Ireland u20 2017-2018

[the spoofer]

Do you believe him he hadn't already signed a deal with Saracens? I have my doubts.

He hadn't signed anything with anybody.

It was yet another case of the IRFU trying to bully a young player, like the time a very senior official superciliously asked Declan Danaher if he was going to play for Ireland or 'take the shilling' - a bit of smartassery that they still hold against the IRFU in Sunbury

I wouldn't worry too much about the attitude in Sunbury. It's a long time since the Irish in London Irish was anything other than a marketing tool.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wonder if he'd agreed to join Connacht but delayed signing the contract? I can't imagine they sprung the Connacht deal on him at the airport considering what had happened with Leinster and after being named in the squad. My gut says that he said he'd sign for them but kept stalling, then the IRFU got wind of him signing for Saracens so felt they had to put pressure on him.

I think that's piss poor by the IRFU because they shouldn't have allowed it to get that far and he should never have been named in the squad if there was any uncertainty about selecting him, but wouldn't call it bullying if that's the way it played out.

[Dave Cahill]

I wouldn't worry too much about the attitude in Sunbury. It's a long time since the Irish in London Irish was anything other than a marketing tool.

That comment alone definitely cost Ireland two elite level players who picked England instead, and it was supposedly a major factor in a third chosing England a couple of years later. So, yes we should worry about the attitude in Sunbury (as opposed to Reading or Brentford) where the Irish in London Irish is considerably more than just a marketing tool.

Edit - the professional club at the top are indeed the most plastic of constructs, but the Club itself always was and still is an important rallying point for the whole spectrum of Irish people living in the London area (and indeed further afield)

[mildlyinterested]

Ireland u20 team

1. Jordan Duggan(Leinster)
2. Ronan Kelleher(Leinster)
3. Jack Aungier(Leinster)
4. Cormac Daly(Leinster)
5. Jack Dunne(Leinster)
6. Sean Masterson(Connacht)
7. Matthew Agnew(Ulster)
8. Jack O'Sullivan(Munster)
9. Jonny Stewart(Ulster)
10. Harry Byrne(Leinster/u19)
11. James McCarthy(Munster/u19)
12. Angus Curtis(Ulster)
13. James Hume(Ulster
14. Tommy O'Brien(Leinster)
15. Michael Silvester(Leinster)
16. Diarmaid Barron(Munster)
17. James French(Munster)
18. Tom O'Toole(Ulster)
19. Charlie Ryan(Leinster/u19)
20. Ronan Foley(Leinster)
21. Hugh O'Sullivan(Leinster)
22. Conor Dean(Leinster)
23. Angus Kernohan(Ulster/u19)

[dropkick]

Good to see the competition for places. Sullivan and Clarke missing out while doing nothing wrong.


I see Wales made 10 changes from the team that lost to England. I don't know if it's rotation or they're targeting this game.

[Flash Gordon]

Good to see the competition for places. Sullivan and Clarke missing out while doing nothing wrong.


I see Wales made 10 changes from the team that lost to England. I don't know if it's rotation or they're targeting this game.

Sullivan was excellent and scored. Is he injured?

[mildlyinterested]

Good to see the competition for places. Sullivan and Clarke missing out while doing nothing wrong.


I see Wales made 10 changes from the team that lost to England. I don't know if it's rotation or they're targeting this game.

Sullivan was excellent and scored. Is he injured?

Don't think so.

[A16]

What’s James Hume like? I’ve heard good things but I’ve never seen him play before.

[mildlyinterested]

What’s James Hume like? I’ve heard good things but I’ve never seen him play before.

Heard he is very good.. only seen some highlights and they were impressive

[blockhead]

What’s James Hume like? I’ve heard good things but I’ve never seen him play before.

6ft tall, nearly 16 stone.Won't be 20 until September. What are they feeding these kids?

[dropkick]

Looking forward to this game. Pity it's clashing with France and Italy though.


Hopefully Hume hits the ground running. TOB is comfortable on the wing too and he likes to come in off the wing.


Wales are usually very organised so it should be a close match but I would be confident of an Ireland win this time.

[mildlyinterested]

Looking forward to this game. Pity it's clashing with France and Italy though.


Hopefully Hume hits the ground running. TOB is comfortable on the wing too and he likes to come in off the wing.


Wales are usually very organised so it should be a close match but I would be confident of an Ireland win this time.

not confident of an ireland win myself, should be a good game..

[mildlyinterested]

Max Kearney looks like he is 24th man.

[Keith]

Any chance they could move these kind of games around Ireland?? I know its handy having everything in Dublin but c'mon the crowds have been awful for both the women and the U20s at Donnybrook this season.

[dropkick]

Crazy game. Wales scored 6 tries without breaking much of a sweat. They took their chances well but ireland wore out the self destruct button in this game.


The back 3 in particular looked very nervous after the poor start and made some basic handling errors. Compare it to the end of the game when they were handling it superbly.


They need to fix slow starts, receiving kick offs and of course defending. There was also a bit of white line fever at times and wrong option taking.


There were plenty of positives too. Angus Curtis, Aungier and JOS were very good as were others.


I thought the Irish coaches were very slow to make changes. You could see the pack tiring a bit so it's a bit puzzling why they didn't make changes earlier. I though James French and O'Toole made a good impact.


2 years ago Ireland list this fixture by 11 points. That team eventually got to the final of the world championships.

[Raydollard]

They have a lot of promising players but lack something as a team. Good but not the whole shilling.

[mildlyinterested]

Tom Tierney doing a hell of a job as defence coach.

[Dave Cahill]

As predicted by precisely everybody who saw the omnishambles of the last WRWC.


On the other hand, the womens team look to be enjoying their rugby again.

[the spoofer]

As predicted by precisely everybody who saw the omnishambles of the last WRWC.


On the other hand, the womens team look to be enjoying their rugby again.

That man is stealing a living. The 20's should be developing and enjoying playing rugby. They certainly don't seem to.

[mildlyinterested]

shame Conor Nash is in Australia..