Six Nations Championships 2017
Ireland U20s gpfoto
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Paul Boyle ready to lead injury-hit Ireland under-20s to Georgia No playing survivors remain from the side beaten in last year’s World Cup final Thu, May 18, 2017, 06:00 John O’Sullivan Paul Boyle will lead Ireland under-20s in Georgia.
Paul Boyle will lead Ireland under-20s in Georgia. Ireland’s under-20 captain Paul Boyle was informed of his new status – he led the side for most of the Six Nations Championship game against France following an early injury to Calvin Nash – while driving up to Dublin on Tuesday afternoon. “I had to pull over fast, because I’ll tell you it was a surprise to me. I was delighted to get it. The lads that have captained the team so far have experience and they’ll be able to help me along the way.” The Gorey native didn’t dwell on what might be labelled as a ‘captaincy curse,’ as previous incumbents in the role this season - Jack Kelly, Cillian Gallagher, Calvin Nash and Caelan Doris have all sustained injuries. Lansdowne number eight Boyle leads a 28-man Ireland squad to the Under-20 World Cup in Georgia next month, where they will face pool matches against Italy, Scotland and New Zealand, the latter who they beat en-route to the final last season, before losing to the home country, England. Injuries to Jordan Larmour (ankle), Bill Johnston (fibula), Johnny McPhillips (groin), Tommy O’Brien (hamstring), Rob Lyttle
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(shoulder) and Gallagher (shoulder), deny the travelling party from serious talent, prompting the introduction of six potential new caps. The injuries to McPhillips and Johnston mean that Conor Dean - a son of former Ireland international and current senior team manager, Paul - Angus Curtis, a son of David, who won 13-caps for Ireland in from 1991-1992, and Young Munster’s outstanding pivot, Alan Tynan, will contest the number 10 jersey. Naas prop Jordan Duggan, Skibbereen-born centre David McCarthy and former Clongowes fullback Michael Sylvester are the other new faces in the squad. Peter Malone takes over as head coach for the tournament after Nigel Carolan stepped down following the Six Nations to prepare for his new role as backs’ coach with Connacht. Former Ireland scrumhalf and Irish Under-19s coach Kieran Campbell has been added to the coaching ticket to look after the backs. There are no survivors from last year’s playing group that took Ireland to the final in Manchester. There is a familiar look to Ireland’s pool opponents, albeit that Ireland squeaked home 20-19 against Scotland with a late try, and had the exact same margin to spare against Italy, winning 27-26. Ireland’s progression through the Six Nations was pronounced and they were unlucky not to topple Grand Slam champions England in the final match at Donnybrook. But Malone knows that his young charges have to kick on again in Georgia to be competitive. “I was coaching the defence in the Six Nations and I thought our defensive consistency at times (was lacking). “We were good for periods, we just made very, very poor errors in the middle of games, two or three minutes knocking off and that cost us. The big thing for me is to get that defensively consistency right and you have to get your basics right.” The post Six Nations review highlighted as much with a high missed tackle count, while retaining the ball in contact is another area in which the team will look to improve. Malone was philosophical about the players denied to him through injury. “We knew that they would be missing from a fair way out and we planned for it. We had two trial games and introduced a wide variety of players. “The squad that’s going, players are selfish beings, they won’t really care about the guys that are missing. They just want to make their own stamp and take their opportunity.”
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): 15. Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster) (capt) 14. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 13. Gavin Mullin (UCD/Leinster) 12. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster) 11. Colm Hogan (Dublin University/Munster) 10. Johnny McPhillips (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 9. Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University/Ulster) 1. Joey Conway (UL Bohemians/Munster) 2. Tadgh McElroy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 3. Peter Cooper (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4. Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster)
5. Oisin Dowling (Lansdowne/Leinster) 6. Cillian Gallagher (Corinthians/Connacht) 7. Paul Boyle (Lansdowne/Leinster) 8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) Replacements: 16. Adam Moloney (Shannon/Munster) 17. Rory Mulvihill (UCD/Leinster) 18. Charlie Connolly (Dublin University/Leinster) 19. Jack Regan (UCD/Leinster) 20. Marcus Rea (Queen’s University/Ulster) 21. Jack Lyons (Young Munster/Munster) 22. Conor Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster) 23. Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
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 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): 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)
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