With Ireland in the same pool as Australia, I thought it might be worth a look at the Irish squad.
Ireland has some talent in this age bracket. They possess a number of backs that have already made their provincial debuts such as Robbie Henshaw, Adam Byrne, Chris Farrell, Stuart Olding and Luke McGrath. While the forwards do not possess the same class, players such as Edward Byrne, Ryan Murphy, Josh van der Flier and Conor Joyce are Ireland’s best.
Unfortunately for Ireland, and neutral fans, their squad will not contain anything like all these players. Stuart Olding and Robbie Henshaw will miss the JWC to tour North America with the senior squad, while Ireland will be missing Darragh Leader and Chris Farrell due to injury. Mike Ruddock has brought in five players that didn’t play in the Six Nations campaign. Prop Edward Byrne, centres Adam Byrne and Thomas Farrell and back-row talent Jack O’Donoghue and Daniel Leavy.
Ireland are a young side with a fair number of the squad only one year out of school. Of the players to make the squad for the JWC, the front row is frequently touted as mobile, which may be a nice way to say undersized. This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem except the rest of the tight-five is cast from the same mould. In the second-row Gavin Thornbury is a 203 cm tall skilful lock who operates well in the line-outs, but doesn’t seem to possess the heft to really impose his frame in the scrum, rucks or bend the line. Conor Joyce at eight is a forward to keep an eye on.
The backs have more promise, with half-back Luke McGrath being one to watch if not the best player in the squad and captain to boot. Unfortunately, Ireland may have problems at 10. It appears likely Steve Crosbie will be running at fly-half even though he is more an inside-centre as there is no out-and-out fly-half in the squad. Outside them players like Adam Byrne, Rory Scannell and Tom Daly are the ones to watch. Scannell started all five games in the Six Nations, four at inside-centre and one at fly-half. He can also play outside-centre or on the wing and can kicks goals if needed. Daly, at 192 cm and 102 kg has the size to add something different to the Irish backline. Daly started every games of the Six Nations and also handled the place kicking duties.
There are, however, question marks over whether the Irish backs will get enough good ball to showcase their skills and whether the game plan will see the backs look to do anything more than kick away what little ball they do get.
Despite Ireland’s shortcomings, under Mike Ruddock they are well drilled and we play them first up. With the preparation of a Six Nations campaign behind them Ireland may just catch our boys cold.
IRELAND U-20 SQUAD (for IRB Junior Rugby World Championship): Adam Boland (Lansdowne/Connacht), Edward Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Thomas Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster); John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster); Peter Dooley (Leinster); Thomas Farrell (Lansdowne/Leinster); Ryan Furniss (Worcester/Exile); Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster); Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht); Daniel Leavy (UCD/Leinster); Seán McCarthy (Shannon/Munster); Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) Captain; George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exile); Ryan Murphy (Dolphin/Munster); Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster); David Panther (Corinthians/Connacht); Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht); Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster); Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins /Ulster); David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster); Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster); Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster); Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster); Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster); Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster).
