Junior World Cup Italy 2015
gpfoto
Sports Photography
gpfoto 1
#5 Alexander Thompson
2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy
gpfoto 2
gpfoto 3
gpfoto 4
gpfoto 5
gpfoto 6
gpfoto 7
gpfoto 8
gpfoto 9
gpfoto 10
gpfoto 11
gpfoto 12
gpfoto 13
gpfoto 14
gpfoto 15
gpfoto 16
gpfoto 17
gpfoto 18
gpfoto 19
gpfoto 20
gpfoto 21
gpfoto 22
gpfoto 23
gpfoto 24
gpfoto 25
gpfoto 26
gpfoto 27
gpfoto 28
gpfoto 29
gpfoto 30
gpfoto 31
gpfoto 32
gpfoto 33
gpfoto 34
gpfoto 35
gpfoto 36
gpfoto 37
gpfoto 38
6 Irish Players Who Impressed In The World Rugby U20 Championship It was almost a promising competition, as they dispatched of strong Argentinian and Scottish sides before falling to the eventual champions New Zealand. In the playoffs, a strong Welsh side beat them 22-12, after also beating them 19-12 in the Six Nations. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t impressive performances from the Irish players, and here are the six best showings from players Alex Thompson (Second Row / Ulster)
to face Scotland in the seventh place play-off of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship has been named. Coach, Nigel Carolan has made five changes to the side that lost out to Wales in the last round. Zack McCall and Conan O’Donnell make their start in the front row, while Rory Moloney and Lorcan take position in the Back Row. Billy Dardis starts at full back. Speaking ahead of the game, Carolan said “We are expecting another tough challenge ahead of us, Scotland have proved to be a formidable opponent, however, we are confident that we can finish the tournament on a high note.”
Five Ulster Players Named in Ireland U20 Team to Face Scotland
Ireland Under-20 (v Scotland Under-20s, 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship – 7th Place Playoff, Viadana, Saturday, 20th June, kick-off 13.00hrs local time/12.00hrs Irish time) 15. Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster) 14. Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster) 13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 12. Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 11. Jacob Stockdale (QUB/Ulster) 10. Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster) 9. Charlie Rock (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 2. Zack McCall (QUB/Ulster) 3. Conán O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht) 4. David O’Connor (St.Mary’s/Leinster) 5. Alex Thompson (QUB/Ulster) 6. Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) 7. Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht) 8. Lorcan Dow (QUB/Ulster)
The Ireland Under-20 Team (Sponsored by PwC)
Replacements: 16. Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
Alex Thompson had an outstanding opening game, and was the difference between the two sides. With Zach McCall struggling with his throwing, Thompson’s lineout ability managed to snap several lineouts, and his defense was outstanding. Ulster’s locking stocks aren’t overflowing at the moment, and it’s promising to see Thompson play so well.
17. Liam O’Connor (Cork Constitution /Munster) 18. Oisin Heffernan (Terenure/Leinster) 19. Cian Romaine (Buccaneers/Connacht) 20. Nick Timoney (St. Mary’s/Leinster) 21. Jack Cullen (Shannon/ Munster) 22. Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster) 23. Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht)
Ireland U20s finish on a high (Lorcan Dow on the attack for Ireland U20s) Two tries from Stephen Fitzgerald allowed the Ireland U20s to close out their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign with a satisfying 17-9 win over Scotland and secure seventh place overall. Nigel Carolan’s youngsters fought hard for their second victory in three meetings with the Scots this season, as they bounced back from their recent defeats to New Zealand and Wales. Today’s play-off game in Viadana was an unattractive spectacle at times, dominated by kicking and some dogged forward play. However, when Ireland did have the chance to move the ball behind the scrum, they looked much the more competent of the two sides. After a promising start in which they complemented driving forward play with good movement along the back-line, the Irish were put under pressure by Scotland’s fierce tackling. And when Scotland scrum half Ben Vellacott took a quick tap penalty, he made a darting run before being hauled down seven metres from the Ireland line.
Full-back Blair Kinghorn mopped up with the simple penalty kick for 3-0 after Ireland were pined for not rolling away. Ireland hit back soon after as a fortunate bounce from a Joey Carbery chip kick gave winger Stephen Fitzgerald a simple run-in to the left corner. From the touchline, out-half Carbery continued his excellent goal-kicking form by adding the extras. Scotland had a prime chance to score when winger Richard Galloway hit the inside channel after coming off his blindside wing - only for his pass to Vellacott to go slightly behind the scrum half with Ireland’s line undefended. Following a period of pressure, Sean Lineen’s side did get their reward with a second penalty goal from Kinghorn. Ireland had been penalised for hands in the ruck. The 18-year-old Scottish full-back sent a long range penalty attempt wide of the posts, and Carbery did likewise with a shot from a similar distance. Unfortunately UCD clubman Carbery had to be assisted off the pitch after picking up an injury when he tackled Scotland number 8 Magnus Bradbury. Fergal Cleary came on in his place and almost simultaneously, prop Andrew Porter suffered a neck injury that prompted Liam O’Connor’s introduction into the Irish front row. Scotland’s momentum provided further worries for Ireland as the Scots drove a lineout and then made a number of surges at the whitewash, but the Irish defence resisted enough to go into the break with a 7-6 lead. Into the second period, Ireland’s defence was again on alert when the lively Vellacot broke clear from a lineout to run 60 metres before being hunted down. From their recovery phase, Ireland won awarded a penalty for a Scotland offside, allowing centre Garry Ringrose to widen the margin to four points with his first success in front of the posts.
There was relief for Ireland when another long range kick at goal by Kinghorn went wide. However, Scotland’s replacement scrum half George Horne was on target with a 69th minute place-kick to reduce the arrears and set up a grandstand finish. Crucially, Ireland were quick to respond with a driving maul and when the ball was released, Cleary slipped an inside pass to Fitzgerald for the Munster talent to stretch out and claim his second try of the game. Ringrose added the conversion from in front of the posts for the final points of the match as Carolan’s charges deservedly took the spoils in very warm conditions. Ireland U20 suffer first loss of World Cup as New Zealand pull clear in second half Ireland will now take on Wales for the right to contest the 4th/5th place play-off. Jun 10th 2015, 9:30 PM 24,961 Views 32 Comments New Zealand 25 Ireland 3 NIGEL CAROLAN’S IRELAND Under 20s side lost their first game of the Junior World Championship campaign as New Zealand proved too strong in this pool decider. With both sides boasting two wins from two, the Wolfpuppies started the game in solid fashion, limiting errors and forcing the ‘Baby Blacks’ to play out from their own half. However, after out-half Joey Carbery slotted the opening score on his third attempt off the tee, New Zealand showed the potency of their attack. Scrum-half Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi sniped and stepped cover defenders to go within a inch of the try-line after 18 minutes. Though Ireland held him short, the danger was far from over. Hurricanes number 10 Otere Black flung a beautiful long pass to his left and the prolific Tevita Li finished.
Black was unable to add the touchline conversion, but even so, a two-point deficit after a spirited first quarter was a huge blow to Irish hopes. Black would add another straightforward penalty, but his side continued to struggle for momentum. Too often they went wide or attempted a break as a first option, despite Joshua Goodhue threatening to dominate the tight exchanges. Ireland lost captain Nick McCarthy to injury six minutes before half-time, meaning Charlie Rock will see out the tournament as number nine and Ireland are now shorn of the half-back pairing they had hoped to play throughout this tournament. Black kicked a 37 metre penalty to give New Zealand an 11 – 3 half-time lead, Ireland were still in touch, but only for four minutes after the restart. The floodgates never quite opened, however Ireland’s challenge was burnt off when Li skipped past wouldbe tacklers to ground the ball under the posts. Openside Blake Gibson provided the third try, though later than he would have hoped. The number seven was guilty of a knock-on 10 metres out on the left flank after a big carry from Atunaisa Moli. He made up for that error soon after though, tucking the ball under his arm and driving for the corner after a destructive black maul. Black added the conversion to give the Kiwis a 25 – 3 lead and that’s the way it stayed, Ireland unable to stage a late rally yet fighting long enough to prevent the Kiwis claiming a winning bonus point. The result pits the Baby Blacks against France in the semi-finals, with England up against a South Africa side fresh from trouncing Australia. Ireland meanwhile, are aiming for a fifth place finish. The Wolfpuppies take on Wales in a 5th place semi-final on Monday for the right to face Australia or Scotland in the 5th/6th play-off.
gpfoto 40
Ireland Sam Arnold, Harrison Brewer, Ross Byrne, Joey Carbery, Fergal Cleary, Jack Cullen, Billy Dardis, Lorcan Dow, Jack Dwan, Stephen Fitzgerald, Ciaran Gaffney, Oisin Heffernan, Michael Lagan, Jeremy Loughman, Zack McCall, Nick McCarthy (capt), Sean McNulty, Stephen McVeigh, Rory Moloney, Josh Murphy, David O’Connor, Conan O’Donnell, Conor Oliver, Greg O’Shea, Jack Owens, Garry Ringrose, Cian Romaine, Jacob Stockdale, Alexander Thompson, Nick Timoney
gpfoto
my photos, your story
gpfoto@ymail.com +353 (087) 2424123 © All rights reserved