Ireland Under 20 2016

[simonokeeffe]

Last 6 Nations our scrum evidently improved when he would come on for Oisin Heffernan

A moment that struck in my memory is Conan playing at TH in the last few minutes against Brive in Sportsground
Brive had the put in at scrum inside our 22
Side was riddled with injuries at this point
We'd a back row of Dave Heffernan (hooker), Sean O'Brien and Ronan Loughney (prop) at 8 with a second row of George Naoupu (an and Danny Qualter
Everyone sensed a demolition at the scrum - Conan held his own and we won a penalty

I've also seen Cillian Gallagher play- he is huge, very good player

Don't know anything really about Stephen Kerins or Connor Kenny

EDIT: wait i do recognise Kenny, he propped few times for Eagles

Good ball carrier?

Peter Claffey 120+ KGS according to 42.ie.

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

[erskinechilders]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

[dropkick]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

Madigan in Munster is 120kg also and a very good athlete. He has another long term injury though. Sean McCarthy there as well. Also Alan O'Connor is looking good for Ulster.


Ireland had to rely on BOD and D'Arcy for center not so long ago. Now look at it. I'd say second row will be the same one or two years down the line, with plenty of options. Before that prop was the big concern.


Now scrum half would be the area of a lack of depth, where you're waiting for someone to challenge Murray.

[simonokeeffe]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

Madigan in Munster is 120kg also and a very good athlete. He has another long term injury though. Sean McCarthy there as well. Also Alan O'Connor is looking good for Ulster.


Ireland had to rely on BOD and D'Arcy for center not so long ago. Now look at it. I'd say second row will be the same one or two years down the line, with plenty of options. Before that prop was the big concern.


Now scrum half would be the area of a lack of depth, where you're waiting for someone to challenge Murray.

step forward Mr McGrath

[wprathead]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

I don't think ye realise how good Mick Kearney is lads - he is smashing players and can see him challenging for Irish spot (if he can stay injury free)

[simonokeeffe]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

I don't think ye realise how good Mick Kearney is lads - he is smashing players and can see him challenging for Irish spot (if he can stay injury free)

hopefully

so far he is the Tyler Blyendaal of locks

[goreyguy]

Mick Kearney will be fairly limited at international level due to his size.. should be a very good squad player for us though.

[erskinechilders]

Fairly big set of forwards this year in comparison to others...
Conan O'Donnell - 5'9, 112kg
Conor Kenny - 6'0, 133kg
Andrew Porter - 6'0, 118kg
James Bollard - 5'11, 108kg
Shane Fenton - 5'9, 93kg
Adam mcBurney - 6'1, 100kg
Peter Claffey - no height, 119kg
Sean O'Connor - 6'5, 106kg
James Ryan - 6'8, 108kg
Greg Jones - 6'5, 107kg
Cillian Gallagher - 6'5, 111kg
Will Connors - 6'5, 100kg
Max Deegan - 6'4, 108kg
Kelvin Brown - 6'1, 104kg
John Foley - 6'3, 96kg
Dan Walsh - 5'11, 93kg

[hugonaut]

in a couple of years we could be thinking lock crisis? what lock crisis

I know, its very promising for once!
James Ryan
Ross Molony
Iain Henderson
Peter Claffey
Kieran Treadwell

Ultan Dillane [b. 1993] to add to that list as well.

[dropkick]

Fairly big set of forwards this year in comparison to others...
Conan O'Donnell - 5'9, 112kg
Conor Kenny - 6'0, 133kg
Andrew Porter - 6'0, 118kg
James Bollard - 5'11, 108kg
Shane Fenton - 5'9, 93kg
Adam mcBurney - 6'1, 100kg
Peter Claffey - no height, 119kg
Sean O'Connor - 6'5, 106kg
James Ryan - 6'8, 108kg
Greg Jones - 6'5, 107kg
Cillian Gallagher - 6'5, 111kg
Will Connors - 6'5, 100kg
Max Deegan - 6'4, 108kg
Kelvin Brown - 6'1, 104kg
John Foley - 6'3, 96kg
Dan Walsh - 5'11, 93kg

The Connacht lads adding some size to the pack.
Plenty of height in the back row too.
I presume Dan Walsh is a 7. Should be interesting to see what he's like considering he isn't picked for his size.


Its a big pack for Irish standards but I presume the Welsh will match it.

[simonokeeffe]

who's this Georgian sounding Leinster lad the meeja are saying theyre surprised hes not on the team?

[Leinster Lout]

http://www.the42.ie/james-ryan-ireland- ... =shortlink

[wprathead]

Ireland U20 (v Wales, Friday 5 February 2016)
15. Jack Power (UCD / Leinster)*
14. Matthew Byrne (Terenure / Leinster)*
13. Shane Daly (Cork Con / Munster)*
12. Jimmy O’Brien (UCD / Leinster)*
11. Hugo Keenan (UCD / Leinster)*
10. Johnny McPhillips (QUB / Ulster)*
9. John Poland (Cork Con / Munster)*
1. Andrew Porter (UCD / Leinster)
2. Adam McBurney (Ballymena / Ulster)
3. Conan O’Donnell (Sligo / Connacht)
4. Peter Claffey (Galwegians / Connacht)*
5. James Ryan (Lansdowne / Leinster)* Captain
6. Cillian Gallagher (Sligo / Connacht)*
7. Will Connors (UCD / Leinster)*
8. Max Deegan (Lansdowne / Leinster)*
Replacements:
16. Shane Fenton (Young Munster / Munster)*
17. James Bollard (Dublin University / Leinster)*
18. Conor Kenny (Buccaneers / Connacht)*
19. Sean O’Connor (Cashel / Munster)*
20. Kelvin Brown (Shannon / Munster)*
21. Stephen Kerins (Sligo / Connacht)*
22. Brett Connon (Newcastle Falcons)*
23. Conor O’Brien (Clontarf / Leinster)*

[erskinechilders]

Stockdale is with Ulster, Arnold and Johnston are inured. I would have though that Kiernan was an automatic selection? Other than that the forwards pretty much pick themselves.

[Ruckedtobits]

Just how big is our front five? A serious group of good players. Uncertain of our back row in defensive terms but two excellent ball carriers.

Halfbacks also carry running threat, so let's hope they get off to strong start in 6N.

[ChrisUppy]

That's a massive pack by our standards.

[goreyguy]

The backs could be a problem.. hopefully they step up

[dropkick]

I would be optimistic about the backs even without seeing them. There isn't much hype about them but Irish backs seem to be technically good these days due to better coaching and sometimes its the unknowns that are the biggest surprise.

[goreyguy]

I would be optimistic about the backs even without seeing them. There isn't much hype about them but Irish backs seem to be technically good these days due to better coaching and sometimes its the unknowns that are the biggest surprise.

They might be technically good but there is outstanding talents.. none starting scream out future star of provincial rugby.. of course that all could change

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I would be optimistic about the backs even without seeing them. There isn't much hype about them but Irish backs seem to be technically good these days due to better coaching and sometimes its the unknowns that are the biggest surprise.

They might be technically good but there is outstanding talents.. none starting scream out future star of provincial rugby.. of course that all could change

Out of interest, do you actually watch these lads play often?