Ireland u20 2021

[ronk]

Given the long term situation at loosehead, you'd think that we'd give a high upside prospect a shot and overlook flaws.

[mildlyinterested]

youd hope so.. but with Hanan and Boyle already in situ in the academy it may not happen..

even though i'd rate Lasisi over Hanan.

[ronk]

If you need 2 looseheads then letting 3 into the academy is good business, even for a relatively long shot.

[mildlyinterested]

If you need 2 looseheads then letting 3 into the academy is good business, even for a relatively long shot.

I don't think Lasisi is a long shot.. if anything Hanan seems to me to be the least likely of the three to be a regular for leinster.

[dropkick]

I had a look at the other 2 games.

France England was a game of 2 halves. France went 19-3 up but lost the second half 3-35. They play at 100mph and got 3 quick tries but then in the second half England got stuck in and the French kept turning over the ball. They had no possession and didn't change tactics. Brennan went off with what looks like a serious leg injury.

England looked physical and muscular while the French had a lot of smaller, quicker players.


Italy Wales was a poor spectacle. About half the Welsh points came from Italian indiscipline. Both packs looked decent but the Welsh backs hardly touched the ball.


Key for Ireland will be to not give away cheap penalties. Half the tries in the tournament seem to come from mauls. Irelands big backline can be a defensive asset. I see that Jennings profile has been updated and it says he is 6'3. Thats the biggest backline we've ever put out at that level but they can play a bit too. Forde looks one to watch also.

[mildlyinterested]

serious size in the wales 2nd row:

4. Joe Peard - 6'7, 125kg
5. Dafydd Jenkins - 6'7, 114kg
19. James Fender - 6'6, 120kg

[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. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
10. Tim Corkery (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/UCD RFC/Leinster)
9. Nathan Doak (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)

1. Jack Boyle (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)
3. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Garryowen RFC/Munster)
4. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)
5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)
6. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
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. George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
18. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
19. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
21. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
22. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
23. Jude Postlethwaite (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
24. Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel Community School/Cashel RFC/Munster)
25. Daniel Okeke (Ard Scoil Ris/Shannon RFC/Munster)
26. Conor Rankin (Campbell College Belfast/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).

[sunshiner1]

by mildlyinterested

review of leinster prospects performances:

1. Temi Lasisi(19) - very impressive debut as an underage international, very strong in the scrum.. is earning himself an academy place, will it be with Leinster? I hope so but given there are two looseheads in the academy already might leinster be full?
2. Ronan Loughnane(20) - was decent in most aspects, a little light at the moment but looks to have a good frame to mature into. will that be at leinster? I'd imagine it's unlikely.
3. Sam Illo(20) - was worried about him in the scrum but that looked massively unfounded, will be interesting to see how he goes the rest of the way but looks certain for an academy place you'd think.
4. Mark Morrisey(19) - good nuts and bolts performance, will need to fill out and hopefully grow in his u20 season in order to push for an academy palce with leinster.
6. Alex Soroka(20) - irelands biggest forward by a long way, been carrying a shoulder injury in 2021 and went off early in 2nd half with it, I expect he will have surgery on it after the 6 nations.. Is his future at lock or 6 for Leinster?
11. Josh O'Connor(20) - a powerful looking winger, did well enough with limited ball. Will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games, but looks worth an academy place to me.
15. Jamie Osborne(19) - a standout at 15, already in the academy it's just a matter of settling on a position long term and allowing him to develop.
17. Jack Boyle(18) - made a big impact off the bench, an excellent prospect it's just a matter of giving him time to develop physically.
21. Will Reilly(20) - had a good impact off the bench, will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games. heard he might have a connacht academy contract.
22. Tim Corkery(19) - was an improvement on JHumph, didn't do anything spectacularly, hard to know what to make of him. Will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games.
23. Chris Cosgrave(19) - came on at fullback, looked to the be the slightest back on display for ireland.. had some classy moments in attack and at least one try saving tackle.

Would love to hear what you thought of the non-Leinster guys too.

As for Temi Lasisi if Leinster won't take him pretty much every other province will be trying to snap him up. While the other provinces are producing LH props no-one has anything but solid in the pipeline. Lasisi is a step above

[mildlyinterested]

apparently has a knock this week so he is out.

But i'd take him over Hanan going forward.

[dropkick]

by mildlyinterested

review of leinster prospects performances:

1. Temi Lasisi(19) - very impressive debut as an underage international, very strong in the scrum.. is earning himself an academy place, will it be with Leinster? I hope so but given there are two looseheads in the academy already might leinster be full?
2. Ronan Loughnane(20) - was decent in most aspects, a little light at the moment but looks to have a good frame to mature into. will that be at leinster? I'd imagine it's unlikely.
3. Sam Illo(20) - was worried about him in the scrum but that looked massively unfounded, will be interesting to see how he goes the rest of the way but looks certain for an academy place you'd think.
4. Mark Morrisey(19) - good nuts and bolts performance, will need to fill out and hopefully grow in his u20 season in order to push for an academy palce with leinster.
6. Alex Soroka(20) - irelands biggest forward by a long way, been carrying a shoulder injury in 2021 and went off early in 2nd half with it, I expect he will have surgery on it after the 6 nations.. Is his future at lock or 6 for Leinster?
11. Josh O'Connor(20) - a powerful looking winger, did well enough with limited ball. Will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games, but looks worth an academy place to me.
15. Jamie Osborne(19) - a standout at 15, already in the academy it's just a matter of settling on a position long term and allowing him to develop.
17. Jack Boyle(18) - made a big impact off the bench, an excellent prospect it's just a matter of giving him time to develop physically.
21. Will Reilly(20) - had a good impact off the bench, will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games. heard he might have a connacht academy contract.
22. Tim Corkery(19) - was an improvement on JHumph, didn't do anything spectacularly, hard to know what to make of him. Will watch with interest how he goes in the remaining games.
23. Chris Cosgrave(19) - came on at fullback, looked to the be the slightest back on display for ireland.. had some classy moments in attack and at least one try saving tackle.

Would love to hear what you thought of the non-Leinster guys too.

As for Temi Lasisi if Leinster won't take him pretty much every other province will be trying to snap him up. While the other provinces are producing LH props no-one has anything but solid in the pipeline. Lasisi is a step above

Maybe he is but it was just one match against Scotland U20s. Josh Wycherley was winning penalties against Slimani in the champions cup. It's even too early to judge how Wycherley will turn out.

[Ruckedtobits]

Yes, but they were all in last 20 mins when Slimani was Fc?*Ed. Wycherly is technically good but lacks 7 kg to be a serious prop In this position in Ireland who don't have SA sized 2nd rows.

[wixfjord]

Ireland's big players standing up well. Osborne, Doak, Soroka & Kendellen all look good.

Forde having a good game too.

[cormac]

Good first 30 minutes from Ireland. Leading 17-0

[wixfjord]

Really like the look of Moxham too. Powerful runner.

[Hippo]

Enjoyed the Welsh coach being interviewed before the game - Ireland have a 'strong pack', 'they'll be kicking a lot' etc etc. Some stereotypes die hard it seems.

[wixfjord]

Any chance we can steal Nathan Doak?

[cormac]

Any chance we can steal Nathan Doak?

He's been excellent today

[cormac]

Wales 12 Ireland 40 FT

Another good performance although Wales were fairly shambolic.

[Dave Cahill]

We were very sloppy in the second half but we could get away with it because we were about 127 million times better than the Welsh

[lummix]

Have we ever had a bigger group of props at under 20. Most of them look like size wise they wouldn't be out of place in the international game.