Ireland Under-20s squad?

[Donny B.]

Have I missed it or has there been any announcement of a squad for this yet?
Seems a little bit slack as their championship is starting tomorrow week.
Didn't hear about them playing any friendlies over the Christmas either against the provinces like they did last year.

Quite an exciting team in prospect with the likes of the Byrne brothers, Leavy, Luke McGrath, Sean O'Brien and Stuart Olding although it's a shame there's no Chris Farrell.

Actually now I think of it, isn't Robbie Henshaw eligible for this?

[hugonaut]

Have I missed it or has there been any announcement of a squad for this yet?
Seems a little bit slack as their championship is starting tomorrow week.
Didn't hear about them playing any friendlies over the Christmas either against the provinces like they did last year.

Quite an exciting team in prospect with the likes of the Byrne brothers, Leavy, Luke McGrath, Sean O'Brien and Stuart Olding although it's a shame there's no Chris Farrell.

Actually now I think of it, isn't Robbie Henshaw eligible for this?

No, no announcements yet. They played against Leinster and Ulster Development selections over the Christmas period
- lost 19-28 against Leinster Development on 20 Dec
- won 38-10 against Ulster Development on 29 Dec

Fairly sure Ed Byrne is unavailable for selection due to injury. Chris Farrell out due to knee surgery, Adam Byrne out due to a broken ankle [from what I've been told], Robbie Henshaw probably unavailable for selection because he plays pretty much every game for Connacht ... there'll be some spaces open in the outside backs for lads to make a name for themselves.

[Donny B.]

Have I missed it or has there been any announcement of a squad for this yet?
Seems a little bit slack as their championship is starting tomorrow week.
Didn't hear about them playing any friendlies over the Christmas either against the provinces like they did last year.

Quite an exciting team in prospect with the likes of the Byrne brothers, Leavy, Luke McGrath, Sean O'Brien and Stuart Olding although it's a shame there's no Chris Farrell.

Actually now I think of it, isn't Robbie Henshaw eligible for this?

No, no announcements yet. They played against Leinster and Ulster Development selections over the Christmas period
- lost 19-28 against Leinster Development on 20 Dec
- won 38-10 against Ulster Development on 29 Dec

Fairly sure Ed Byrne is unavailable for selection due to injury. Chris Farrell out due to knee surgery, Adam Byrne out due to a broken ankle [from what I've been told], Robbie Henshaw probably unavailable for selection because he plays pretty much every game for Connacht ... there'll be some spaces open in the outside backs for lads to make a name for themselves.

Jaysus they kept those games quiet, any reports?

Heard Ed Byrne was injured alright, forgot about Adam Byrne.

[hugonaut]

Jaysus they kept those games quiet, any reports?

Heard Ed Byrne was injured alright, forgot about Adam Byrne.

Haven't seen any reports, just a few posts on Boards.ie and word of mouth. A poster going by 'Ormond Lad' [who occasionally posts here and more often on Munsterfans] is very knowledgable about underage rep rugby [especially the Youths/Club scene] and is a very reliable source.

Ulster won the U20 interprovincial championship, beating us in the first game 24-16. We had solid wins over Munster [26-12] and Connacht [48-10]. Very difficult to know what the make-up of the Six Nations squad will be, given the number of injuries and other factors involving availability.

[Donny B.]

Haven't seen any reports, just a few posts on Boards.ie and word of mouth. A poster going by 'Ormond Lad' [who occasionally posts here and more often on Munsterfans] is very knowledgable about underage rep rugby [especially the Youths/Club scene] and is a very reliable source.

Ulster won the U20 interprovincial championship, beating us in the first game 24-16. We had solid wins over Munster [26-12] and Connacht [48-10]. Very difficult to know what the make-up of the Six Nations squad will be, given the number of injuries and other factors involving availability.

Yeah Ormond lad had a thread in the domestic section for a while there but has gone quiet of late. Surprised those games weren't given any coverage as last season there were team announcements and reports for the same games. The only thing I can think of is that Ruddock wanted to use them as training/trial matches without the distraction of a big crowd.

[the spoofer]

Haven't seen any reports, just a few posts on Boards.ie and word of mouth. A poster going by 'Ormond Lad' [who occasionally posts here and more often on Munsterfans] is very knowledgable about underage rep rugby [especially the Youths/Club scene] and is a very reliable source.

Ulster won the U20 interprovincial championship, beating us in the first game 24-16. We had solid wins over Munster [26-12] and Connacht [48-10]. Very difficult to know what the make-up of the Six Nations squad will be, given the number of injuries and other factors involving availability.

Yeah Ormond lad had a thread in the domestic section for a while there but has gone quiet of late. Surprised those games weren't given any coverage as last season there were team announcements and reports for the same games. The only thing I can think of is that Ruddock wanted to use them as training/trial matches without the distraction of a big crowd.

Is Dan Leavy out too?

[Donny B.]

Is Dan Leavy out too?

I bloody well hope not. Why, have you heard he's injured?

[the spoofer]

Is Dan Leavy out too?

I bloody well hope not. Why, have you heard he's injured?

Yep, he doesnt appear to have featured in any games of late.

[Donny B.]

Yep, he doesnt appear to have featured in any games of late.

Wouldn't worry about him not featuring for the A's as it got very competitive again once Ryan and Ruddock came back from injury.

[ormond lad]

This is a list of some of the players who have been involved with the 20s at 1 stage or another. not sure how many are still involved
George Cullen, George McGuigan, Ryan Furniss, Jake Caulfield, Conor Joyce, Alex O Meara, Thomas Harty - exiles but played with ulster/connacht in interpros
Sean O Brien, Adam Boland - connacht
Ryan Murphy, Rory Scannell, Niall Horan, Sean McCarthy, Brian Scott, John Fitzgerald - munster
Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Eoin Quinn, Steve Crosbie - leinster
Conor Joyce, Stuart Olding , Rory Scholes - ulster
http://www.inpho.ie/app/WebObjects/INPH ... wM&x=0&y=0

[Donny B.]

Cheers OL.

[hugonaut]

This is a list of some of the players who have been involved with the 20s at 1 stage or another. not sure how many are still involved
George Cullen, George McGuigan, Ryan Furniss, Jake Caulfield, Conor Joyce, Alex O Meara, Thomas Harty - exiles but played with ulster/connacht in interpros
Sean O Brien, Adam Boland - connacht
Ryan Murphy, Rory Scannell, Niall Horan, Sean McCarthy, Brian Scott, John Fitzgerald - munster
Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Eoin Quinn, Steve Crosbie - leinster
Conor Joyce, Stuart Olding , Rory Scholes - ulster
http://www.inpho.ie/app/WebObjects/INPH ... wM&x=0&y=0

Great work, Ormond Lad.

Gavin Thornbury [Leinster Academy second row] has also been involved, playing against both Ulster and Leinster development teams. Josh van der Flier [Leinster Academy openside] also featured against the Leinster development side. Luke McGrath [Leinster Academy scrum-half] also played for the Leinster Development team that played against the U20s, and then the U20s team that played against Ulster Development.

[darkside lighteside]

This is a list of some of the players who have been involved with the 20s at 1 stage or another. not sure how many are still involved
George Cullen, George McGuigan, Ryan Furniss, Jake Caulfield, Conor Joyce, Alex O Meara, Thomas Harty - exiles but played with ulster/connacht in interpros
Sean O Brien, Adam Boland - connacht
Ryan Murphy, Rory Scannell, Niall Horan, Sean McCarthy, Brian Scott, John Fitzgerald - munster
Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Eoin Quinn, Steve Crosbie - leinster
Conor Joyce, Stuart Olding , Rory Scholes - ulster
http://www.inpho.ie/app/WebObjects/INPH ... wM&x=0&y=0

good list OL - Caulfield was signed by Ulster from Bristol on an academy contract, he'll just be 20 in Feb '13 so not sure if he'll be available for this years u-20s

[ormond lad]

This is a list of some of the players who have been involved with the 20s at 1 stage or another. not sure how many are still involved
George Cullen, George McGuigan, Ryan Furniss, Jake Caulfield, Conor Joyce, Alex O Meara, Thomas Harty - exiles but played with ulster/connacht in interpros
Sean O Brien, Adam Boland - connacht
Ryan Murphy, Rory Scannell, Niall Horan, Sean McCarthy, Brian Scott, John Fitzgerald - munster
Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Eoin Quinn, Steve Crosbie - leinster
Conor Joyce, Stuart Olding , Rory Scholes - ulster
http://www.inpho.ie/app/WebObjects/INPH ... wM&x=0&y=0

Great work, Ormond Lad.

Gavin Thornbury [Leinster Academy second row] has also been involved, playing against both Ulster and Leinster development teams. Josh van der Flier [Leinster Academy openside] also featured against the Leinster development side. Luke McGrath [Leinster Academy scrum-half] also played for the Leinster Development team that played against the U20s, and then the U20s team that played against Ulster Development.

good list OL - Caulfield was signed by Ulster from Bristol on an academy contract, he'll just be 20 in Feb '13 so not sure if he'll be available for this years u-20s

thanks. id forgotten about some names when writing up the list above.
Caulfield is underage by a month if he's only 20 in feb.

[Donny B.]

Seriously though OL, have you ever known an Under-20 Ireland squad to be named this late?

[ormond lad]

Seriously though OL, have you ever known an Under-20 Ireland squad to be named this late?

no. very strange and none of the 18s or 19s squads have been announced either when they are normally announced in a release around the start of december every year
the only way people know about the 2 18s squads and the 19s is the schools and clubs mentioning players whove made it on their websites and pics of the 18s teamsheets were put up on boards after the schools beat the clubs.
there hasnt even been profile pics up on inpho(and similar sites) like previous years which have always been a good way of finding out full squads

[Donny B.]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/28204.php

Finally! No Henshaw and just a 23 man squad for this week's game


Ireland Under-20 head coach Mike Ruddock has announced a provisional 23-man squad for this Friday's RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship opener away to Wales.

The selected Ireland Under-20 squad has a new look with only three players previously capped at this level - scrum half Luke McGrath, out half Stuart Olding and back rower Josh van der Flier.

The Championship opener between Wales and Ireland takes place at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay on Friday night (kick-off 7.10pm). Match tickets are available here and there will be live TV coverage on RTÉ Two.

The Irish starting line-up and replacements will be announced later this week.

IRELAND UNDER-20 Squad (v Wales Under-20s, 2013 RBS Under-20 6 Nations Championship):

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

IRELAND'S RBS UNDER-20 6 NATIONS FIXTURES:

Fri 1st Feb 19:10 Wales U20 v Ireland U20 Parc Eirias
Fri 8th Feb 19:35 Ireland U20 v England U20 Dubarry Park
Fri 22nd Feb 19:30 Scotland U20 v Ireland U20 Netherdale
Fri 8th Mar 19:45 Ireland U20 v France U20 Dubarry Park
Fri 15th Mar 19:00 Italy U20 v Ireland U20Stadio del Marsi

[Donny B.]

Neither of the Byrne brothers or Dan Leavy....

[cormac]

Would it have killed them to include the positions they play in? Only seven Leinster players included and some fairly noticeable absentees. Are the Byrne Bros. and Dan Leavy all injured. Assume Adam Byrne is still out with the ankle injury he picked up.

[Donny B.]

Not one Connacht player? They had a good few last season.

EDIT: Missed the Panther!!!