EXPERIENCE ISN’T EASILY found at U20s level, with Richie Murphy’s 31-man squad for the upcoming U20s Six Nations containing just four players who are returning for a second campaign at the age grade.

Reuben Crothers started on the bench for all five games in Cardiff during last year’s championship, but this season makes the step up to captain the side. 

When asked how he settled on naming the Ulster flanker as his skipper, Murphy listed the usual traits you expect to find in a captain – leadership, workrate, professionalism – while adding that he sees Crothers as a “deep thinker on the game”.  

“I would have chats with Jimmy Duffy and Willie Faloon, our forwards coach, just regarding different plays,” Crothers explains.

“Especially around the lineout. I like to think I’m a decent lineout operator, so I would work with Jimmy quite closely regarding different lineout plays, different systems, and trying to strengthen the team any way we can.

Last year there was a lot of quality players within the squad. I did learn a lot last year in Cardiff, like the style of play that U20 rugby is. It’s so fast and abrasive, I’ve got to take all my learnings from last year into this campaign. I feel ready myself, and I’m very confident the team is ready for the challenge against Wales next Friday.”

Crothers captained his school team, Wallace, during his Ulster Schools Cup days, and Murphy suspects he would have been and in around more leadership roles, but the pandemic saw most of this squad miss out on playing the U18 and U19 age grades.

“This is the first captaincy role I’ve had for a few years because of Covid and that,” Crothers says.

“I found out just before we came into this camp. At the start of the week, a few days before camp started, Richie gave me a call. I was pretty calm on the phone to Richie but inside I was over the moon.

Crothers carries in the recent defeat to a Leinster development side. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

“It’s obviously a privilege to be captaining your country. It’s an honour, but the thing is, I’ve got so many leaders around me in the team that it makes my job a lot easier. So if I’m looking for a bit of advice in anyway, I can just turn to them.

“I think I would step in when the words need to be said, but at the same time, our group is player-led. The standards are driven within the squad. I’ve got so many leaders around me that can talk when they want to. I suppose I like to lead by example and by my actions rather than my words.”

Crothers is one of seven Ulster players selected in Murphy’s squad, and unusually, all seven are forwards.

Murphy has admitted his team may lack a bit of size up front, so Ireland are expected to employ a fast and loose style across the championship, which for them begins with a home game against Wales in Musgrave Park this Friday.

It’s a game plan which should suit Crothers, and the openside feels he is ready to make his mark at this level having trained regularly with the Ulster senior side over the past two seasons.

“Training with the seniors over the last year and a half has been a big help to me, especially working with the forwards coach Roddy Grant, he’s had an influence on me, as well as all the senior backrows.

“Willie (Faloon) has been a big help to us this year, coming in with his role as Academy forwards coach (at Ulster). For me especially, he used to play in my position, openside flanker, so he’s been showing me some tricks of the trade along the way.

“A facet of my game I like to try involve is that link-play, always being the link between the forwards and the backs, trying to get on offloads through the middle or trying to thrive out in the wider channels. That’s a big part of my game.”