I saw on twitter that the irish u20 team are having trial sessions this week to help decide a squad for the 2012 6 nations and junior world cup.
http://twitter.com/#!/Galwegians_RFC
Best of luck to Wegians U20s Paul Griffen, Tadhg Leader and Calum O'Connell who are attending Ireland U20s trials this week
Will munster have many players near the irish squad this season? Will our representation be higher than this season when it was quite poor?
Pools Announced For 2012 Junior World Championship
12 December 2011, 2:03 pm
By Editor
The Ireland Under-20s have been drawn in a pool with hosts South Africa and Six Nations rivals England and Italy for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.
The International Rugby Board has announced the dates, pools and venues for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.
Cape Town and Stellenbosch will host the world's premier age-grade tournament between June 4 and 22, which will feature the world's top 12 ranked Under-20 teams.
In a move from recent Championships, the 2012 event will feature just two venues with triple-headers being played across five matchdays to maximise crowds and create a festival format within what is a large rugby heartland.
Two venues with strong rugby heritage have been selected with the University of Western Cape Stadium in Cape Town sharing the matches with the Danie Craven Stadium, which will host the final on June 22.
Coached by Mike Ruddock, this is the third year running that the Ireland Under-20s will share a pool with England, while they played South Africa twice in the pool stages and play-offs of the 2011 Championship.
2012 IRB JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOLS:
POOL A - New Zealand (2011 champions), Fiji, Wales, Samoa
POOL B - England, South Africa, IRELAND, Italy
POOL C - Australia, France, Argentina, Scotland
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "The IRB Junior World Championship has grown to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the global rugby calendar, delivering a competitive development pathway for our Unions as well as a fantastic competitive product which has proven a hit with fans and broadcasters.
"So far, 111 players have made the step up from the tournament to win full Test caps, including 49 players who made their mark at the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
"We look forward to another memorable tournament in 2012 and the opportunity to embrace the rich rugby heritage of the region with the dynamic and free-flowing rugby provided by the next generation of international Test stars."
The South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) is committed to delivering a tournament to further the growth of rugby within the country, while building on the record-breaking 2011 edition staged in the Veneto region of Italy which was screened live by 19 broadcasters to 142 territories.
IRB Tournament Director Philippe Bourdarias, speaking in South Africa for the announcement, commented; "The IRB Junior World Championship is strategically important both for the IRB and participating Unions as it provides a competitive international arena to test and develop some of the best up-and-coming players and referees in the world.
"South Africa has a proven record in hosting wonderful rugby events and I am sure the teams and players will enjoy a unique experience here next year."
SARU President Oregan Hoskins added: "We are delighted to host the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in our rugby-mad country and we look forward to welcoming the teams here in June."
The South African pair of Patrick Lambie and Francois Hougaard join an illustrious list of graduates which includes New Zealand's 2011 World Cup winners Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford and Sam Whitelock, Ireland's Rhys Ruddock, Australian duo David Pocock and Will Genia, England's Courtney Lawes and Ben Youngs and Wales' youngest ever World Cup captain Sam Warburton.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/25014.php
Any news on when the squad for the 6 nations will be picked or when/if a training squad will be announced?
Very tough group considering we normally struggle against the more powerful english and south africans
Is JJ Hanrahan still eligible? He looks like an outstanding prospect.
He is indeed.
"It is understood he received offers from other clubs to continue playing for another year or two but preferred to finish his career with Munster."
Charlie Mulqueen on Mick O'Driscoll's impending retirement
17/04/2012
Three Munster Players Named In Ireland U20 Squad
21 December 2011, 4:53 pm
By The Editor
The Ireland Under 20 team to take on a Leinster development side tomorrow, 22nd December at 2.00pm in Donnybrook has been named.
Two Munster players will feature on the first XV with James Rael, Garryowen F.C., named in the hooker position and fellow club player Shane Buckley starting in the back row. Dolphin’s Niall Scannell has been named in the replacements. The now traditional training game against Leinster is part of their preparations for the 2012 Under 20 Six Nations Championship, which begins against Wales in Dubarry Park, Athlone of Friday, 3rd February.
Ireland U20:
Shane Layden (Buccaneers/Connacht)
14 - Conor Finn (Buccaneers/Connacht)
13 - Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
12 - Tadgh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht)
11 - Callum Boland (Buccaneers/Connacht)
10 - Cathal Marsh (Dublin University/Leinster)
9 - Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
1 - Des Merrey (CLontarf/Leinster)
2 - James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
3 - Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
4 - Conor Kindregan (UL Bohemians/Connacht)
5 - Daniel Qualter (Buccaneers/Connacht)
6 - Shane Buckley (Garryowen/Munster)
7 - Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Leinster) Captain
8 - Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht)
Replacements:
16 - Stephen Macaulley (Exiles)
17 - Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
18 - Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19 - Paddy Lavelle (Dublin University/Leinster)
20 - Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster)
21 - Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
22 - Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
23 - Kyle McCall (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
24 - Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
25 - Diarmuid Higgins (Buccaneers/Connacht)
26 - Alan O’Connor (UCD/Leinster)
27 - Jack Conan (old Belvedere/Leinster)
28 - Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/domestic/news/9871.php
3/28. numbers picking up at u18 level compared to other provinces but still struggling at 20s. you would expect JJ Hanrahan will also be involved in 6 nations
Last edited by ormond lad; 21st-December-2011 at 17:40.
10 from Connacht ?! Well done to them, hopefully a sign of things to come for the provincial side
Plato: \"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.\"
Some amount of Connacht players impressive.
4 Feb 2011 - Gilmore on the General Election
"Frankfurts way or Labours way."
28 Feb 2012 - Gilmore on a yes vote for the fiscal treaty
"A vote for economic stability and a vote for economic recovery."
And seven from buc's they do will in recruiting talent .Originally Posted by McCloud
When their numbers dwindled from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect Hungry
All members of last years all ireland winning buccs u19 team and nearly played regular AIL with Buccs last season. Nearly all of them been with Buccs since they started playing rugby
The Irish Times - Friday, December 23, 2011
Ruddock's under-20s enjoy a marked superiority over Leinster
John O'Sullivan at Donnybrook
Ireland Under-20 40 Leinster Development 15:
MIKE RUDDOCK will have gleaned the rich seam in quality terms to be mined from the current resources available to him. The Ireland Under-20 coach was able to almost entirely change his team at half-time without a significant diminution in patterns or performance.
The Irish underage team prevailed in both halves in terms of the scoreboard for a thoroughly deserved victory that was characterised by intelligent running, sharp angles, good vision and a fine appreciation in game management terms. Apart from the scrums, where their opponents enjoyed a marked superiority, the national side were sharper and more cohesive.
Daniel Qualter was outstanding in a fine Irish pack, ably supported by Aaron Conneely and in a remarkable 12-minute cameo before injury forced him to the sideline, Conor Gilsenan. There is an ethereal quality to the way in which outhalf Cathal Marsh manages a game. He has an innate appreciation of space and exploits it with either his footwork or passing.
Barry Daly and Tadgh Leader formed an impressive centre partnership, Shane Layden ran strongly from fullback while Jordan Coughlan made a consistent impact when replacing Gilsenan. Leinster suffered from the lack of a cohesion that often bedevils a scratch side but with the exception of Jack O’Connell, Andrew Boyle and Darren Hudson few enhanced their reputations.
Ireland raced into a 14-point lead when Qualter blocked down a kick, regathered with Gilsenan the main beneficiary as he crossed for a try. Marsh converted as he would do again, when the outhalf exploited a soft shoulder to get inside the cover and dot down.
Leinster briefly rallied when O’Connell muscled his way over from close range but the Irish side responded on 30 minutes with a third try. Marsh fielded a clearance, ran it back to half-way and then beautifully timed his pass to Daly, who had kept his depth initially before cutting an acute angle and accelerating to the posts.
Leinster’s second-half renaissance began with tries for replacement hooker David Doyle and a fine individual score from Hudson. The fullback appeared hemmed in, inches from the touchline, but showed great balance to chip the ball over a defender, collect his kick and cross for his team’s third unconverted try.
The Irish side, though, finished the stronger with a hat-trick of tries from half-time replacements. Outhalf Jack Carty embellished good work by the pack to step inside the drift defence. He converted his own effort and that of Jack Conan who intercepted a wayward pass on half-way and cantered home from 50 metres.
The final try came from replacement scrumhalf Kieran Marmion, who took a quick tap penalty inside his own half before bamboozled a succession of defenders.
The Ireland Under-20 team will finalise their preparations for the Six Nations Championship with a game against the Ulster Ravens at Donnybrook on January 2nd.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: Gilsenan try, Marsh conversion, 0-7; 11: Marsh try, Marsh conversion, 0-14; 25: O’Connell try, 5-14; 30: Daly try, Marsh conversion, 5-21. Half-time: 5-21. 45: Doyle try, 10-21; 50: Hudson try, 15-21; Carty try, Carty conversion, 15-28; 71: Conan try, Carty conversion, 15-35; 72: Marmion try, 15-40.
LEINSTER DEVELOPMENT: D Hudson (St Mary’s); M Corballis (Old Belvedere), A Kelly (UCD), C O’Shea (Clontarf), A Boyle (UCD); N Reid (Clontarf), P O’Driscoll (Lansdowne); J O’Connell (Lansdowne), T Sexton (Lansdowne), M Moore (Lansdowne); N Keogh (Lansdowne), J Sexton (St Mary’s); C Ruddock (St Mary’s, capt), J Murphy (Lansdowne), E Masterson (Clontarf). Replacements: (all used): D Doyle (UCD), A Clarkin (UCD), J Tracey (UCD), C Owende (Old Belvedere), M Oyuga (Old Belvedere), B du Toit (DU), A Sheehan (Old Belvedere), C Ronaldson (Lansdowne), S Murphy (UCD), D Ruddock (Seapoint).
IRELAND U-20: S Layden (Connacht); C Finn (Connacht), B Daly (Leinster), T Leader (Connacht), C Boland (Connacht); C Marsh (Leinster), L McGrath (Leinster); D Merrey (Leinster), J Rael (Munster), P Reilly (Leinster); C Kindregan (Connacht), D Qualter (Connacht); S Buckley (Munster), C Gilsenan (Leinster), A Conneely (Connacht). Replacements (all used): S McCauley (Exiles), F Horan (Leinster), P Lavelle (Leinster), S Coghlan Murray (Leinster), J Carty (Connacht), K Marmion (Connacht), K McCall (Ulster), D Higgins (Connacht), A O’Connor (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), J Coughlan (Leinster).
Referee: S Gallagher (Leinster).
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...309416024.html
According to Hugo we're all foreigners though in Connacht. We're doomed.
Connacht Rugby
"Live to win. Born to lose"
Munster should be looking at Cathal Marsh. Could be 6 years before he gets a game at leinster despite his obvious talents.
Luke Mc Grath is the star though and as a scrum half he's coming into the right position where leinster will be looking for a new scrum half in a couple of seasons.
Connacht Rugby
"Live to win. Born to lose"
Cathal Marsh isn't in the Leinster Academy (unlike Luke Marshall). Probably because of his showing (or lack of) against England in the u-20s 6Ns where JJ Hanrahan was the star of the Irish show with kicking duties and playing as inside centre. Looked to me like the only reason Marsh was there was that there was no one else available (I think the Ulster duo were involved with their province in the Rabo). That is the only cap at U20s level that Marsh has to his name.
I think there is just as good local talent in Munster at that age.
There's no pro rugby in Argentina but the Pumas keep on producing quality players - so maybe that Connocht place will be the same.
Ireland U19 Training Squad Named
23 December 2011, 10:56 am
By Editor
Ireland U-19 Coach Colin McEntee has named a 32 man squad for a training camp to take place on December 28th and 29th.
The squad is essentially an U-20 Development squad and the two day camp will bring the players together under McEntee and Assistant Coach Nigel Carolan. Ireland U-19 Training Squad
Edward Byrne - Clongowes College
Bryan Byrne - Clongowes College
James Connolly - Newbridge
Jamie Dever - Westport Rice College
Barry Digby - Marist
Ultan Dillane - Tralee
Tom Farrell - Castleknock College
Brian Haugh - Young Munster
Robert Henshaw - Marist
Niall Horan - Bohemians
Conor Joyce - Malone
Donagh Lawler - St. Micheals College
Darragh Leader - Galwegians
Eoghan Masterson - Clontarf
Max McFarland - Clongowes College
Harry McNulty - Dublin University
Michael Mellet - Castleknock College
Kenneth Murphy - Pres Bray
Stuart Olding - Belfast Harlequins
Matthew Rea - Ballymena Academy
Mark Roche - Landsdowne
Rory Scholes - Belfast Harlequins
Christopher Taylor - Malone RFC
Gavin Thornbury - Blackrock College
Josh Van Der Flier - UCD
John Andrew - Ballymena
Steven Crosbie - Old Belvedere
David Panter - Corinthians
John Donnan - Ballynahinch
Jerry Sexton - St. Mary's
Ryan Murphy - Dolphin
Jack Fitzpatrick - Gonzaga College
henshaw and digby both from last years all-Ire u19 club winners buccaneers, 80% of that team must be repesented in the irish 19/20 squad,big difference from munster where the clubs are virtually ignored...buccs beat waterpark last year in the semi-final
but not by a huge margin..the west is awake
How are guys like Jake Considine and Cronan Gleeson doing in the AIL, thought they'd be in the mix?
It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.
Every plan I have is the best plan in the room. Everybody get quiet and listen to it, and everybody will win
Cronan hasnt played AIL yet, only involved with shannons first team for the charity cup final and didnt make the training squad for the Irish 19s/20s development squad
Incorrect. He is in the sub-academy. Marsh is there because he's a quality operator. I dont think munster have anywhere near the same level of talent. if they did they wouldnt have 3 under 20 squad players.
Hanrahan has the potential to make it provided he gets fitter. Definitely overweight last year.
Connacht Rugby
"Live to win. Born to lose"
Buccs have 8 between both squads, nearly all of those 8 played AIL last year, very few of the waterpark lads have even played at j1 level for park this season. IIRC it was said after the game that a major reason waterpark lost was due to the sheer physical size of the Buccs lads.
it seems to be much harder for the young guys to get on the AIL first team squads in limk/cork...shannon recently played eight under 21s in the charity cup final against YM..maybe it's the way to go higher tempo more intensity
Why is it so hard in limerick/cork for the younger lads to make it though?
Buccs seem to be doing allright in div 1B with some very young players starting week in week out.
If he is such a quality operator, how come he has only one U20s cap (to Paddy Jackson's 9) and he is the same age. JJ is 7 months younger than both of them and he has 7 x U20s caps. He didn't make the U20s world cup either. How come Luke McGrath is a year younger and he is in the Leinster Academy? If he is as good as you claim he is, he would be in the Leinster Academy.
I also note you didn't comment on his performance in that U20s 6N game against England! How did you rate that performance?
As for your comments about the poor quality of Munster players coming through - it would seem that Cathal Marsh isn't much better than them if judging on making the U20s, but yet you rate him!
Jack Carty, Callum Boland, Danny Qualter and Shane Layden, all Irish u20s, have been regulars for a couple of years for Buccs. They also have 3 or 4 21 year olds in their starting 15. They'd be top of 1B only they were deducted points.
Some of the other lads are regulars with Galwegians and Corinthians, and were last year as well
Some of the Connacht 20s are massive. They were doing serious training over the summer, 3 times a day for 3 months and most of them are training alongside the 1st team as well. I remember someone commenting after the Connacht v Ulster u20 interpro that the Connacht backs were bigger than the Ulster forwards.
When I see and hear this it seems the structures are now really in place in Connacht and the academy system is well organised and flourishing
Marsh is a quality player and being behind jackson isnt that bad, jackson played magners league last feb, only a month after turning 19 when the 20s 6 nations was on.
He didnt make the world cup but james mc kinney the Queens outhalf was involved and he wasnt involved in the 6 nations and he's another serious player
Luke Mc Grath is a different position so you cant really contrast their progress.
what buccs are doing is what other senior clubs and the provinces should be doing ,getting guys stronger and up to speed at an earlier age,it's very impressive to get so many players on to the irish 19/20 panels from one club
Exactly Luke Mc Grath is being fast-tracked because Leinster need a new scrum half in 2 years. He's a top player anyway. There is a glut of superior back-line talent at Leinster that could be utilised at other provinces otherwise many of them will simply be lost to the game soon.
Connacht Rugby
"Live to win. Born to lose"
That's alot to do with the work being done in the Connacht academy as well and the strength and conditioning coaches
Mick Kearney is a good example of this. He arrived after the end of the u20 World Cup, quite a skinny lad for the 2nd row. He's now alot bulkier and seems alot more powerful as well, very impressed when I've seen him come on. He was fastracked within a month of arriving to the 1st team squad, and alot of the 20s train with them as well. He has also played a good few games for Buccs as well
GAVIN CUMMISKEY at Donnybrook
Ireland Under-20s 24 Ulster Ravens 23:
IF ONE is to nitpick, and surely Ireland Under-20s coach Mike Ruddock will be doing just that, then the last quarter of this performance against an Ulster selection will come in for serious scrutiny.
What is clear from the warm-up games over the past 10 days is Ireland will be competitive at this age grade level come the Six Nations. There is quality at both scrumhalf and outhalf in recent St Michael’s College rugby nursery graduates Cathal Marsh and Luke McGrath, while the backrow is teeming with muscular, classy operators.
There were plenty of positives to glean from yesterday’s outing at a chilly Donnbyrook. Up to about the hour mark that is. Thereafter the Ulster pack upped the physical stakes and the Irish eight visibly struggled.
They conceded a try off a lineout driving maul, which is just the type of assault the French (Grenoble on February 11th) and English (Adams Park on March 16th) will undoubtedly unleash. It was prop Conor Carey who flopped over the line.
Then Conor Gaston profited from sloppy handling in midfield to kick on and be first to the bobbling ball. Stuart Olding’s conversion brought matters back to the minimum but time was up.
The quality of Marsh and Sam Coghlan Murray was evident in their combination for the game’s opening try on 28 minutes. A solid scrum saw clean ball go to Marsh, who swerved to attack the openside only to put his blindside winger though a gaping hole with a reverse pass.
Marsh also slotted that conversion as he shared place-kicking duties throughout with JJ Hanrahan.
The next try ensured Ireland had enough breathing space despite Olding punishing most infringements (the Irish defensive line went offside every time Ulster entered their 22). Again, it came off a solid scrum. When Ulster flanker Dom Gallagher was sin-binned by referee Eanna O’Dowd, Irish hooker and captain Niall Scannell signalled for a scrum.
With impressive number eight Jordan Coghlan in the blood-bin, former St Gerard’s College backrower Jack Conan switched to number eight. Conan attacked blind, took contact and sent Shane Buckley over with a neat offload.
Ireland continued to pile on the pressure early in the second half and when they went wide at pace Carthy claimed the third try. The fourth belonged to the rugby brain of McGrath. The scrumhalf’s quick tap and acceleration was enough to get him over before any defenders could stop him.
IRELAND UNDER-20S: J Carthy (Connacht); C Finn (Connacht), B Daly (Leinster), JJ Hanrahan (Munster), S Coghlan Murray (Leinster); C Marsh (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht); K McCall (Ulster), N Scannell (Munster), P Reilly (Leinster); T Beirne (Leinster), D Qualter (Connacht); J Conan (Leinster), A Conneely (Connacht), J Coghlan (Leinster). Replacements used: C Gilsenan, S Buckley, C Kindregan, D Higgins, C O’Connell, D Merrey, L McGrath, C Farrell, F Horan.
ULSTER RAVENS: R Andrew; R Scholes, M Irwin, C Gaston, T Acheson; S Olding, J Creighton; R Jablonski, J Burns, C Carey; D O’Mahony, J Simpson; A Duhig, D Gallagher, D McGuigan. Replacements used: J Andrew, C Taylor, N McComb, P Farrell, M McAuley.
Referee: E O’Dowd.
It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.
Every plan I have is the best plan in the room. Everybody get quiet and listen to it, and everybody will win
some of the profile photos of players have been taken and can be seen here
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