Five Academy Players In Junior World Championship Squad

We profile our Munster U20s players who have been included in the Ireland U20s Junior World Championship squad that depart for France this Friday.

The Stade de la Rabine in Vannes, on the North West coast of France, will host all of the pool B games with Ireland set to face Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

Five Munster Academy players were named in the squad earlier today, four of which were involved in this year's Ireland U20s RBS 6 Nations, Sean McCarthy, Ryan Murphy, Rory Scannell, and Darren Sweetnam.

Waterford's Jack O'Donoghue is included in the Ireland U20s squad for the first time after performances at U19 level against England and France in April, and an impressive outing in an U20s challenge game against Scotland earlier this month.

Meet the players…

Sean McCarthy
The second row Currow native is nephew of Munster great Mick Galwey, and like him before, plays his club rugby with Shannon. He featured in three of the Ireland U20s 6 Nations games, starting against Italy and coming on against England and France.

He captained his school side Rockwell to a Munster Schools Senior Cup title in 2012 and a few weeks later went on to play for Ireland U19s with Ryan Murphy against France and England.

Sean featured for Munster in the U20s Interprovincial series last September and makes the move from sub academy to academy for season 2013/14. Other representations include playing basketball for Ireland U16s and minor football with Kerry in 2011.

Ryan Murphy
In his first year of the Munster Rugby academy the back row missed out on his second Interprovincial series at U20s level with a shoulder injury at the start of the year. He marked his return to form with his first Munster A appearance at Interprovincial level in November and went on to make his B&I Cup debut against Rotherham Titans in December.

Ryan started in all of the Ireland U20s 6 Nation games playing open-side and number 8, and now moves into his second year of the Munster academy for next season. He lined out for the Ireland U19s in April 2012 against France and England, and featured on a Munster sevens side that travelled to Glasgow that May.

The Bishopstown man played his schools rugby with PBC & captained the side to a Schools Senior Cup Final in 2011 against Rockwell. He now plays his club rugby with Dolphin.

Jack O'Donoghue
The 19 year old Waterford man is a product of the Munster Youth's system having previously captained his club side Waterpark to an U17 Munster title in 2011 and the year previous was part of the All Ireland winning Waterpark U17 side that defeated Enniscorthy in the decider.

The back row forward was the youngest member of the Munster Rugby academy for season 2012/13 and he made his British and Irish Cup debut at 18 years of age against Rotherham Titans in December after featuring in the Munster U20s interprovincial series.

In April 2012 he captained the Ireland U18 Club side against France and England and featured for the Ireland U19s this year. Jack plays his club rugby with UL Bohemians and moves into year 2 of the academy next season.

Rory Scannell
Rory was most recently announced as one of nine new recruits to join the Munster academy, progressing from the sub academy programme. He is the younger brother of former Ireland U20s Captain Niall Scannell who has been promoted from the academy to a development contract.

From Cork the 19 year old centre played his schools rugby with PBC and now plays his club rugby with Dolphin. Like his academy colleague Murphy, Rory started in all of this year's Irish U20s 6 Nation games, demonstrating his versatility by moving to the unfamiliar role of out-half for the England game.

He has represented the Munster U20s for the last two seasons and has previously played for Ireland U18 Schools with Ryan Murphy in 2011 when they won the FIRA-AER European Championship.

Darren Sweetnam
Sweetnam from Dunmanway, Co. Cork is has just completed his first year of the Munster Rugby academy and advances to his second year for season 2013/14.

The recently turned 20 year old played his schools rugby with Bandon Grammar and now plays his club rugby with UCC. His involvement in the Irish U20s 6 Nation's campaign was his first representation at national age-grade rugby and he made 4 appearances including his first start against Italy. Sweetnam also made his Munster A debut in the B&I Cup against Plymouth Albion in January 2013.

Darren is widely known in Cork for his hurling credentials after playing with club side Dohenys GAA and lining out for the Cork Senior Hurlers in the Allianz League and the Championship in 2012. He has also represented Ireland in hockey at U16s.

Ireland U20s Squad
Adam Boland (Lansdowne/Connacht)
Edward Byrne (UCD /Leinster)
Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Thomas Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster
Peter Dooley (Leinster)
Thomas Farrell (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Ryan Furniss (Worcester/Exile)
Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster)
Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht)
Daniel Leavy (UCD /Leinster)
Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) Captain
George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile)
Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster)
Jack O'Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster)
David Panther (Corinthians/Connacht)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht)
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins /Ulster)
David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster)
Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster)
Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster)
Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster)
Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster)

2013 JWC Pool B Fixtures (All times are local)
05 Jun, 18:45 Ireland v Australia, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
05 Jun, 20:45 New Zealand v Fiji, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
09 Jun, 18:45 Ireland v Fiji, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
09 Jun, 20:45 New Zealand v Australia, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
13 Jun, 18:45 New Zealand v Ireland, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
13 Jun, 20:45 Australia v Fiji, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes