Irish U20s Six Nations Squad

John Andrew (Ballymena/Ulster)
Jake Caulfield (Malone/Ulster)
John Creighton (Malone /Ulster)
Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Thomas Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster)
Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile)
Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins /Ulster)
Alexander O'Meara (Hartpury/ Exiles)
David Panther (Corinthians/Connacht)
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Brian Scott (UCC/Munster)
Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster)
Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster)
Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster)
Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster)


First game is vs Wales - Fri 1st Feb 19:10 Wales U20 v Ireland U20 Parc Eirias. I think it's on RTE 2.

Bit disappointed - I was hoping Olding might leapfrog NOC during the Grown-Ups 6N. I know the Ravens had been playing with him at 10 and O'Connor at 12. He and Joyce have had senior caps - I think Rory Scholes played in a friendly back at the start of the season? Missing Farrell, who is still eligible, due to injury.

Chance for Luke McGarth to start his bid for Leinster scrumhalf-ship?

Not the best u20 team. We are missing plenty of players and it shows. Wonder why Furlong isn't there.

Tom Daly is a big prospect. Hearing good things from him.

Another strong Leinster representation. As for the XV that will lose to Wales, what do you expect that to look like?

1. Peter Dooley
2. George McGuigan
3. Jake Caulfield
4. Sean McCarthy
5. Gavin Thornbury
6. Conor Joyce
7. Josh Van der Flier
8. Ryan Murphy
9. Luke McGrath
10. Stuart Olding
11. Alex O'Meara
12. Thomas Daly
13. Rory Scannell
14. Darren Sweetnam
15. Rory Scholes

something like that. This is our weakest u20 team in years, Only 3 players were at the last JWC. We are missing loads of quality players through injury though. If all were fit that starting 15 would look a lot different.

Really excited to see how Van Der Flier, Tom Daly, McGrath and Thornbury get on.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Not the best u20 team. We are missing plenty of players and it shows. Wonder why Furlong isn't there.

Tom Daly is a big prospect. Hearing good things from him.

Furlong is 2 months overage.

I think its too early to say they're not the best U20 team. Lots of unknowns.

profitius wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Not the best u20 team. We are missing plenty of players and it shows. Wonder why Furlong isn't there.

Tom Daly is a big prospect. Hearing good things from him.

Furlong is 2 months overage.

I think its too early to say they're not the best U20 team. Lots of unknowns.

We are missing so many quality players through injury though. I can't see us doing well but still can't wait to see them in action.

Are Kyle McCall and Peter Nelson injured?

Nelson is - is he still eligible? He might be being held back, like Jackson last year, given our fullback injury woes.

Not sure about mcCall, who I was impressed with in last year's U20 RWC.

I think only Olding, Chris Farrell and Luke McGrath were mentioned last year as being able to play U20s this year again. Farrell has been injured all season which is a big loss.

Robbie Henshaw looks to have skipped the U20s.

I'm not so sure of a Wales win now. Here is the team:

Wales Under-20: Dion Jones (Scarlets/ Llanelli); Ashley Evans (Ospreys/ Bridgend), Cory Allen (Blues / Cardiff), Steffan Hughes (Scarlets / Llanelli), Ashton Hewitt (Dragons / Newport); Sam Davies (Ospreys / Swansea), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets/ Llandovery); Nicky Smith (Ospreys / Swansea), Elliot Dee (Bedwas), Nicky Thomas (Ospreys / Swansea), Carwyn Jones (Scarlets/ Carmarthen), Rhodri Hughes (Ospreys/ Swansea), Sion Bennett (Scarlets / Carmarthen), Ellis Jenkins (capt, Blues / Cardiff), Daniel Thomas (Scarlets / Llanelli).

Replacements: Ethan Lewis (Blues / Cardiff), Gareth Thomas (Scarlets / Carmarthen), Dan Suter (Ospreys / Bridgend), Jack Jones (Ospreys / Rovigo), James Benjamin (Bedwas), Joshua Davies (Dragons / Bedwas), Ethan Davies (Bedwas), Thomas Pascoe (Blues / Pontypridd).

I'm guessing Ieuan Jones, Jack Dixon, Rhys Patchell and Harry Robinson are on LV cup duty. They would have been a boost to this team. Davies at 10 is weak and can only offer a kick downfield. Jordan Williams of the Scarlets who is also a fly-half is also probably on LV cup duty, he would have been a far better option.

In the back-row we have two good open-sides, but one of them is at number 8, a position he isn't big enough for . Hughes in the 2nd row is a good player. I don't know the rest of the guys, they must be new additions.

I thought olding may have been pulled as well although that may depend on whether Jackson stays with Ireland. I know Henderson will travel with the squad, not sure if PJ will

Only one Ballymena RFC club man there, no wonder Wales will win.

Ireland team named.

15 - Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins /Ulster)
14 - Alexander O'Meara (Hartpury/ Exiles)
13 - Tom Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
12 - Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
11 - Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
10 - Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
9 - Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) Captain
1 - Brian Scott (UCC/Munster)
2 - George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile
3 - Chris Taylor (Malone/Ulster)
4 - John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
5 - Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster)
6 - Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
7 - Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster)
8 - Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster)

Replacements
16 - John Andrew (Ballymena/Ulster)
17 - Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18 - Jake Caulfield (Malone/Ulster)
19 - Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster)
20 - Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
21 - John Creighton (Malone /Ulster)
22 - Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster)
23 - David Panther (Corinthians/Connacht)

I see the U20s have made even more extensive use of the Random Team Generator than Deccie has.

Don Alfonso wrote:I see the U20s have made even more extensive use of the Random Team Generator than Deccie has.

Tbf Don we have a lot of injuries. A lot of them lads wouldn't be even in the 23 if we had everyone fit.

Don - Just looked up and McCall's was 21 in January so he won't be eligible but he was in last year so it's probably done by calendar year. Nelson was 20 last October so he won't be available either.

Looking forward to seeing how Scholes is coming on. He was the Campbell 15 and place kicker in the same team as Farrell - IMO he looked to have more talent.
Can't believe Conor Joyce still qualifies - he is a definite prospect.

L4L Yeah, fair enough, but why is our best flyhalf, Olding, playing fullback, while perennial fullback Scholes plays wing?

Don Alfonso wrote:L4L Yeah, fair enough, but why is our best flyhalf, Olding, playing fullback, while perennial fullback Scholes plays wing?

They have 3 flyhalfs in the squad and maybe Olding is more flexible than Crosbie so he has to move.

What time is kickoff???

It's on BBC 2 Wales now Leinster! Just doing the anthems.

Thank you

No worries. I'll post score updates here in case anyone's interested and not able to watch it.

French referee by the way.

Wales Sam Davies kicks for a penalty but it goes wide. No score at 2 minutes.

Great run by the Welsh, should've been a try there, but Dion Jones just over runs it and loses the ball.

Wales look good, should really have scored a length of the field try then, they had so many players in support.

I'm watching online, so have to endure the worst commentary ever, Rick O'Shea is just a complete pillock and the most terrible rugby commentator

Yeah I thought they would've got that one over Wales. Wales have certainly been the more dominant so far in terms of possession and territory.

Anyway, Sam Davies going for another penalty. Sadly that just drops short.

No score at ten minutes.

I thought you were local Wales?

Rick O'Shea - "Dan Biggar is a case of last player standing again"

We have 1 injured 10

Sam Davies going for penalty number three...they could really do with getting something on the board. Nope. It's gone wide again. How frustrating.

No score at twelve minutes.

Cari wrote:Sam Davies going for penalty number three...they could really do with getting something on the board. Nope. It's gone wide again. How frustrating.

No score at twelve minutes.

Wales should be up by 16 points, unfortunately this year's Irish side is really quite poor, not helped by the players missing.

Cari wrote:I thought you were local Wales?

Narp, not anymore. The Blues games havent been televised for 3 weeks - its killing me

3 missed penalties and a missed try opportunity, Wales should be miles ahead.

Ireland making tonnes of mistakes and haven't really had possession.

Sam is rubbish. 16 points by him and Dan Thomas butchered. Unacceptable.

Wales very dominant in the scrums. They've got another penalty - that's the fifth from a scrum.

And we have points!

3-0 at 13 minutes.

valjester wrote:

Cari wrote:Sam Davies going for penalty number three...they could really do with getting something on the board. Nope. It's gone wide again. How frustrating.

No score at twelve minutes.

Wales should be up by 16 points, unfortunately this year's Irish side is really quite poor, not helped by the players missing.

Wales have 5 players with their regions. Im sure Patchell would have gotten a few more of those penalties.

3 - 0

Finally...

Anyone got any comments on the scrums?

Morgannwg wrote:Sam is rubbish. 16 points by him and Dan Thomas butchered. Unacceptable.

I think the fullback should take most of the blame for butchering that try, ran a terrible line.

Christ, both Irish centres missing their tackles.

Morgannwg wrote:Anyone got any comments on the scrums?

Well, Ireland can keep doing what they're doing in the scrums, they're giving us points (if sam had kicked them all of course)

Ref sees to be very lenient on both teams, will really favour the attacking team and the team that gets most possession

Easy break for the Irish scrumhalf there. A no.17 bus could've got through that gap!

Wow that was a lot of advantage. Should have been over when the Ireland scrum half made that break. Dan Thomas is good on the floor, but he sure is a headless chicken a lot of the time.

Irish SH looks clever

Cari wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Anyone got any comments on the scrums?

Well, Ireland can keep doing what they're doing in the scrums, they're giving us points (if sam had kicked them all of course)

Ireland are missing the the Byrne brothers in the front row, and the replacements, especially at tighthead look poor.

Ireland have a try...and it is the SH

I hope Wales don't rue 15 missed points in the first 15 mins.

Ireland on the attack now - doing very well at the breakdown...Welsh defence questionable...and McGrath the Irish scrumhalf scores.

Daly (the 13) is on kicking duty.

3-7 at 21 minutes.

That's twice Dan Thomas bought a dummy from McGrath.

The Ireland 9 is a good little player though. This goes to show being more clinical gets you points...

Well if only those three penalties weren't missed early on...

Great take by Sam Davies there.