IRELAND U18 SCHOOLS head coach Noel McNamara has named a 26-man squad for the U18s International Series, which takes place in Wales from 8 April to 16 April.
Ireland will play Italy, England and hosts Wales across three match days.
Among the squad are a handful of familiar surnames, with Presentation Brothers College hooker Billy Scannell – younger brother of Munster duo Niall and Rory – included after helping PBC to the Munster Schools Senior Cup title.
St. Michael’s College pair David Ryan and Harry Byrne are also in the Ireland squad after impressive performances in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup this season.
Centre Ryan is the younger brother of the highly-rated Leinster lock James Ryan – who captained the Ireland U20s last year – while out-half Byrne’s older brother, Ross, has been starring in the 10 shirt for Leinster at senior level this year.
Roscrea loosehead prop Josh Wycherley is part of McNamara’s 26-man group too, with his older brother, Fineen, shining for the Ireland U20s this year and also making his Guinness Pro12 debut in the Munster second row last month.
Two of Scannell’s Cup-winning Pres team-mates will be involved in the International Series, with the impressive outside centre Seán French and fullback Jonathan Wren – a Crosshaven man – called up.
In total, the squad features 12 Leinster players, nine from Munster, four from Ulster and one from Connacht.
Ireland U18 School squad for International Series:
Azur Allison (Ballymena Academy/Ulster)
Ryan Baird (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
Eoin Barr (Gonzaga/Leinster)
Harry Byrne (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
Craig Casey (Ard Scoil Ris/Munster)
Tom Clarkson (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Fintan Coleman (Crescent College/Munster)
Cormac Foley (St. Gerard’s College/Leinster)
Seán French (PBC Cork/Munster)
Ben Healy (Glenstal Abbey/Munster)
Cian Hurley (CBC Cork/Munster)
Darragh Kelly (St. Fintan’s School/Leinster)
Angus Kernohan (Ballymena Academy/Ulster)
Luke Masters (CBC Cork/Munster)
Niall McEniff (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
John McKee (Campbell College/Ulster)
Martin Moloney (Knockbeg/Leinster)
Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy/Ulster)
Niall Murray (St. Aloysius College/Connacht)
Dan O’Donovan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
Scott Penny (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
David Ryan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
Billy Scannell (PBC Cork/Munster)
Liam Turner (Blackrock College/ Leinster)
Jonathan Wren (PBC Cork/Munster)
Josh Wycherley (CC Roscrea/Munster)
Ireland U18 Schools fixtures:
Ireland v Italy U18, BT Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday 8 April, KO 5.15pm
Ireland v England U18, Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Wednesday 12 April, KO 5.15pm
Ireland v Wales U18, CCB Centre of Sporting Excellence, Caerphilly
Sunday 16 April, KO 4.15pm
- This article was updated at 1.30pm to correct the numbers of players from each province, having previously indicated that there were none from Connacht.
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James Ryan is a natural choice but the WC is coming a bit soon for it. I wouldn’t like Sexton as captain as I think he plays and leads better without. POM if he was in better form you would think.
@Brian O’Driscoll: cian healy or keith earls wouldn’t be bad candidates. Never let ireland diwn even when the rest of the team usually do
@Brian O’Driscoll: don’t think it’s too soon at all. Could be refreshing to have young leadership. Warbburton was a similar age in 2011 and they should have made the final.
@Brian O’Driscoll: James Ryan would a really interesting option
@Brian O’Driscoll: Ryan definitely has the pedigree. It would be unusual for JS to award captaincy to someone so young and relatively inexperienced. He’s usually cautious like that. Rob Kearney is a potential captain. I agree, at any other time it would be a no brainer, give it to POM but unless he has a big game in one of the next two tests his starting position could be under threat. Personally I’d like to see Ryan get it. As long as its not Johnny. He’s just too mouthy.
@Ger: Ryan seems the natural choice at the moment. Jonny and POM would probably still make all the decisions, but what a standard bearer!! and BOD, you’ve got a point about Jonny being too mouthy. My favourite moment was him telling gauzere, ‘i know you don’t like me, but you’ve still got to talk to me’
The only guaranteed starters who have actually played well in 2019 are Cian Healy and James Ryan. With all due respect to Cian, there’s only one option to be the captain.
@sup: it is reallt strange to have our captain effectively already retired but there are no outstanding candidates other than sexton and he does that anyhow with or without title. I don’t get impression Ryan is a very vocal guy. Leads by actions which is fine. I cant imagine him giving a “fear of god” type pre match speech. Maybe he will grow into that but def too early now.
@Kevin McCarthy: BOD never struck me as the type to give that chat either. There’s many different types of leadership, and actions often speak louder than words. Ryan would also be better at working the ref than someone like Sexton, that’s for sure.
@Kevin McCarthy: Can’t imagine Best lisping out a fear of God speech either so that shouldn’t be a factor . In any case those speeches can have more impact on tv viewers than on players in the dressing room .
In my opinion i’d love to see Garry Ringrose as captain. He has everybodies respect. Word on the grapevine is he works super hard in training be it with Leinster or Ireland.
James Ryan would be an interesting captain.
Would be interesting to see who Joe would pick as captain at the world cup instead of Best. (If he had to)
@Donal Peoples: Yea Sexton certain to start but has his issues as captain. O’Mahoney probably best choice but not a cert to start anymore
@Luke walkee: Ruddock, if he can get in the team ahead of PO’M, would be perfect. Big argument as to whether you’d drop PO’M.
@Cian Nolan: he’s a good captain but he might struggle to make the squad. I think if JS brings Klein it will be at the expense of a backrow. Beirne will be brought as a 2nd row/back row hybrid and Ruddock would be the most likely casualty. Personally I didn’t see anything from Klein against England or Italy that merits his place in the squad but JS seems to like him.
The main thing is Best should be left at home. No matter what his friends in the media say
If Rory isn’t captain there’s no need for him to travel.
Captain is a PR position who primary role is dealing with the media. Best is captain of the team but there are plenty of players who are leaders within the squad already. Dumping Best as captain would just create a media storm. Keep him in the position and if needs be he doesn’t have to start the big games.
@Eddie Hekenui: Have your (uninjured) captain on the bench for the World Cup? Sure then you have to make someone else who’s actually on the pitch captain anyway, so now you’ve two lads with their authority undermined. Plus you’re reinforcing a belief that some people are undroppable no matter what.
@Pseud O’Nym: Too much stock is placed in the idea of a captain as this leader and tone setter when it’s largely a symbolic role just dealing with the referee on the pitch, the media off the pitch and representing the players in the management group.
When BOD was captain it was often POC who would take the final team talk and be the vocal leader on the pitch. When there were fractures in the squad in 2009 it was Rob Kearney who stepped up and forced a honest discussion on the squad dynamic. Peter O’Mahony regularly takes a vocal role in the build up to games as does Sexton. Ireland have a team packed with leaders and having Best as squad captain but not in the starting team would have very little impact on that.
Just sit back and watch him answer his critics.
None of the other hookers come close and couldn’t lace his boots.
For me we need to be looking at the new breed of young hookers coming through
Ruddock would be my choice at this stage. Nothing special as a player but at least you realise he’s playing as opposed to POM and Best. Sexton is too much of a spoilt brat.
Jim Ryan