Ireland U20's 2022

[enby]

Cork is the place to be next Sunday, it'll be hopping.

Still cork though

Well said

[Morf]

Cork is the place to be next Sunday, it'll be hopping.

Still cork though

Said by Corkonians and non-Corkonians very unalike.

[neill_m]

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Scotland Under-20s, 2022 U-20 Six Nations Championship, Musgrave Park, Cork, Sunday, March 20, kick-off 5pm): (BBC iPlayer / Sports Website & Virgin Media Two)
15. Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
14. Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
13. Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
12. Ben Carson (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
11. Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster)
10. Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9. Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
1. Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)
2. James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
3. Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster)
4. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster)
6. Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) (capt)
8. James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).
Replacements:
16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
17. Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
18. Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19. Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster)
20. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster)
21. Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster)
22. Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster)
23. Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby).

[ronk]

King promoted to start. Mullins drops to the bench.

[Ruckedtobits]

Reading the player profiles in today's IT, I just wonder where did this collection of backs get their size from? I doubt any backline Ireland has fielded at any level were bigger than this group.

For the record, their numbers (courtesy of John O'Sulluvan, IT) are:

15. Campbell: 5'10"; 88kg
14. King: 6'3"; 97kg
13. Postlethwaite: 6'4"; 101kg
12. Carson: 6'; 100kg
11. Gibbons: 6'4"; 100kg
10. Tector: 6'2"; 95kg
9. Devine: 5'10"; 84kg

21. Coughlan: 5'9"; 81kg
22. Butler: 5'11"; 85kg
23. Mullins: 6'3" 94kg

Centre: Brownlee: 6'2"; 96kg
Wing: Mallon: 6'; 93kg
Back three: O'Grady: 5'11"; 80kg
Centre: Hawkshaw: 6'3"; 90kg

[ronk]

Nobody huge there, but it does seem that the bigger boys have all been picked.

[dropkick]

The way the game is going I think in general you need big centers and a back 3 who are comfortable kicking. At least at the top level.

[sunshiner1]

by ronk

Nobody huge there, but it does seem that the bigger boys have all been picked.

All those bigger boys though have shown great hands and a footballers brain. Like I said before it's a special year.

[ronk]

The way the game is going I think in general you need big centers and a back 3 who are comfortable kicking. At least at the top level.

Ideally you want your McCluskey and your Lowry. So defenders have to switch between planting for collisions and agility so they're not grasping air.

A lot of the big sides over the years have understood that.

[Lock9541]

Don’t know how the commentators haven’t copped on that you can’t get 26 points

[cormac]

Don’t know how the commentators haven’t copped on that you can’t get 26 points

You can. There's a 3 point bonus for winning the grand slam. We'll end up with 27 points though.

[jezzer]

The Ulster boys all v impressive.

[cormac]

FT 59-5

[riocard911]

Hard to pick out individual players, as they were all very good.

[the spoofer]

Hard to pick out individual players, as they were all very good.

Not really. Culhane was a giant. Unbelievable. But an Ulster lad gives an Ulster player MOM.

[lummix]

Who are the players likely to go onto play professional and become senior internationals. Jack Boyle for me would be a definite.

[dropkick]

Who are the players likely to go onto play professional and become senior internationals. Jack Boyle for me would be a definite.

A few who spring to mind.....


Boyle. It's a position of weakness for ireland and he's very good although it will be a few years.
McGuire. He was excellent in the scrums and around the pitch. He has the size too.
Culhane. He was Ireland's player of the tournament for me. Superb athlete.
Postlethwaite. He's the kind of center suited to the modern game.
Devine. He's a bit raw yet but is lethal and generally takes the right options.


Lots of others are very talented.

[enby]

Great to see Italy getting 3 wins in the tournament. Let's hope they can bring through some of those players

[hugonaut]

That really was an outstanding campaign. Huge credit to the players on the pitch and those in the wider squad who pushed them to perform at their best. There was really strong competition for places in a number of positions, particularly on the wing, in the centres and in the backrow.

A serious coaching job from Richie Murphy, Jimmy Duffy, Willie Falloon and Mark Sexton – we looked better coached than every other team we played, and we looked in a completely different class to the Scottish and Welsh teams. Those sides laboured so much to produce any points or even cohesive play, and they are the best U20s that their countries can offer. The difference in standards in so many coachable areas – how the lineout functioned, how we mauled, how we set up to receive kicks, how the players re-aligned in phase play etc. – was staggering.

My highlight of the tournament would have to be Ben Brownlee's last-minute try against France to set up the win – it would be the highlight of any team's campaign. But the great win against England and Aitzol King's couple of tries were outstanding, and the way we ruthlessly dismantled Scotland and Wales was a credit to the coaches' efforts and the players' strength of will.

Reuben Crothers was a class act as captain. His workrate was absolutely exemplary and he's got the competitive edge. Really impressive composure and leadership throughout. Whether we were behind on the scoreboard or running away with it, Ireland never gave up or eased up – the sign of a champion team with a great captain.

Well done the lads.

[sunshiner1]

by hugonaut

That really was an outstanding campaign. Huge credit to the players on the pitch and those in the wider squad who pushed them to perform at their best. There was really strong competition for places in a number of positions, particularly on the wing, in the centres and in the backrow.

A serious coaching job from Richie Murphy, Jimmy Duffy, Willie Falloon and Mark Sexton – we looked better coached than every other team we played, and we looked in a completely different class to the Scottish and Welsh teams. Those sides laboured so much to produce any points or even cohesive play, and they are the best U20s that their countries can offer. The difference in standards in so many coachable areas – how the lineout functioned, how we mauled, how we set up to receive kicks, how the players re-aligned in phase play etc. – was staggering.

My highlight of the tournament would have to be Ben Brownlee's last-minute try against France to set up the win – it would be the highlight of any team's campaign. But the great win against England and Aitzol King's couple of tries were outstanding, and the way we ruthlessly dismantled Scotland and Wales was a credit to the coaches' efforts and the players' strength of will.

Reuben Crothers was a class act as captain. His workrate was absolutely exemplary and he's got the competitive edge. Really impressive composure and leadership throughout. Whether we were behind on the scoreboard or running away with it, Ireland never gave up or eased up – the sign of a champion team with a great captain.

Well done the lads.

Very much a plus 1. They were immense and no drop-off in standards when players got injured or were rotated.

As for the Scots and Welsh they were shockingly bad. The Welsh were brainless and as for the Scot's I couldn't believe how bad they were. If that's the standard of rugby in Scotland then they are future wooden spooners until they get their sh*t together.