AFTER 10 GAMES over two years, the Ireland U20s are still standing at the top of the mountain.
The victorious Ireland U20 team. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Not only have they retained their Six Nations title, they have also held onto their Grand Slam status. A flawless run twice over. Repeating such a feat with an age cap to consider is quite astonishing. Injuries and form are the variables that every team must deal with but nothing can be done to stop the passage of time that forces players out of eligibility. That’s a burden Andy Farrell never has to know.
The Ireland U20 head coach Richie Murphy could only recall three players from last year’s winning squad for this year’s Six Nations campaign - James McNabney of Ulster and Leinster second row pair Diarmuid Mangan and Conor O’Tighearnaigh.
That means Ireland charged to glory again in 2023 with effectively a new team. And they certainly reinvented the wheel with devastating effect. Truthfully, they only faced two real challenges in this year’s championship.
Their opening round against France was a wire-to-wire fight. It pretty much came down to a last-minute kick from the boot of Ireland’s star out-half Sam Prendergast. Sunday’s finale against England was another sticky assignment. Ireland held a slender 12-7 lead at half-time, and were lucky not to fall behind when the England captain Lewis Chessum failed to get sufficient grounding on the ball after chasing after a charge down.
There was just a converted try separating the sides coming into the final few minutes before Fintan Gunne leaped over for Ireland’s sixth try of the night. That score allowed them to skip to the finish line.
And now that they have reaffirmed their Six Nations supremacy, thoughts will naturally turn towards what these players could achieve in the future. Breaking on into the senior stage is the next step for all of them at provincial and international level. But who are the ones that are most likely to realise that potential?
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Sam Prendergast
Ireland's star out-half Sam Prendergast. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The name on everyone’s lips throughout this year’s Six Nations. A brother of Connacht player Cian Prendergast, Sam has distinguished himself as a genuine successor for Jonathan Sexton as Ireland’s next out-half. He’s certainly well regarded in Leinster where he is a firm part of the academy.
He was perhaps a bit quieter than usual against England, and didn’t have as much success from the tee as he would have liked. He finished with three conversions from a possible six. But he did contribute in other ways, putting Hugh Gavin through for two tries with a super pass out wide for the first one, and a super cross-field kick into the try zone for the second.
Brian Gleeson
Brian Gleeson scoring a try. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The Tipperary native has also captured the imagination, pocketing two tries in the England game. He also had a brilliant turnover in the first half, illustrating the strengths of his ground game. Gleeson has all the hallmarks of a quality backrower who should be breaking into the Munster team shortly.
Fintan Gunne
Fintan Gunne reaching over for Ireland's sixth try. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
He got that all-important sixth try on Sunday that put any doubts over Ireland’s back-to-back ambitions to bed. In a move that was reminiscent of Peter Stringer’s ‘He-fooled-them-all’ try for Munster in the 2006 Heineken Cup final, Gunne produced a great fake. Standing at the back of a ruck, he appeared to be readying himself for a pass, only to launch into a quick dash over the line.
Gunne is rapid on his feet and his kicking is of a high standard too. He hit one particular box kick in the first half of that win over England that bounced beautifully over the line to bring Ireland further into opposition territory.
In short, Gunne is a talent whose journey is worth charting as he goes forward.
Hugh Gavin
Ireland winger Hugh Gavin. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Another recipient of two tries, Gavin has been immense throughout the Six Nations. Like any winger with potential for great things, he moves up and down the wide channels with great speed. His positional awareness is a key facet of his game too and was evident for both of his tries on Sunday.
For the first one, he tucked himself into the corner and provided an option where space was clear. Prendergast picked him out with a looping pass and Gavin touched down after a quick burst over the line.
Similarly for his second try, he was the lone target in the corner when the rest of the field was congested. Prendergast delivered a crossfield kick into the try area and Gavin did the rest. The Connacht winger is certainly a name we will be hearing more about in the future.
Henry McErlean
Henry McErlean in action for Ireland. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
His name wasn’t in lights for scoring tries on Sunday, but Henry McErlean played a prominent part in Ireland’s Grand Slam surge. He too could be seen burning down the wing and linked up well with Gavin to make huge gains for the Ireland team. His decision-making was precise and his passing was effective throughout. That was clear in his play right up until he was withdrawn in the 52nd minute after shipping a late, reckless tackle from Monty Bradbury which resulted in a red card for the out-half.
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The future of rugby bursting with potential after Ireland U20's back-to-back Grand Slam glory
AFTER 10 GAMES over two years, the Ireland U20s are still standing at the top of the mountain.
Not only have they retained their Six Nations title, they have also held onto their Grand Slam status. A flawless run twice over. Repeating such a feat with an age cap to consider is quite astonishing. Injuries and form are the variables that every team must deal with but nothing can be done to stop the passage of time that forces players out of eligibility. That’s a burden Andy Farrell never has to know.
The Ireland U20 head coach Richie Murphy could only recall three players from last year’s winning squad for this year’s Six Nations campaign - James McNabney of Ulster and Leinster second row pair Diarmuid Mangan and Conor O’Tighearnaigh.
That means Ireland charged to glory again in 2023 with effectively a new team. And they certainly reinvented the wheel with devastating effect. Truthfully, they only faced two real challenges in this year’s championship.
Their opening round against France was a wire-to-wire fight. It pretty much came down to a last-minute kick from the boot of Ireland’s star out-half Sam Prendergast. Sunday’s finale against England was another sticky assignment. Ireland held a slender 12-7 lead at half-time, and were lucky not to fall behind when the England captain Lewis Chessum failed to get sufficient grounding on the ball after chasing after a charge down.
There was just a converted try separating the sides coming into the final few minutes before Fintan Gunne leaped over for Ireland’s sixth try of the night. That score allowed them to skip to the finish line.
And now that they have reaffirmed their Six Nations supremacy, thoughts will naturally turn towards what these players could achieve in the future. Breaking on into the senior stage is the next step for all of them at provincial and international level. But who are the ones that are most likely to realise that potential?
Sam Prendergast
The name on everyone’s lips throughout this year’s Six Nations. A brother of Connacht player Cian Prendergast, Sam has distinguished himself as a genuine successor for Jonathan Sexton as Ireland’s next out-half. He’s certainly well regarded in Leinster where he is a firm part of the academy.
He was perhaps a bit quieter than usual against England, and didn’t have as much success from the tee as he would have liked. He finished with three conversions from a possible six. But he did contribute in other ways, putting Hugh Gavin through for two tries with a super pass out wide for the first one, and a super cross-field kick into the try zone for the second.
Brian Gleeson
The Tipperary native has also captured the imagination, pocketing two tries in the England game. He also had a brilliant turnover in the first half, illustrating the strengths of his ground game. Gleeson has all the hallmarks of a quality backrower who should be breaking into the Munster team shortly.
Fintan Gunne
He got that all-important sixth try on Sunday that put any doubts over Ireland’s back-to-back ambitions to bed. In a move that was reminiscent of Peter Stringer’s ‘He-fooled-them-all’ try for Munster in the 2006 Heineken Cup final, Gunne produced a great fake. Standing at the back of a ruck, he appeared to be readying himself for a pass, only to launch into a quick dash over the line.
Gunne is rapid on his feet and his kicking is of a high standard too. He hit one particular box kick in the first half of that win over England that bounced beautifully over the line to bring Ireland further into opposition territory.
In short, Gunne is a talent whose journey is worth charting as he goes forward.
Hugh Gavin
Another recipient of two tries, Gavin has been immense throughout the Six Nations. Like any winger with potential for great things, he moves up and down the wide channels with great speed. His positional awareness is a key facet of his game too and was evident for both of his tries on Sunday.
For the first one, he tucked himself into the corner and provided an option where space was clear. Prendergast picked him out with a looping pass and Gavin touched down after a quick burst over the line.
Similarly for his second try, he was the lone target in the corner when the rest of the field was congested. Prendergast delivered a crossfield kick into the try area and Gavin did the rest. The Connacht winger is certainly a name we will be hearing more about in the future.
Henry McErlean
His name wasn’t in lights for scoring tries on Sunday, but Henry McErlean played a prominent part in Ireland’s Grand Slam surge. He too could be seen burning down the wing and linked up well with Gavin to make huge gains for the Ireland team. His decision-making was precise and his passing was effective throughout. That was clear in his play right up until he was withdrawn in the 52nd minute after shipping a late, reckless tackle from Monty Bradbury which resulted in a red card for the out-half.
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