Highlights & Report | Ireland U20 Lose Out To Wallabies

The Ireland U20s lost out to Australia 45-17 in their second match of the pool stages in Santa Fe on Saturday.

The Junior Wallabies ran riot with five closing tries – racking up a mammoth 35 points during the final 17 minutes – to give a lopsided look to what had been a gripping contest between the two leading teams in Pool B of the World Rugby U-20 Championship.

Ireland lock Baird was sent-off for a neck-high tackle on Will Harrison, following on from a similar challenge by Semesi Tupou which earned the Australian centre a yellow card. Craig Casey’s try from a quick tap cut the gap to 10-7 for half-time.

Casey’s half-back partner Jake Flannery drew Noel McNamara’s side level with a penalty before a terrific individual try by Ulster Academy centre Stewart Moore, who beat four defenders from halfway, made it 17-10.

However, 14-man Ireland ran out of gas during the final quarter – with key men Casey and Dylan Tierney-Martin having to be replaced – as the Australians cut loose out wide, stretching clear thanks to converted tries from Isaac Lucas, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Nick Frost (2) and out-half Harrison.

See highlights and more details on the Munster players in the Ireland squad below.

Ireland U20: Rob Russell (Dublin University/Leinster); Angus Kernohan (Queen’s University/Ulster), Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster), Stewart Moore (Malone/Ulster), Jonathan Wren (Cork Constitution/Munster); Jake Flannery (Shannon/Munster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster); Josh Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Corinthians/Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster), Charlie Ryan (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster), David McCann (Banbridge/Ulster), Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), John Hodnett (UCC/Munster).

Replacements used: Ciaran Booth (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) for Watters (18 mins), Ben Healy (Garryowen/Munster) for Russell, Michael Milne (UCD/Leinster) for Wycherley (both 56), John McKee (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for Tierney-Martin, Colm Reilly (Buccaneers/Connacht) for Casey (both 60), Niall Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht) for Hodnett, Cormac Foley (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) for Moore (both 64), Declan Adamson (Clontarf/Leinster) for Wren (72).

Highlights | Australia 45-17 Ireland

Munster Player Profiles

Eight Munster players are representing Ireland at the U20 World Championships in Argentina, find out more about the Munster men below.

Thomas Ahern

A former Youghal RFC, Dungarvan RFC and Waterpark RFC player, Thomas Ahern became the latest Waterford man to join the Munster Rugby Academy last summer.

The lock stands close to 6 foot 6 and has represented Munster and Ireland at U18 level, winning the U18 Clubs Interpro title with Munster in the 2017/18 campaign.

Now playing his club rugby with Shannon RFC, Ahern hopes to make his competitive debut for the Ireland U20s in Argentina.

Craig Casey

A Munster Academy and Shannon scrum-half, Casey vice-captained the Ireland U20 side to the Grand Slam earlier this year.

A nephew of former Munster winger Mossy Lawler, Casey captained Ardscoil Rís to the semi-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2017.

Casey was named Munster Rugby Academy Player of the Year for the 2018/19 season and advances to the senior squad next season.

Jake Flannery

The Shannon out-half/full-back made his Munster A debut in the Celtic Cup against Dragons A last September.

From Bansha in Co. Tipperary, Flannery has previously represented Ireland at U19 level and won the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year.

The former Rockwell College pupil earned maximum points in his Leaving Cert last year and played a key part in the school’s progress to the semi-finals of Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup.

Seán French

A Cork Constitution clubman and UCC student, Munster Academy player French has represented Munster at U18, U19 and U20 level and has also played for the Ireland U18s and U19s.

Adept at playing in the centre and on the wing, French played his schools rugby with PBC and won the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2017.

A strong start to his first season in the Academy has seen 19-year-old French make five appearances and score two tries for Munster A in the Celtic Cup along with winning the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year.

French was ruled out of the Championship through injury following Ireland’s 42-26 victory over England in the opening round.

Ben Healy

Tipperary out-half Healy joined the Munster Rugby Academy last summer and has represented Munster at U18, U19 and U20 level and also played for the Ireland U18s and U19s.

Having started playing rugby at Nenagh Ormond RFC, Healy went on to captain Glenstal Abbey to their first ever Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup triumph in 2018.

A strong start to his first season in the Academy saw Healy make five appearances and score 19 points for Munster A in the Celtic Cup and win the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year

John Hodnett

From Rosscarbery, back-row forward Hodnett started his rugby career with Clonakilty RFC when he joined as an U10 player.

The UCC back row has featured in several Munster age-grade squads and has gained representative honours with Ireland U18s and won the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year.

Hodnett made the step up to the Munster A side this season, scoring a try against Ospreys Development in the Celtic Cup.

Jonathan Wren

From Crosshaven in Cork, Munster Academy back three player Wren started playing rugby at an early age with Crosshaven RFC.

He represented Munster and Ireland at U18 and U19 level prior to joining the Academy and was a Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup winner with PBC in 2017.

The Cork man won the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year.

Josh Wycherley

West Cork man and Academy prop Josh Wycherley is a product of Bantry Bay RFC and younger brother of Munster senior player Fineen Wycherley.

He made four appearances for Munster A in the 2018/19 Celtic Cup and was signed up to the Academy in November 2018.

Wycherley won the Grand Slam with the U20s earlier this year, has also represented Ireland at U18 and U19 level, is a former pupil of Cistercian College, Roscrea, and plays his club rugby with Young Munster.