Kendellen To Captain Ireland U18 Schools Against France

The Ireland U-18 Schools team to play France on Saturday in the U-18 Six Nations Festival has been named. The game kicks-off at 2.30pm in Hartpury College and can be viewed on Free Sport TV – Channel 429 on Sky in Ireland.

Peter Smyth’s Ireland U-18 Schools squad will face France in Hartpury this Saturday, tournament hosts England at Sixways Stadium on Wednesday week (April 17), and will finish the festival at Kingsholm Stadium on Easter Sunday against Wales.

Smyth, who is in his second season as head coach, will be assisted by Mossy Lawler and Colm McMahon.

PBC’s Alex Kendellen, one of six players who lined out at the festival last year, will captain the side from Number 8. CBC Munster Senior Schools Cup winners, Aaron Leahy, Mark Donnelly, Cian Whooley and Harry O’Riordan also feature in the match-day squad.

Jack Boyle, Tom Stewart and Oscar Egan will start in the front-row with Darragh Murray, who captained Connacht to victory at the IRFU U-18 Interpros, paired alongside Alex Soroka in the second-row.

Kendellen is joined in the back-row by Will Hickey and Reuben Crothers.

Conor McKee and Nathan Doak form an all Ulster partnership in the half backs. Ben Carson and Karl Martin are named in the centre with the back three comprising wingers Leahy, Jamie Osbourne and fullback Chris Cosgrave.

IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v France U-18, Six Nations U-18 Festival, Hartpury College, Saturday, April 13, kick-off 2.30pm):

15. Chris Cosgrave (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
14. Jamie Osbourne (Naas CBS/Baas RFC/Leinster)
13. Karl Martin (St. Mary’s School Drogheda/Boyne RFC/Leinster)
12. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Ulster)
11. Aaron Leahy (CBC Cork/Munster)
10. Nathan Doak (Wallace High School/Ulster)
9. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper/Ulster)
1. Jack Boyle (St. Michael’s/Leinster)
2. Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster)
3. Oscar Egan (Coleraine Grammar/Ulster)
4. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Leinster)
5. Darragh Murray (Colaiste Chiarán/Buccaneers/Connacht)
6. Will Hickey (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
7. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Leinster)
8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/Munster) Captain

Replacements
16. Lee Barron (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
17. George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper School/Ulster)
18. Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Munster)
19. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
20. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Connacht)
21. Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Leinster)
22. Cian Whooley (CBC Cork/Munster)
23. Harry O’Riordan (CBC Cork/Munster)
24. Diarmuid McCormack (Clongowes Wood College/Connacht)
25. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Connacht)
26. Diarmuid Killcommins (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)

IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS – U-18 SIX NATIONS FIXTURES:

Ireland Under-18 Schools v France Under-18s, Hartpury College, Gloucester, Saturday, April 13, 2.40pm

England Under-18s v Ireland Under-18 Schools, Sixways Stadium, Worcester, Wednesday, April 17, 1.40pm

Ireland Under-18 Schools v Wales Under-18s, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Sunday, April 21, 11.10am