Ireland u20 2021

[mildlyinterested]

Darragh Murray, listed at 201cm/115kg, is Niall Murray's younger brother [source: https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/202 ... emy-squad/ ].

I was impressed with NM's performances for Connacht this season, particularly the last part of the season. If his brother is a similar player, he's got the size to really make an impact at this tournament and hopefully further down the line as a pro.

201cm/115kg is really big for an Irish U20 lock ... we've had taller, but not very many who combined height and weight. The only second row I can think of at that size was John Madigan of Dolphin, and he never actually played for the U20s in a tournament. Danny Qualter was also a big lump as an U20, but he didn't make the 2m mark.

EDIT: Absolutely sh*t haircut though.

I'd be doubtful his weight is accurate based on what i've seen of him. Wouldn't be the first case of stat inflation.

he's been injured recently and didn't play in the warm ups so will be interesting to see how he goes.

[mildlyinterested]

My guess at irish u20 side to be named for game on saturday:

1. George Saunderson(Ulster)
2. Ronan Loughnane(Leinster)
3. Mark Donnelly(Munster)
4. Alex Soroka(Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan(Ulster)
6. Jack Kelleher(Munster)
7. Oisin McCormack(Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellan(Munster)
9. Nathan Doak(Ulster)
10. Tim Corkery(Leinster)
11. Shane Jennings(Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde(Connacht)
13. Jamie Osborne(Leinster)
14. Chay Mullins(Bristol) - u19
15. Chris Cosgrave(Leinster)
16. Eoin de Buitléar(Connacht)
17. Jack Boyle(Leinster) - u19
18. Sam Illo(Leinster)
19. Darragh Murray(Connacht)
20. Daniel Okeke(Munster)
21. Conor McKee(Ulster)
22. James Humphreys(Ulster)
23. Conor Rankin(Ulster)

[Ruckedtobits]

My guess at irish u20 side to be named for game on saturday:

1. George Saunderson(Ulster)
2. Ronan Loughnane(Leinster)
3. Mark Donnelly(Munster)
4. Alex Soroka(Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan(Ulster)
6. Jack Kelleher(Munster)
7. Oisin McCormack(Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellan(Munster)
9. Nathan Doak(Ulster)
10. Tim Corkery(Leinster)
11. Shane Jennings(Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde(Connacht)
13. Jamie Osborne(Leinster)
14. Chay Mullins(Bristol) - u19
15. Chris Cosgrave(Leinster)
16. Eoin de Buitléar(Connacht)
17. Jack Boyle(Leinster) - u19
18. Sam Illo(Leinster)
19. Darragh Murray(Connacht)
20. Daniel Okeke(Munster)
21. Conor McKee(Ulster)
22. James Humphreys(Ulster)
23. Conor Rankin(Ulster)

Would be a little surprised if Conor Rankin doesn't make playing XV. Highly rated in Ulster by Coaches.

Liam Bishop (THP) is some size for a 20's prop!

[munster#1]

I am not really up to speed with U20s rugby, but I was chatting with a youth development officer a few weeks ago, who has been involved in a fair few development setups for Schools, AIL and Munster over the last few years, and he was saying that Kendellan is one of the most talented players he has seen come through, although he was concerned that he is a bit on the small side.

Apart from his recent outing in the Pro14, I haven’t seen him play, so I’m really looking forward to watching.

[OneLungDavy]

u20 stats just published on irishrugby.ie, nothing yet for Jennings, Reilly or Vaughan.

LH Prop
George Saunderson(Ulster/u20) - 6'3, 118kg
Temi Lasisi(Leinster/u20) - 6'0, 120kg
Jack Boyle(Leinster/u19) - 6'1, 106kg

TH Prop
Sam Illo(Leinster/u20) - 6'1, 117kg
Mark Donnelly(Munster/u20) - 5'11, 110kg
Liam Bishop(Notthingham/u20) - 6'4, 115kg

Hooker
Ronan Loughnane(Leinster/u20) - 5'10, 102kg
Eoin de Buitléar(Connacht/u20) - 5'9, 105kg
Levi Vaughan(Leinster/u20)

Lock
Alex Soroka(Leinster/u20) - 6'6 105kg
Darragh Murray(Connacht/u20) - 6'7, 115kg
Harry Sheridan(Ulster/u20) - 6'5, 111kg
Mark Morrisey(Leinster/u19) - 6'5, 98kg

Backrow
Oisin McCormack(Connacht/u20) - 6'0, 100kg
Alex Kendellen(Munster/u20) - 6'2, 105kg
Donnacha Byrne(Connacht/u20) - 6'2, 108kg
Jack Kelleher(Munster/u20) - 6'3, 105kg
Daniel Okeke(Munster/u20) - 6'2, 110kg
Reuben Crothers(Ulster/u19) - 6'1, 96kg

Scrumhalf
Conor McKee(Ulster/u20) - 6'0, 87kg
Ben Murphy(Leinster/u20) - 5'10, 75kg
Will Reilly(Leinster/u20) -
Nathan Doak(Ulster/u20) - 6'1, 86kg

Outhalf
James Humphreys(Ulster/u20) - 6'1, 80kg
Cathal Forde(Connacht/u20) - 6'2, 95kg
Tim Corkery(Leinster/u20) - 5'10, 85kg

Outside backs
Shane Jennings(Connacht/u20) -
Conor Rankin(Ulster/u20) - 6'1, 89kg
Josh O’Connor(Leinster/u20) - 6'1, 95kg
Chris Cosgrave(Leinster/u20) - 6'0, 85kg
Ben Moxham(Ulster/u20) - 6'3, 97kg
Jamie Osborne(Leinster/u20) - 6'4, 96kg
Chay Mullins(Bristol/u19) - 6'3, 95kg
Ben Carson(Ulster/u19) - 6'0, 100kg
Jude Postlethwaite(Ulster/u19) - 6'4, 101kg

Thanks for the work mildly.

Some massive props this year, outside backs too.

[mildlyinterested]

evident that ulster are much better at getting big athletic skillful backs through their setup than leinster schools, who seem to only produce 6'0, 85-90kg backs as of late.

[hugonaut]

evident that ulster are much better at getting big athletic skillful backs through their setup than leinster schools, who seem to only produce 6'0, 85-90kg backs as of late.

It's very difficult to think of a big Leinster back from a schools background in the last decade. Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Eamonn Sheridan, Tom Daly, Jamie Osbourne, and going back much further, Shane Horgan, all came through a clubs/youths background. Robbie Henshaw came from Marist, which isn't in the Leinster system. We never actually played Tom Farrell [189cm/98kg], though he spent three years in the academy here.

Fanjs was pretty big but came though an unconventional pathway. Macken was probably the tallest schools-produced back before Ross Byrne. You have to go back a long way to get to John McWeeney [191cm/102kg, St Marys] and Dave Quinlan [193cm/103kg, Blackrock].

[mildlyinterested]

Add Karl Martin to that list of club big backs and Conor Nash.

Marcus Kiely is a recent school leaver who fits the big back mould but doesn't look like he will get a deal from leinster.

Fionn Gibbons is a huge centre who could reach the academy who is currently in school, must be close to 6'5.

[ronk]

evident that ulster are much better at getting big athletic skillful backs through their setup than leinster schools, who seem to only produce 6'0, 85-90kg backs as of late.

It's very difficult to think of a big Leinster back from a schools background in the last decade. Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Eamonn Sheridan, Tom Daly, Jamie Osbourne, and going back much further, Shane Horgan, all came through a clubs/youths background. Robbie Henshaw came from Marist, which isn't in the Leinster system. We never actually played Tom Farrell [189cm/98cm], though he spent three years in the academy here.

Fanjs was pretty big but came though an unconventional pathway. Macken was probably the tallest schools-produced back before Ross Byrne. You have to go back a long way to get to John McWeeney [191cm/102kg, St Marys] and Dave Quinlan [193cm/103kg, Blackrock].

Everyone dreams of being the next BOD.

[mildlyinterested]

evident that ulster are much better at getting big athletic skillful backs through their setup than leinster schools, who seem to only produce 6'0, 85-90kg backs as of late.

It's very difficult to think of a big Leinster back from a schools background in the last decade. Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Eamonn Sheridan, Tom Daly, Jamie Osbourne, and going back much further, Shane Horgan, all came through a clubs/youths background. Robbie Henshaw came from Marist, which isn't in the Leinster system. We never actually played Tom Farrell [189cm/98cm], though he spent three years in the academy here.

Fanjs was pretty big but came though an unconventional pathway. Macken was probably the tallest schools-produced back before Ross Byrne. You have to go back a long way to get to John McWeeney [191cm/102kg, St Marys] and Dave Quinlan [193cm/103kg, Blackrock].

Everyone dreams of being the next BOD.

except if that was the case there'd be more big athletes playing centre and coming through system..

[dropkick]

My guess at irish u20 side to be named for game on saturday:

1. George Saunderson(Ulster)
2. Ronan Loughnane(Leinster)
3. Mark Donnelly(Munster)
4. Alex Soroka(Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan(Ulster)
6. Jack Kelleher(Munster)
7. Oisin McCormack(Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellan(Munster)
9. Nathan Doak(Ulster)
10. Tim Corkery(Leinster)
11. Shane Jennings(Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde(Connacht)
13. Jamie Osborne(Leinster)
14. Chay Mullins(Bristol) - u19
15. Chris Cosgrave(Leinster)
16. Eoin de Buitléar(Connacht)
17. Jack Boyle(Leinster) - u19
18. Sam Illo(Leinster)
19. Darragh Murray(Connacht)
20. Daniel Okeke(Munster)
21. Conor McKee(Ulster)
22. James Humphreys(Ulster)
23. Conor Rankin(Ulster)

Would be a little surprised if Conor Rankin doesn't make playing XV. Highly rated in Ulster by Coaches.

Liam Bishop (THP) is some size for a 20's prop!

114kg. Conor Kenny was 135kg and 4 inches shorter. He was the heaviest player at that particular U20 world cup. He's off to Newcastle now.

[dropkick]

Darragh Murray, listed at 201cm/115kg, is Niall Murray's younger brother [source: https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/202 ... emy-squad/ ].

I was impressed with NM's performances for Connacht this season, particularly the last part of the season. If his brother is a similar player, he's got the size to really make an impact at this tournament and hopefully further down the line as a pro.

201cm/115kg is really big for an Irish U20 lock ... we've had taller, but not very many who combined height and weight. The only second row I can think of at that size was John Madigan of Dolphin, and he never actually played for the U20s in a tournament. Danny Qualter was also a big lump as an U20, but he didn't make the 2m mark.

EDIT: Absolutely sh*t haircut though.

Jack Dunne, Charlie Ryan, Tom Ahern were around the 115kg/18st mark I'd say. Eoin O'Connor might have been thereabouts last year too but was injured. Paddy Kelly possibly too. Recent years have been good.


Joshua Brennan is captaining France I see. He would have been ideal.

[ronk]

It's very difficult to think of a big Leinster back from a schools background in the last decade. Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Eamonn Sheridan, Tom Daly, Jamie Osbourne, and going back much further, Shane Horgan, all came through a clubs/youths background. Robbie Henshaw came from Marist, which isn't in the Leinster system. We never actually played Tom Farrell [189cm/98cm], though he spent three years in the academy here.

Fanjs was pretty big but came though an unconventional pathway. Macken was probably the tallest schools-produced back before Ross Byrne. You have to go back a long way to get to John McWeeney [191cm/102kg, St Marys] and Dave Quinlan [193cm/103kg, Blackrock].

Everyone dreams of being the next BOD.

except if that was the case there'd be more big athletes playing centre and coming through system..

BOD was big?

He was a stepper, a little short but otherwise a prototypical stepper like D'Arcy, Earls, Fitzgerald, McFadden, ROL (all players who self identified as outside centres but mostly played elsewhere), Ringrose.

[mildlyinterested]

Everyone dreams of being the next BOD.

except if that was the case there'd be more big athletes playing centre and coming through system..

BOD was big?

He was a stepper, a little short but otherwise a prototypical stepper like D'Arcy, Earls, Fitzgerald, McFadden, ROL (all players who self identified as outside centres but mostly played elsewhere), Ringrose.

if everyone wants to be BOD that would mean big athletes would be playing centre more.. but they aren't.. at least not in school.

[mildlyinterested]

Humphreys looking like he may start at 10.
Osborne at 15.

team to be named later today

[mildlyinterested]

15. Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster)
14. Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
13. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
12. Cathal Forde (Colaiste Iognaid/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
11. Josh O’Connor (St Peter’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
10. James Humphreys (Dean Close School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
9. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

1. Temi Lasisi (CBS Enniscorthy/Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)
3. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
4. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)
6. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)
7. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)(Captain)

Replacements:

16. Eoin de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiáran/An Ghaeltacht/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
17. Jack Boyle (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
18. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Garryowen RFC/Munster)
19. Jack Kelleher (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)
20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
21. Will Reilly (CBS Portlaoise/MU Barnhall/Leinster)
22. Tim Corkery (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/UCD RFC/Leinster)
23. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
24. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
25. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
26. Daniel Okeke (Ard Scoil Ris/Shannon RFC/Munster).

[cormac]

Try Soroka after 4 mins

[cormac]

Scotland hit back. 7-7 22 mins

After a bright Ireland have tailed off a fair bit

[cormac]

14-7 HT. Penalty try to Ireland after a header by Osborne caused mass confusion in the Scotland defence.

[Dave Cahill]

Excellent performance from the Irish - lots of standout performances. Obviously the (100% correct) red card had an effect on matters, but Ireland were just better in almost every area. Lasisi and Illo had their opposite numbers on toast, Kendellan was man of the match and Jamie Osbourne and Shane Jennings look like the real deal