Six Nations Championships 2017
Ireland U20s gpfoto
Sports Photography
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
Dual-international Larmour looks to make a name for himself in a green shirt
Big things are expected of the Ireland U20 winger after impressive performances at schoolboy and provincial level. JORDAN LARMOUR ISN’T the type of guy who lacks confidence, particularly on a rugby pitch, but this is all new territory for him; the cameras, the questions and the glare of publicity. ‘This is my first one,’ he announces upon his arrival for media duty in the hotel lobby. He is, of course, referring to his first interview and certainly for many young players, it’s often an uneasy experience. They don’t want to say the wrong thing, so saying as little as possible can regularly be the object of the exercise. Larmour, however, doesn’t appear to get overawed too easily and he takes it all in his stride with minimal fuss. To be fair, he has a lot to talk about and there are a lot of people talking about him. The 19-year-old is one of the most exciting prospects in Nigel Carolan’s U20s squad and made his debut at this level in Friday night’s win over Scotland. “You kind of have to embrace everything else that’s going on and try not to think about it,” he says of the extra attention. “You do notice a step up, everyone’s bigger and faster. The game is a lot quicker and the hits are a lot harder. You just put your head down and keep working at it. Once you’re in the game you forget about the physicality and all that. You just play rugby.” He’s doing alright so far. Ireland weren’t at their best at Broadwood Stadium and conditions hardly allowed them to play an expansive game but anyone who has come across Larmour will appreciate his talent. The brief glimpses we did get of the winger on the opening weekend gave an indication of what he offers; speed, energy, direct running and an ability to find a gap. It’s not a bad skillset, particularly when you consider he was forced to show another side to his game in Cumbernauld. The hope will be that Ireland’s back line will get more of a chance to express themselves as the tournament progresses, especially in the home games on Donnybrook’s 4G surface. It was at that venue where Larmour first came to the prominence as he starred for St Andrew’s College in various cup campaigns. His performance in last year’s Senior Cup defeat to St Michael’s was further proof of his potential and why there is such excitement around him. He played centre that day but has since changed to the wing. “Centre is where I was from day one in school and I really
gpfoto 32
enjoyed it but long term I think the back three is where I’ll be looking at,” he explains. “You’ve Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw in the centre at Leinster, that’s very tough. The wing is just as tough to get onto but for me at the moment I’m preferring the wing. I haven’t played centre in a while but I can see myself playing wing. I back myself.” There’s that confidence again. He speaks of the current competition in the Leinster squad with every intention of breaking into Leo Cullen’s plans in the not too distant future. Indeed, he’s highly thought of at the province and big things are already expected. After completing his Leaving Certificate last year, Larmour earned a place in the Leinster sub-academy and regularly trains with the senior panel as well as lining out for the A side in the British and Irish Cup. A couple of good showings during this Six Nations will advance his cause no end. “It’s a bigger platform, there’s more people watching and all that,” he continues. “But rugby is the main priority, that’s number one, but you are always thinking about who is watching and you want to be at your best and play at your best.” It rings true: you just never know who is watching and taking notice. “I was just sitting at home, I think it was a Sunday afternoon at about 12 o’clock, and my phone rings, an unknown number,” Larmour recalls. “I answered and it was Joe Schmidt on the phone. I thought it was one of the lads messing with me at first and he was like can you be up here [Carton House] at ‘like two or three o’clock’ and I didn’t know what to do and I told my Dad and he didn’t believe me. “He was like ‘nah it’s one of the lads’ but yeah it was an unreal experience going up there to train. All of the lads were so nice, actually Josh van der Flier took me under his wing as he presented me with my jersey back in school so I kind of knew him. Everyone was great, everyone was really helpful.” That experience of training with Schmidt’s squad in the build-up to last year’s November Tests gave Larmour an insight into the standards at international level and it only served to motivate him further. He got a taste of that environment, and wants to be part of it again. “It motivated me even more, seeing what they do and how they good they are,” he admits. “I just want to be at that level all the time. It was a really good experience and really enjoyed it.
“I talked to Joe a little bit, I was talking to Garry Ringrose a good bit and Josh van der Flier. “If you keep on form like, playing well in the Six Nations and then through the World Cup people start talking about you even more and you get exposed to the type of coaching we have and the players and it just motivates you even more, spurs you on even more.” Rugby has always been Larmour’s passion and from a young age he always wanted to make it as a professional, but it wasn’t the only sport he excelled at through his school years; he’s one of those annoyingly multi-talented guys who is good at anything he tries. As a traditionally strong hockey-playing school, Larmour represented St Andrew’s at both sports from first year and would go onto win All-Ireland titles and Ireland underage caps during his time in Booterstown. “The last time I played a game of hockey was probably sixth year,” he says. “I played in the All-Irelands one last time. We made it to the semi-finals but got knocked out by Wesley I think.” “My parents always encouraged me to do both, and all my teachers and coaches always said do both. In sixth year, I was going to do both but after the All-Irelands something just, I don’t know, I took a year out of hockey because I was injured. “I had an ACL in my knee and I came back to it and didn’t enjoy it as much as I did beforehand so then I decided I’d just stick with the rugby. “I had a pretty good relationship with the hockey coach in Andrew’s and I’d train rugby three times a week but on a Friday I’d do an hour of rugby and an hour of hockey because the hockey was 5-6 and rugby was 4-5. That gave me a bit of space to let me go do my rugby and do the hour of hockey. “But rugby is what I wanted to do for as long as I can remember. It’s all I ever wanted to do.” Larmour definitively swayed towards rugby in fourth year when he was selected for the Irish U18s squad alongside Jonny Guy after St Andrew’s had stormed to the Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals. “That’s probably when it hit me that I wanted to do this,” he adds, and you get the feeling he made the right decision in chasing a career in rugby. He has a bright future ahead. That wasn’t too bad, was it? “No, it was grand actually,” he laughs. The first of many, you’d imagine. The42.ie
Boyle Try Drives Ireland U-20s To Gutsy Comeback Win The new-look Ireland Under-20s showed their mettle with a two-try 20-19 comeback victory over Scotland in the U-20 Six Nations at Broadwood Stadium tonight. Flanker Paul Boyle spun out of a tackle to score a vital 72nd-minute converted try, with Josh Henderson - Scotland’s scoring hero with 14 points - missing a kick to win the game two minutes from the end. A forwards-dominated first half ended 13-6 in Scotland’s favour, Johnny McPhillips’ brace of penalties keeping Ireland in touch after leaking an early Cameron Hutchison try. Hooker Tadgh McElroy’s try off the back of a 42nd minute lineout maul had Nigel Carolan’s youngsters level, but the Scottish pack got on top again to see out-half Henderson add two more penalty goals for a 19-13 lead. Much to their credit, the Ireland forwards, including tireless carriers Caelan Doris and Cillian Gallagher, were clinical from their only remaining scoring opportunity, wearing down the home defence for Boyle to strike from close range. Number 10 and man-of-the-match McPhillips, whose kicking out of hand had kept his side in the hunt, nailed the conversion. Henderson was narrowly wide with his long range shot at glory, and lock Oisin Dowling’s crunching tackle, which forced a knock-on, allowed Ireland to control possession up to the final whistle. After a delayed kick-off due to a technical fault between the match officials, Ireland had the advantage of a decent wind in increasingly cold conditions in Cumbernauld. The visitors only had two players back from last year compared to Scotland’s eight. Scottish out-half Henderson dropped a testing fifth-minute penalty short after UL Bohemians prop Joey Conway was pinged at the second scrum. The hosts maintained the early pressure and after mauling up close from a lineout, centre Hutchison took a hard line to bulldoze over from a few metres out. Henderson’s conversion was cancelled out by McPhillips’ first three-pointer of the night, Ireland steadying the ship after McElroy was pinged for a dummy lineout throw and number 8 Doris was guilty of holding on following a midfield carry.
The Irish eight, including returning flanker Gallagher, carried strongly in the lead up to McPhillips’ second penalty goal towards the end of the first quarter, cutting the gap to 7-6. However, Scotland’s very effective maul and scrum gave them a considerable advantage as the first half wore on. Possession-starved wingers Jordan Larmour and Colm Hogan reacted swiftly to deny Darcy Graham in the left corner after new Irish captain Jack Kelly had failed to deal sufficiently with a crossfield kick. The Scots kept up their stranglehold of possession and territory, earning a 39th minute penalty shot for Henderson which he duly slotted for a 13-6 interval advantage. Ireland’s brave decision to go for the corner almost immediately on the resumption was rewarded. The Scottish defence struggled to contain a well-executed maul and Lansdowne clubman McElroy rumbled over for McPhillips to land the levelling conversion. Sean Lineen’s charges turned the screw once more via their strong set piece, exerting further territorial pressure for two more crisp strikes from Henderson. Ireland also had to cope with the departure of full-back and skipper Kelly who damaged his shoulder in contesting a high ball. At 19-13 down, Ciaran Frawley provided the inspiration for Ireland with a jinking midfield run and a subsequent penalty was dispatched to touch. Although the chance was lost due to McElroy’s crooked throw, a good touchfinder from Hogan and two very important tackles from McPhillips saw Ireland bounce back into an attacking position. They needed no second invitation as an exhaustive bout of carrying from the forwards, with Fineen Wycherley, Dowling, the talismanic Gallagher and Doris all to the fore, ended with Boyle’s all-important try to the left of the posts. And it was Ireland who held their nerve when it mattered most, Ulster ‘A’ starlet McPhillips converting into the difficult wind, a resilient defence halting Scotland in their tracks and then a slice of good fortune seeing Henderson make a rare error off the tee. TIME LINE: 5 minutes - Scotland penalty: missed by Josh Henderson - 0-0; 8 mins - Scotland try: Cameron Hutchison - 5-0; conversion: Josh Henderson - 7-0; 15 mins - Ireland penalty: Johnny McPhillips - 7-3; 21 mins - Ireland penalty: Johnny McPhillips - 7-6; 26 mins - Scotland penalty: Josh Henderson - 10-6; 39 mins - Scotland penalty: Josh Henderson - 13-6; Half-time - Scotland 13 Ireland 6; 42 mins - Ireland try: Tadgh
McElroy - 13-11; conversion: Johnny McPhillips - 13-13; 54 mins - Scotland penalty: Josh Henderson - 16-13; 63 mins Scotland penalty: Josh Henderson - 19-13; 72 mins - Ireland try: Paul Boyle - 19-18; conversion: Johnny McPhillips - 19-20; 78 mins - Scotland penalty: missed by Josh Henderson - 19-20; Full-time - Scotland 19 Ireland 20
Jordan Larmour’s tries help Ireland U-20s pip Italy
Outstanding performance from St Mary’s man edges Ireland to hard-earned win Italy Under-20 26 Ireland Under-20 27 Ireland could have lost but escaped with a victory for the second week in a row. The overwhelming feeling will be one of relief after another disjointed performance illuminated fitfully with two cracking tries from the outstanding Jordan Larmour. The visitors were poor in the first half, fortunate to be 6-3 ahead at the interval, through two penalties from out half Johnny McPhillips. Italy were far sharper, played the better rugby and brought their backline into play, something that the visitors largely neglected. Ireland’s set piece proved the exception to the general torpor, the lineout excellent and the scrum, much more resolute than it was against the Scots. The visitors though were terribly pedestrian with the ball and porous, at times alarmingly so, without. Jordan Larmour, who had saved Ireland twice in the first half with great covering tackles, scored the first try of the game, seconds after the restart, grabbing a loose ball from a Johnny Stewart box-kick and tearing 55 metres down the touchline to score. McPhillips added a superb conversion. Superb break Italy’s outhalf Antonio Rizzi kicked a second penalty to reduce the deficit to 13-6 and then after Ireland conceded three penalties at the maul, hooker Massimo Ceciliani was driven over. Rizzi missed the conversion but tagged on a penalty when the Italians got their own back for a scrum turnover to make it 14-13. Colm Hogan’s superb break and offload put Larmour in space and he finished for a second try, which McPhillips converted but Ireland conceded a try virtually from the restart to Marco Zanon. Rizzi crucially missed the conversion but in the space of 60 seconds, Ireland had another try, replacement Tommy O’Brien charging down a clearing kick and re-gathering to touch down. Replacement out half Conor Fitzgerald tagged on the conversion to make it 27-19, an advantage that proved just enough as they conceded another converted try from a maul, to hang on by a point.
gpfoto 33
Irish Rugby Stars Set For Bright Futures
It’s a big weekend for Ireland in the Six Nations. As well as Joe Schmidt’s men facing France at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, Ireland’s Under 20s also take on their French counterparts in Donnybrook tonight. Nigel Carolan’s youngsters have two wins from their opening two games against Scotland and Italy, and lie second in the Under 20s RBS Six Nations table on 8 points, behind England. As we reach the midway point of the campaign, here are Irish players who have impressed so far: Jordan Larmour Leinster A winger Larmour starred for Ireland’s Under 20s in their victory away to Italy last time out, going over for two tries in the 27-26 win in Prato. The 19 year old has already caught the eye of Leinster head coach Leo Cullen and of Joe Schmidt, who invited Larmour to train with the senior Irish squad last autumn. The St Andrews man is a huge prospect, with his bustling energy, direct running and speed causing problems for the opposition. We look forward to seeing plenty more of him in the years to come! Ireland under-20s impress in tight victory over France Caelan Doris, Tommy O’Brien and Jordan Larmour were excellent in the Six Nations win Ireland under-20 27 France under-20 22 The imperfections won’t matter one jot in victory, well at least for a few days as Ireland demonstrated tremendous courage and resilience, defying a spate of injuries and a few performance wobbles to hang on for a deserved victory. There were some exceptional individual performances, notably Caelan Doris, who appeared omnipresent, Tommy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour and a lung bursting effort from the starting front five against physically bigger men. It was Ireland’s third straight victory in the tournament, a record they’ll take to Wales in a fortnight’s time. Despite a healthy advantage, 21-10 on the scoreboard at the interval, Ireland will have been slightly disappointed with aspects of their play that prevented them from being further ahead, notably some poor kicking and a failure to convert one gilt edged try-scoring chance. The try scored by French right wing Farage Fartass five minutes before the interval will also grate but for the majority of the crowd of 4,563 they simply marvelled at the wonderful footwork and speed of scrumhalf Arthur Retiere, the son of former French forwards’ coach, Didier; he is a rare talent. It would be wrong to castigate Ireland too much for the occasional
gpfoto 34
lapse because there was plenty to admire in the manner in which they took the game to the French. The scrum proved a destructively offensive weapon while they also profited from their work out of touch and at the breakdown. The French dominated the opening exchanges with their offloading out of the tackle and direct running and the home side suffered a couple of early injury setbacks. Leinster wing Larmour among the standouts in Ireland U20s win Tommy O’Brien and Caelan Doris also showed their great promise. A 27-22 VICTORY over Francemeans Nigel Carolan’s Ireland U20s have won all three of their games in the Six Nations so far. Here, we look at three of the standout performers during last night’s success at Donnybrook. Jordan Larmour Larmour came out of St. Andrew’s College with a fine reputation, having also represented Ireland and Leinster at Schools level, and continues to underline how exciting a prospect he is. The St. Mary’s man was superb throughout last night’s win over the French, with his acceleration, footwork, balance and power in contact making him a constant threat with ball in hand. Not content simply to wait for the ball to arrive to him out wide, Larmour sometimes roamed infield to link with returning outhalf Bill Johnston. That points to the intelligence Larmour has to go along with his clear athletic prowess. As Bernard Jackman, working as an analyst with RTÉ last night, noted, it was the sweeping kick from Larmour to touch late in the game that impressed most, lifting pressure from his team when other wings might have backed themselves to break again. Leinster clearly have yet another outstanding back three prospect on their hands in the shape of Larmour.
Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam hopes ended by stylish Wales
Wales Under-20 41-27 Ireland Under-20 Ireland’s Under-20s saw their Grand Slam hopes crumble under a barrage of brilliant Welsh back play as the hosts claimed a 41-27 Six Nations victory in Colwyn Bay. Two tries from centre Kieran Williams, including the crucial late score under the posts when the sides were level at 27-27, proved the difference as Wales’ potent attack ran in a total of five tries. Ireland were also dangerous with ball in hand, and Calvin Nash, Tadgh McElroy and Paul Boyle scored tries as the visitors clawed their way back from 14 points down to set up that grandstand finish.
Nigel Carolan’s side were hoping to set up a Slam decider with England next weekend, but their poor record in Wales meant they were in for a stern test at Parc Eirias. And so it proved. Ireland were quick out of the traps themselves as impressive Leinster full-back Jordan Larmour countered and fed skipper Nash, who beat two defenders to finish in the corner after six minutes. But Wales hit back to cut Ireland open twice in the space of three minutes. First, a quick tap penalty caused confusion in the Irish defence, and before it could be properly reset, out-half Ben Jones put hooker Corrie Tarrant through a gap to score. Now ahead 10-7, Wales put daylight between themselves and their visitors with a brilliant score from scrum-half Dane Blacker, who finished off a fine move which began deep in Welsh territory. Two penalties from Munster’s Bill Johnston reduced Ireland’s arrears to four before Carolan’s team were hit by a sucker punch on the stroke of half-time. Good work off a lineout sucked in the Irish defence, and man-ofthe-match Williams hit a big gap before side-stepping the tackle of Tommy O’Brien to give Wales a 24-13 half-time lead. A Jones penalty padded that advantage after the break to leave Ireland’s prospects looking bleak, but the Irish pack seized control of the encounter to level the match. Hooker McElroy was on the end of an excellent driving maul before flanker Boyle finished off a series of drives by the loose forwards, including the excellent Caelan Doris and Gavin Coombes. At 27-apiece, the game was in the balance, but matters turned against Ireland once again with the sin-binning of substitute Conor Fitzgerald on 62 minutes. Wales took immediate advantage of the extra space, with Jones delivering a wonderfully flat skip pass to Williams, whose cracking line took him under the posts. Ireland chased the game valiantly but it was Wales who delivered the final blow when Jack Pope helped push a maul over the line against tiring green shirts. Carolan: U-20s squad has some of best players we have ever had While Ireland U-20s’ Six Nations title hopes were left in tatters in Wales last weekend, there have been so many positives to take from the tournament that it is difficult to puncture the feel-good vibe around the squad. Having fought their way back from a 14-point deficit, Ireland put themselves in a position to set up a Grand Slam showdown with England on Friday, but as it is, the visitors will instead arrive in Dublin as champions.
The scrum has improved game by game, while there have been several standout performers who are undoubtedly destined for the professional game and beyond. Jordan Larmour has arguably been the pick of the bunch as his scintillating footwork has caused problems for every defence Ireland have come up against, and his coach Nigel Carolan is full of praise. “Once you give the guy a bit of space, you know you are in trouble,” Carolan said. “He has devastating pace. He’s a very balanced runner, very composed. He rarely makes mistakes. “There is a place for him, not just at professional level but at international level. He’s extremely quick, he’s got good high-ball skills. He’s a good runner and a good communicator. I think he’s going to have the make the jump in the not-too-distant future. “There are other players who are extremely consistent like Fineen Wycherley, Oisin Dowling, Caelan Doris. There is nothing holding them back. They are outstanding, consistent performers. They will make little mistakes but they are learning. They have very bright futures.” High praise indeed from Carolan who in his third year as head coach has seen the likes of Garry Ringrose and Joey Carbery make the step up to the highest level. So where do the current crop rank? “These are some of the best guys that we have had,” Carolan insisted. “Every year they are bigger, stronger. They’ve a little bit more knowledge than the guys gone before them. The exposure they’re getting is a lot higher. “James Ryan was the beacon from last year, and maybe our expectations weren’t as high when we compare Oisin and Fineen to where James was but they have performed consistently well. “There is a lot of X-factor in this group. They’re trying to learn. That’s the biggest thing for them. “Even about communication when after four or five phases at that level of intensity, the lungs are burning, they go quiet. “They have to learn that you can’t afford to go quiet. That’s when you lose your connections and there are gaps in defence. You’re going to get punished against the better sides.” With a Junior World Cup to come in June, there is still plenty to play for in what is an ultra-competitive squad, particularly in the backline. Jack Kelly will miss Friday night’s clash with England with shoulder problem but Gavin Mullin should return from a hamstring injury. Ireland fight to the last as England claim Under-20 Grand Slam
Fullback Jordan Larmour tops a list of impressive Irish performances at Donnybrook Ireland Under-20 10 England Under-20 14 Fri, Mar 17, 2017 Ignore the final score for a moment because it’s a distorted reflection of what transpired at Donnybrook. England won a Grand Slam, champions for the first time since 2011, an excellent team, but Ireland rattled them to the core, playing some outstanding rugby in the process. The phrase ‘small margins’ is overused but encapsulates what separated Ireland from the victory that their performance probably merited over the 80 minutes. The home side was denied by millimetres, occasionally measured in territory and none more so than the final throes of the game when the Ireland battered their way to the England line but could not ground the ball. Heartbreak sure, but a magnificent hurrah for a barnstorming, courage-laden, entertaining, skillful display from this young Irish team; they should be proud because their supporters were, a wall of noise reverberating around a packed Donnybrook. England earned their celebrations at the final whistle with that superbly defiant goal-line stand. On other days they might have lost but just about mustered enough resolution to prevail. The frisson of excitement was palpable when Ireland fullback Jordan Larmour touched the ball, the dip of a shoulder and sudden acceleration; tacklers vapourised in his slipstream; or when initially corralled, legs piston-like powering through opponents. He was exceptional in an outstanding team display. On any other night, Tommy O’Brien, Gavin Mullin, Paul Boyle and Caelan Doris, debutant John Foley, Fineen Wycherley or replacement Gavin Coombes would commandeer headlines but Larmour’s performance in front of Ireland senior coach Joe Schmidt was colossal. In singling out those players it should in no way denigrate the contribution of the rest of the Irish players on the night; to a man they were excellent. A team doesn’t always receive the reward that their endeavour merits, something with which Ireland might empathise after the opening 40 minutes. They conceded tries at either end of the half, flummoxed by a lineout variation for the first and undone by a bit of bully beef and a sharp line for the second. Secondrow Jack Nay and hooker Henry Walker were the men who breached the Irish defence, while Max Malins kicked two super conversions to nudge the visitors into a 14-3 lead. Ireland’s response on the scoreboard came through the boot of outhalf Bill Johnston, striking a beautifully judged medium range penalty. There was so much more though to the Irish performance in
that period. They took the game to England, might have scored a couple of tries and demonstrated courage and, at times, excellent attacking gambits. In matches of this ilk though, opportunities must be snapped up; the home side didn’t, defaulting on two glorious chances. Handling errors were to prove a bugbear, undermining some brilliant passages of attacking rugby in the preamble to a ball spilling from a player’s grasp, albeit under huge physical pressure in ferocious collisions. Ireland weathered some early English pressure after the restart and then, playing into the strong wind, set about taking the game to their opponents, in close, on the fringes, through the midfield and out wide; Larmour and O’Brien were particularly effective. It was the Irish fullback’s latest break on 64 minutes, from what will be an impressive highlights reel, that took Ireland into the English 22 and from there, the pack bludgeoned their way to the visitors’ line before Coombes plunged over beneath the posts. Johnston converted. England threatened briefly from turnover ball but Ireland finished as they had played for much of the match with courage and skill, ultimately denied by those millimetres.
Brilliant Larmour among the standouts for Ireland U20s in England defeat
Gavin Coombes and Charlie Connolly showed up well against the English pack. NIGEL CAROLAN’S IRELAND U20s ended their Six Nations campaign with a 14-10 defeat against England at Donnybrook. The former St. Andrew’s College man didn’t always get the best quality possession, but he made the most of it nearly every single time. Larmour has been outstanding for Ireland throughout this championship and his superb form continued this evening at fullback, where he has been even more effective than when on the wing earlier in the Six Nations. His footwork is sublime, while the sharp burst of acceleration Larmour possesses means he invariably beats the first tackle. The Leinster academy man’s mindset is one of pure attack and he looks as though he always expects to break the line. Against a highly-vaunted England team, Larmour was the best back on the pitch. He has a bright future, but looks ready for the step up to senior rugby sooner rather than later, while fellow back three member Calvin Nash was also impressive here. Larmour is a player for Irish rugby to get excited about. The42.ie
gpfoto 35
Larmour’s outstanding U20 Six Nations shows why Joe Schmidt is a fan
‘You could put Jordan at nine or 10 and he’d probably do as well, he’s just an outstanding player.’ AFTER THE IRELAND U20s finished their Six Nations campaign with an agonising 14-10 defeat to Grand Slam winners England last Friday night, Jordan Larmour was the name on everyone’s lips at Donnybrook. The Ireland fullback was superb once again for Nigel Carolan’s side, cutting past English defenders almost every time he was in possession and generally thrilling the crowd with his footwork, balance, power and acceleration. Over the course of this year’s championship, Larmour showed exactly why Joe Schmidt is among his fans, with the Ireland coach having called him into senior national squad training last November. It capped off an outstanding championship for Larmour, who played on the right wing in Ireland’s first three games – scoring two tries against Italy – before a move into fullback for the clashes with Wales and France. “It’s the first time really, I’ve only played two matches at fullback,” said Larmour of the shift to 15. “I am really enjoying it though – I get a bit more ball, in the action a bit more. “Field position is the challenge, reading the 10 and knowing when he’s going to kick it, but I’m really enjoying it. I’m open to playing anywhere and it adds another string to my bow, but fullback, wing – I’m happy with either.” Larmour is a product of St. Andrew’s College and impressed at outside centre in his school days. However, his attacking skillset is suited to the back three and it was always likely that he would advance up the age grades and into senior rugby out wide. Ireland coach Carolan feels that Larmour would make an impact from anywhere in the backline, but given the strength of Calvin Nash and Tommy O’Brien on the wings, it made sense to slot Larmour into fullback in the latter stages of the Six Nations. “You could put Jordan at nine or 10 and he’d probably do as well, he’s just an outstanding player,” said Carolan. “There are a few bits that could certainly be polished, but he’s certainly got real x-factor. “He’s so dangerous on the ball and it was just important we had all our best players on the pitch to give us a chance. Whether he’s at fullback, on the wing, he’s equally good.”
gpfoto 36
A St. Mary’s College RFC clubman, Larmour is currently a member of the Leinster sub-academy and will progress onto a full academy contract with his native province next season. He has already been involved with Leo Cullen’s senior squad on the training pitch and has has six British and Irish Cup caps to his name already, including two starts on the right wing and three tries. Larmour has also enjoyed that honour of being called into senior Ireland training at Carton House under Schmidt. Indeed, Schmidt is a big fan of the 19-year-old’s abilities, and one can only imagine that the Ireland coach feels he could help Larmour become an even better player. While Larmour – who also impressed as a hockey player in St. Andrew’s – possesses a brilliant individual running threat, there is scope for improving his awareness and distribution when in possession. It’s likely that those skills are the next stage in Larmour’s ongoing development, but Carolan doesn’t see any reason why the U20s star cannot step into senior rugby sooner rather than later. At Donnybrook last Friday, there were early calls for Schmidt – watching on from the main stand – to fast-track the exciting U20s star into Ireland’s senior set-up and Carolan believes the potential is there. “There’s certain aspects to his game, but I think within the next year, with the appropriate exposure that he gets over the next six to eight months, he can’t be a million miles away,” said Carolan. Larmour himself is showing no signs of over-confidence despite his clear promise, and was focusing on the collective after Ireland’s defeat to England, a result that came despite a performance the fullback said was “the best we’ve played all season.” “The ball was a bit greasy and the floodlights at one point, the ball was kicked to me and I didn’t know where it was,” said Larmour of his own display. “But I’m happy enough, even with a good few work-ons after this.” Currently enjoying a hard-earned week off after the Six Nations, Larmour and his fellow U20 players will return to their club and provincial set-ups next week to start into the next block of their development, but the Junior World Championship is already in mind. Ireland will travel to Georgia at the end of May to take on a pool containing New Zealand, Italy and Georgia, eager to build on what they feel has been clear progress over the course of the
Six Nations. Larmour has made an impact, but he’s simply keen to keep getting better as part of this Ireland U20 side. “The World Cup is going to be a big challenge, so I’ll try and get another pre-season under my belt. In the gym, get the fitness levels up, skills up, then just come back raring to go. “Everyone in the changing room is disappointed [after the England defeat], but we know we’re going to come back stronger from this. A lot of positives and everyone is raring to go for the World Cup. We can’t wait.” The42.ie
Ones to watch: Ireland
Joe Schmidt has never been afraid to throw new faces into the mix for Ireland. And here we take a look at some of the younger players who are beginning to forge their own path towards the Irish jersey and could be in contention for the 2018 Championship. JORDAN LARMOUR Those in the know have been salivating at the prospect of Jordan Larmour’s emergence on the international scene for a while now. Called in to train with the senior side last November, the young flyer was sensational for the Under-20s this year. They fell just short of denying England the Under-20s Grand Slam in Donnybrook but the 19-year-old Larmour, who started the Championship at wing before moving to full-back, was dangerous every time he got the ball in his hands. The Leinster academy prospect can play just about anywhere across the back line, and if his progression continues, he could be in the senior jersey before too long. RBS6Nations.Com
The Ireland Under-20 squad, sponsored by PwC, has been named by head coach Nigel Carolan for the opening rounds of the Under-20 Six Nations Championship. The 32-man squad features three players from last year’s campaign. In the forwards, Corinthians and Connacht lock Cillian Gallagher and Shannon and Munster back rower John Foley return for their second U-20 Six Nations Championship, as does Ballynahinch and Ulster out-half Johnny McPhillips. Jack Kelly of Dublin University and Leinster, a regular starter for the student club in Ulster Bank League Division 1A, has been named as captain. Speaking about selecting the squad, Nigel Carolan said: “As is the nature of Under-20 rugby, we have a new-look squad this season, with just a few of last year’s players returning, so it will be a new and exciting challenge for both the players and management.“We had a number of camps before Christmas and the attitude and enthusiasm that the players brought with them to these camps has been extremely positive. “While international rugby at Under-20 level will be new to the most of these players, the majority of them have all come through the IRFU Player Pathway and will have worn the green jersey at Under-18 and Under-19 levels.“Several of the squad have also gotten good game-time with their provincial ‘A’ teams in the British & Irish Cup this season, so that should stand to them.“The U-20 Six Nations Championship is always an exciting competition, but we’ll be taking it one game at a time and we’re looking forward to getting things underway against Scotland on Friday week.”Commenting at the announcement of the PwC-sponsored U-20 squad, Feargal O’Rourke, Managing Partner, PwC, said: “We, in PwC, are very committed to supporting Irish Rugby principally through our sponsorship of the Under-20 team and we wish them every success for 2017 and in their upcoming Six Nations Championship campaign.” The Ireland Under-20s will open their Six Nations campaign against Scotland on Friday, February 3 at Broadwood Stadium in Glasgow (kick-off 8.30pm). They will then travel to Prato to play Italy on Friday, February 10, with a 7pm kick-off (local time).Carolan’s charges will then play their first home game of the Championship against France at Donnybrook Stadium on Friday, February 24. They will face Wales on Saturday, March 11 in Colwyn Bay in northern Wales and will finish off the Championship on St. Patrick’s Day against England in Donnybrook, in what will be a
double header with the Ireland Women. The Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to play Scotland in the opening round of the 2017 U-20 Six Nations at Broadwood Stadium on Friday (kick-off 8.30pm) has been named. A new-look Ireland Under-20 team sees just two players previously capped at this level named in the side - out- half Johnny McPhillips and Cillian Gallagher in the back row. Friday’s game will be shown live on RTE 2. Joe Conway, Tadgh McElroy and Peter Cooper make up the front row with Fineen Wycherley and Oisin Dowling paired together in the second row. Gallagher, Paul Boyle and Caelan Doris complete the pack. Captain Jack Kelly will start at full-back with Jordan Larmour and Colm Hogan named on the wings. UCD duo Gavin Mullin and Ciaran Frawley make up the centre paring with McPhillips named at out-half alongside his Ulster colleague, scrum half Jonny Stewart. Commenting on the team selection and the challenge ahead, Ireland U-20 head coach Nigel Carolan said: “As is the nature of Under-20 rugby, there is fresh look to the side, the majority of the guys haven’t played at this level before however many have gotten good game-time with their provincial ‘A’ teams in the British & Irish Cup this season, so that should stand to them. “We are looking forward to starting the Six Nations. Training has gone well and the boys have gelled as a group. We are taking the tournament one game at a time and are looking forward to kicking things off in Scotland on Friday night.” IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Scotland Under-20s, 2017 Under-20 Six Nations, Broadwood Stadium, Glasgow, Friday, February 3, kick-off 8.30pm):
Nash will again captain the side from the opposite flank. There is a new centre pairing as Jack Kelly returns from the shoulder injury he sustained in Scotland to join UCD’s Ciaran Frawley in midfield. Scrum half Jonny Stewart will again partner number 10 Bill Johnston, who kicked 11 points in Ireland’s 26-25 World Rugby U-20 Championship pool win over Wales in Manchester last June. The front row remains unchanged, with hooker Tadgh McElroy packing down with props Joey Conway and Charlie Connolly, while Fineen Wycherley, who made his Munster senior debut in Cardiff last Saturday, returns to partner Oisin Dowling in the second row. Flanker Gavin Coombes, one of three Young Munster players in the starting line-up, will make his first start of the campaign on the blindside. Paul Boyle and number 8 Caelan Doris complete the back row. Ahead of the RTE Two-televised round 4 match, Nigel Carolan said: “The management team are very happy with how the side is progressing and developing so far in the Championship, but there is another big test ahead of us this Saturday in Colwyn Bay. “Wales have been going well in the competition, and despite a loss to England, they had a very big win against Scotland in the last round so they will be coming into this game full of confidence. “We’ve had a good two week build-up to this game and had another good (training) day with the senior side last week, so for us it’s now about getting out there and putting in a performance.” Wales U-20 v Ireland U-20 tickets are priced at £15 (seated), £ IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Wales Under-20s, 2017 Under-20 Six Nations, Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, Saturday, March 11, kick-off 6.30pm):
Head coach Nigel Carolan has named the Ireland Under-20 team, sponsored by PwC, to face Wales in Saturday’s U-20 Six Nations clash at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay (kick-off 6.30pm). There are three personnel changes and two positional switches. In the back-line, Jordan Larmour will wear the number 15 jersey, having played on the wing in the Ireland U-20s’ opening three wins over Scotland, Italy and France. Tommy O’Brien, the try-scoring man-of-the-match against the French, moves from the centre to the right wing, and Calvin
gpfoto 37
15. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 14. Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) 13. Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster) 12. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster) 11. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster) (capt) 10. Bill Johnston (Garryowen/Munster) 9. Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster) 1. Joey Conway (UL Bohemians/Munster) 2. Tadgh McElroy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 3. Charlie Connolly (Dublin University/Leinster) 4. Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster) 5. Oisin Dowling (Lansdowne/Leinster) 6. Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster) 7. Paul Boyle (Lansdowne/Leinster) 8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (UCD/Leinster) 17. Greg McGrath (Lansdowne/Leinster) * 18. Matthew Burke (Corinthians/Connacht) 19. Jack Regan (UCD/Leinster) 20. Marcus Rea (Queen’s University/Ulster) 21. Jack Stafford (Shannon/Munster) * 22. Conor Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster) 23. Colm Hogan (Dublin University/Munster)
gpfoto
my photos, your story
gpfoto@ymail.com +353 (087) 2424123 © All rights reserved