Ireland U18 Schools Squad In FIRA/AER Championship

Four Munster representatives are included in the Ireland U18s Schools Squad set to take part in the U18 FIRA/AER Championship in France next week.

Head Coach Terry McMaster has selected a 26 strong squad for the tournament, to be played in the Armagnac-Bigorre region of France during the school's Easter break, 15th to 24th of April 2011.

For the first time, all of the Six Nations countries are taking part, joining 22 other teams from across Europe in the annual Championship.

Ireland qualified for the elite pool of the tournament which also includes England, Wales and France. The team booked their place with a well merited 31-12 win over Scotland U18s in Glasgow earlier this month, with PBC's Rory Scannell and Ryan Murphy both getting on the scoresheet with a try each.

Scannell and Murphy join fellow PBC player Seamus Glynn and CBC's Cian O'Halloran in the squad for France.

The U18 School Squad will start the tournament with a semi final game against host team France in Auch on Sunday April 17th.

The winners progress to a final with the losing team in a third place playoff against the other losing semi finalist.

Ireland U18 Schools Squad:

Backs:
Christopher Farrell (Campbell College)
Jack Fitzpatrick (Gonzaga College)
Seamus Glynn (Presentation Brothers, Cork)
Rob Henshaw (Marist College Athlone)
Conor McEllin (Blackrock College)
Cian O'Halloran (Christian Brothers Cork)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Royal Academy)
Mark Roche (Blackrock College)
Rory Scannell (Presentation Brothers Cork)
Rory Scholes (Campbell College)
David Shanahan (Belvedere College)
Luke McGrath (St. Michael's College)

Forwards:
Mark Best (Campbell College)
Bryan Byrne (Clongowes Wood College)
Edward Byrne (Clongowes Wood College)
Gordon Frayne (Clongowes Wood College)
Thomas Ferrari (Sligo Grammar School)
Donagh Lawler (St. Michael's College)
Dan Leavy (St. Michael's College)
Andrew Murphy (St. Michael's College)
Ryan Murphy (Presentation Brothers Cork)
Jack O'Neill (Castleknock College)
Luke Satchwell (The King's Hospital)
Jerry Sexton (St. Mary's College)
Christopher Taylor (Wallace High School)
Gavin Thornbury (Blackrock College)

Ireland U-18 Schools Management Team:
Terry McMaster – Head Coach
Kenny Hooks – Assistant Coach
Paul Barr – Assistant Coach
Lorcan Balfe – Team Manager
Chris Shields – Strength & Conditioning Coach
Ozzie Fogarty – Team Doctor
David Lyons – Team Physio
Vinny Hammond – Team Analyst