Seven Munster Players In Ireland U20 Squad

The Ireland U20 squad, sponsored by PwC, has been confirmed for the 2018 U20 Six Nations Championship by Head Coach Noel McNamara with seven Munster players included.

Forwards Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen), Ronan Coffey (Shannon), James French (UCC) and Jack O’Sullivan (UCC) are included along with backs Conor Hayes (Young Munster), Dave McCarthy (Garryowen) and James McCarthy (UL Bohemian).

Hooker Diarmuid Barron won a Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup medal with Rockwell College in 2015.

Lock Ronan Coffey is a former Ardscoil Rís player and has represented Munster at underage level.

Prop James French is a former Bandon Grammar and Bandon RFC man and has represented Ireland at U19 level.

Back-row forward Jack O’Sullivan is a member of the Munster Rugby Academy and he captained PBC as they won the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup last season.

Young Munster full-back Conor Hayes helped the Munster U18 Clubs side to the Interpro title last season.

Garryowen centre Dave McCarthy captained the Munster Development side against an Ireland U20s XV last month.

UL Bohs full-back James McCarthy is a member of the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy.

The 32-man squad features 11 players who were capped across last season’s U20 Six Nations and World Rugby U20 World Championships.

In the forwards, prop Jordan Duggan, hookers Barron and Ronan Kelleher, along with back-row Sean Masterson all featured last season, as did backs; scrum-half Jonny Stewart, out-half Conor Dean, centres David McCarthy, Angus Curtis and Tommy O’Brien along with back three players Mark Keane and Michael Silvester.

Tommy O’Brien will captain the side.

On selection of the squad, McNamara said: “It’s an exciting time for the players and the coaching team.

“There have been some tight calls across the board and it’s great to see that competition for places. Also, with 11 players who were involved last season, there is some good experience across the squad.

“The players have all been working hard over the past number of months and we’re confident in the ability of the squad that we have selected.”

The Ireland U20s will open their Six Nations campaign against France U20s next Friday night at the Stade Amédée Domenech in Brive.

Ireland will play their home games against Italy, Wales and Scotland on Friday nights in Donnybrook Stadium, with the series of home games again being sponsored by Electric Ireland.

Their campaign will conclude with a trip to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry to face England on the 16th March, in a double header with the Ireland and England Women’s teams.

Tickets for the Ireland U20s games in Donnybrook are available from www.ticketmaster.ie

IRELAND U20 Squad, sponsored by PwC, for the U20 Six Nations Championship 2018

Forwards:

Jack Aungier (St. Mary’s /Leinster)

Matthew Agnew (Ballymenia/Ulster)

Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen /Munster)

Joe Byrne (Dublin University /Leinster)

Ronan Coffey (Shannon /Munster)

Matthew Dalton (Malone /Ulster)

Cormac Daly (Clontarf /Leinster)

Jordan Duggan (Naas /Leinster)

Jack Dunne (Dublin University /Leinster)

Joe Dunleavy (Malone /Ulster)

James French (UCC /Munster)

Aaron Hall (Ballynahinch /Ulster)

Max Kearney (Dublin University /Leinster)

Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne /Leinster)

Sean Masterson (Corinthians /Connacht)

Jack O’Sullivan (UCC /Munster)

Tom O’Toole (Banbridge /Ulster)

Charlie Ryan (UCD /Leinster)

Backs:

Harry Byrne (UCD /Leinster)

Angus Curtis (Queen’s University /Ulster)

Conor Dean (St. Mary’s /Leinster)

Conor Hayes (Young Munster /Munster)

Mark Keane (Queen’s University)

Angus Kernohan (Ballymena /Ulster)

Dave McCarthy (Garryowen /Munster)

James McCarthy (UL Bohemian /Munster)

Sean O’Brien (Clontarf /Leinster)

Tommy O’Brien (UCD /Leinster) Captain

Hugh O’Sullivan (Clontarf /Leinster)

Jonny Stewart (Queen’s University /Ulster)

Michael Silvester (Dublin University /Leinster)

Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne /Leinster)

IRELAND U20 Six Nations Fixtures 2018

Friday 2rd February 2018

France U20 v Ireland U20, 9pm (local)/8pm (Irish time), Stade Amédée Domenech, Brive

Friday 9th February 2018

Ireland U20 v Italy U20, 7.15pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin

Friday 23rd February 2018

Ireland U20 v Wales U20, 7.15pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin

Saturday 9th March 2018

Ireland U20 v Scotland U20, 7.15pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin

Friday 16th March 2018

England U20 v Ireland U20, 8pm, Ricoh Arena, Coventry