanged line-up for the third successive game. The Sharks have made five changes for this game and have 12 Springboks in their side, so Munster will have to be at their best to triumph. The game takes place at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban The match kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday It will be shown live on TG4 (from 5.25pm) and Premier Sports 1 (from 5.15pm) and will be streamed on Sharks are 4/11 to win, Munster are 23/10 to win, the draw is 17/1 Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland) The Sharks have only lost twice at home this season - against Toulouse in the Champions Cup and to Leinster in round 14. One of their home victories came against Munster in October, a result that was followed by Graham Rowntree's departure. That has been the Sharks only win in four against the province. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth (captain), Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe.
Irish Independent
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Munster name unchanged side for crucial URC quarter-final at the ‘Shark Tank'
Ian Costello has named an unchanged starting line-up for Munster's crunch URC quarter-final against the Sharks in Durban tomorrow.
