IRB JUNIOR (UNDER-20) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:EVEN FOR a 20-year-old the world turns. Another junior World Cup and Andrew Conway, still a cadet among the Leinster corps, has collected his first badge of honour as a professional.

An operation. A pin. Some ankle scars. Three months’ rehab. Stripe one. He sees it as time wasted, missed, a degrading of his perfect plan.

A talent at school that was sprinkled with gold dust, as a sixth year he performed one of the most difficult manoeuvres in the game. He turned teenage potential into adult promise and a senior contract with possibly the best team in Europe.

Back barely a week with his group of peers in the Irish Under-20 squad and the Blackrock back is bubbling with anticipation and the liberating force of good health.

The mundane has become magical. This World Cup is another starting point. So it’s early June but what else in his career has been regular.

“I got it the week after we played against Aironi,” he says looking down at his ankle.

“At the Monday session I went over on it. It was one of those weird ones. You give it three weeks to see if it will heal up. But then after that the tests all showed that it’s not going to heal, you have to get the operation. I was back last week so . . .

“Syndesmosis,” he adds with a flashing smile. “Something to do with the joint not protecting the ligaments. I think a few of the lads got it. Eoin O’Malley got it the last two weeks. He’s been struggling with his ankle and then a few of the others lads.

“Three of them got it within a short amount of time. It’s not overly complicated. You have to get a pin through to stabilise the joints and then once that’s mended back to rehab and a few months lay-off.”

Stripes. They are hard won. Conway is not so easy going about it. Spectating was a trial and slowed his trajectory.

The Leinster team is his current life and, in fact, love. But the next three weeks in Italy at the World Cup are a Leinster free zone.

Offer him an easy ride into Treviso on the back of a stunning Heineken Cup campaign with Leinster and he’ll turn you down. Conway, with the sizeable package he brings, knows his position, has learned pragmatism.

“No, not really,” he says at the suggestion that this season’s Leinster success is high-octane fuel. “Because I wasn’t involved in the Heineken Cup. I trained with the lads but I didn’t play in any of the games, so that’s not anything to do with me to be honest.

“Joe (Schmidt) was really good in the amount he played everyone. It’s good to be involved with Leinster but my focus is the under-20s and to be honest it has nothing to do with Leinster.

“I’m only back since last week. It was my first full week of training. I haven’t been around too much. I haven’t actually gone into full contact yet. What we did the last week with Leinster was all these grappling drills.

“It wasn’t one team against another but pretty controlled, full contact. I’m pretty sure the body is 100 per cent. If there was a game tomorrow I’d be pretty confident I’d be playing in it if I was picked. I’m there.”

His first serious career operation, his first staged comeback is timely. He will step into a talented back line. He knows, Mike Ruddock knows, that if the pack can secure decent ball sparks will fly with Conway, Brendan Macken, Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, James McKinny, Tiernan O’Halloran and Paddy Jackson.

“Last few years it’s being getting better and better and better in the academy in terms of the gym scores, the speed scores, who is turning into professional players,” he says. “That’s huge for the province as a stepping stone towards getting into senior level. It’s proving to be really worthwhile now.

“Playing with Leinster, it does help because you’ve played in big games . . . for young people. The Magners League is big. Coming into the World Cup it can give you an extra bit of belief in yourself, help your confidence that you are able to do a job. It’s mainly about confidence in the back of your head, that you are good enough.”

Playing beefy England and the equally broad South Africans in the opening four days is an unsympathetic draw. Then Scotland on day eight. Another scrap. The physicality will be attritional and sapping. Conway, from his last experience of the competition understands early momentum and success provides energy of its own. The first two games will dramatically shape Ireland’s tournament.

“The lads there last year, obviously myself, Brendan, Geordi (Murphy), Tiernan . . . we’ll all have to step up and lead. We are going to try and take the experience of last year, of what happened in the group and what happened after that and try and help ourselves through that. We don’t want to be experiencing that again.”

“That” was 25-22 down to France in game one, 36-21 down to England in game two and 24-21 down to Argentina in game three. A win over Samoa and Scotland secured ninth place.

“We’d be hoping to win both those (opening) matches,” he says. “Obviously the first one last year was against France. We came really close, got a penalty in the last minute.

“If we won that, it would have been a different World Cup for us completely . . . the first game is so crucial for the rest.”

Conway is right.

The world turns.

Ireland Squad

NIALL ANNETT (capt)

(Belfast Harlequins – Ulster).

Position: hooker. Age: 19. Height: 186cm (6ft 1in). Weight: 110kg (17st 5lbs).

One of the more experienced players in the squad with some Ulster senior games this year under Brian McLaughlin. Good leader.

FINLAY BEALHAM

(Belfast Harlequins – Ulster).

Position: prop. Age: 19; Height: 186cm (6ft 1in). Weight: 110kg (17st 5lb).

Australian Schools A player and ACT Brumbie underage loosehead unearthed by IRFU. Earned his first underage cap this year against Italy.

ANDREW BOYLE

(UCD – Leinster).

Position: wing. Age: 19; Height: 182cm (6ft). Weight: 89kg (14st).

Natural winger who played last year against Samoa (scoring two tries) and Scotland. Central figure in this season Six Nations.

SHANE BUCKLEY

(Garryowen – Munster).

Position: lock. Age: 19; Height: 192cm (6ft 4in). Weight: 106kg (16st 10lb).

Munster secondrow comes into the World Cup squad for the first time, but has played underage for Ireland already this year. Promising talent.

CONOR CAREY

(Ballymena – Ulster).

Position: prop. Age: 19. Height: 182 (5ft 11in). Weight: 121kg (19st 8lb).

Former Methody tighthead is heaviest player on the squad. Given the size of England and South Africa that could be useful.

AARON CONNELY

(Galway Corinthians – Connacht).

Position: Flanker. Age: 19; Height: 187cm (6ft 2in)’. Weight: 96kg (15st 2lb).

Another rookie to the World Cup competition but played in this year’s Six Nations. One of four players from Connacht in the squad.

ANDREW CONWAY

(Blackrock College – Leinster).

Position: fullback. Age: 19. Height: 181cm (5ft 11in). Weight: 88kg (13st 12lb).

His second World Cup the promising back has just returned from an ankle injury that kept him away for three months. Key player.

DAVID DOYLE

(UCD – Leinster).

Position: hooker. Age: 19. Height: 184cm (6ft). Weight: 98kg (15st 6lb).

Played five matches in last year’s tournament and scored a try against Argentina. Faces the captain, Annett, for a starting place.

PETER DU TOIT

(UCD – Leinster).

Position: scrumhalf. Age: 20. Height: 179cm (5ft 10in). Weight: 86kg (13st 8lb).

Played in this season’s Six Nations, but not in last year’s RWC. Has come up through the age groups and also a proven try scorer.

TADHG FURLONG

(Clontarf – Leinster)

Position: prop. Age: 18. Height: 183cm (6ft). Weight: 115kg (18st 2lb).

His first World Cup, he graduated from the underage development squad after a good performance against a French under-19 side.

DOMINIC GALLAGHER

(Dublin University – Ulster)

Position: flanker. Age: 20. Height: 181cm (5ft 11in)’. Weight: 93kg (14st 9lb).

Brought into the squad with a specific purpose to upset the big English boys. Abrasive, low slung player in the mould of Neil Back.

Craig Gilroy

(Dungannon - Ulster). Position: wing. Age: 20; Height: 183cm/6’0’’; Weight: 90kg/14st 2lb.

Ulster’s top try-scorer in recent Magners League. Missed a few of the Six Nations ties due to senior commitments. Super finisher.

JJ HANRAHAN

(UL Bohemian – Munster). Position: outhalf. Age: 18; Height: 180cm/5’11’’; Weight: 90kg/14st 2lb.

Mature beyond his years. Key in Bohemians ending Lansdowne’s home record in this season’s AIL. Currently in the Munster Academy.

IAIN HENDERSON

(Queen’s – Ulster)

Position: lock. Age: 19. Height: 199cm (6ft 6in). Height: 109kg (17st 2lb).

The former RBAI boy took to the game after his father, who coached Academy RFC. Born in Craigavon, another World Cup rookie.

PADDY JACKSON

(Dungannon – Ulster)

Position: outhalf. Age: 19. Height: 179cm (5ft 10in). Weight: 84kg (13st 3lb).

Experienced operator and academy developed like Gilroy has appeared with the Ulster seniors.

MICHAEL KEARNEY

(Clontarf – Leinster)

Position: lock. Age: 20. Height: 199cm (6ft 6in). Weight: 102kg (16st 1lb).

Played in this year’s Six Nations, but first World Cup. Importantly he lined out against England, so should know what to expect.

ALEX KELLY

(UCD – Leinster)

Position: centre. Age: 19. Height: 183cm (6ft). Weight: 88kg (13st 2lb).

Ex-St Michael’s College student has caps at schools level and at under-19. First World Cup sets up interesting scrap for starting spots.

BRENDAN MACKEN

(Blackrock – Leinster)

Position: centre. Age: 19. Height: 186cm (6ft 1in). Weight: 96kg (15st 2lb).

Another senior player in a sparkling back line, he has also made inroads with Leinster this season and hopes for and expects a big tournament.

KIERAN MARMION

(UWIC – Exile)

Position: scrumhalf. Age: 19. Height: 179cm (5ft 10in). Weight: 72kg (12st 4lb).

One of the two players brought in who did not play in this year’s Six Nations, plays with a feeder club for Cardiff Blues.

LUKE MARSHALL

(Ballymena – Ulster)

Position: centre. Age: 20. Height: 179cm (5ft 10in). Weight: 93kg (14st 9lb).

One of the nine Ulster players in the squad, he has had a meteoric rise this season after debuting against Munster in October. One to watch.

EOIN McKEON

(Galwegians – Connacht)

Position: number 8. Age: 19. Height: 188cm (6ft 2in). Weight: 101kg (15st 3lb).

First World Cup outing for the Connacht Academy graduate. On the fringes of Connacht senior team.

JAMES McKINNEY

(Queen’s – Ulster)

Position: outhalf. Age: 20. Height: 179cm (5ft 10in). Weight: 85kg (13st 5lb).

Himself and Ulster colleague Paddy Jackson are an experienced pair of hands in an important position.

JORDI MURPHY

(Lansdowne – Leinster)

Position: flanker. Age: 19. Height: 188cm (6ft 2in). Weight: 105kg (16st 8lb).

Blackrock College Senior Cup-winning captain in 2009 played against Argentina, Samoa, Scotland and Italy last time. Exciting player.

TIERNAN O’HALLORAN

(Galwegians – Connacht)

Position: wing. Age: 19. Height: 188cm (6ft 2in). Weight: 93kg (14st 9lb).

Roscrea graduate can score tries and is currently one of the most promising young players to emerge from the Connacht Academy.

DANIEL QUALTER

(Buccaneers – Connacht).

Position: lock. Age: 19. Height: 195cm (6ft 4in). Weight: 113kg (17st 12lb).

The powerful lock broke through into Buccaneers senior team this season. His work-rate around the park is notably high.

JAMES TRACY

(UCD – Leinster)

Position: prop. Age: 20. Height: 184cm (6ft). Weight: 109kg (17st 2lb).

Has been an influential figure in UCD frontrow. Stepping up to face bigger units will be a collective frontrow challenge.

Irish Coaching Staff . . .

Coach– Mike Ruddock

Manager– Michael Kearney.

Analysis– Vinny Hammond.

Masseuse– Regina Flanagan.

Logistics/Kit– Ian Fleming.

Doctors– Dr Joe Baker Dr Brian Devitt.

Strengt h Conditioning Coach– David Drake.

Assistant Coach– Niall Malone.

Physiotherapist– Owen Threadgold.