Opening Win For Irish U20s

The Ireland U20s recorded an opening victory in the Junior World Championship in France, defeating pool B opponents Australia 19-15.

Ireland opened the scoring with a Tom Daly penalty before Rory Scholes dived over the line for the first try after 24 minutes and with Daly adding the extras Ireland held a 10 point advantage coming up to the half hour mark. Australia fought back and reduced the margin to 2 points going in at the interval.

Daly kept the scoreline tipping over with two further penalties before Australia once again clawed their way back with a converted try and there was one point the difference after 71 minutes setting up a thrilling finish. But Daly was on the mark again with his final penalty and Ireland held on to claim opening victory.

Ireland U20s: Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster); Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Thomas Farrell (Lansdowne/Leinster), Thomas Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster), Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) Capt; Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster), George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile), Adam Boland (Lansdowne/Connacht), Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster), John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster).
Replacements used: Daniel Leavy (UCD/Leinster) for Murphy (36 mins), Ryan Furniss (Worcester Warriors/Exile) for Boland (54-64, blood sub), Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht) for Scannell, Edward Byrne (UCD/Leinster) for Dooley, Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster) for McGuigan, Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht) for A Byrne (all 75), Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster) for Timmins (79). Not used: David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster).