Sport

Lack of preparation to hit home as Ireland face tough test

UNDER-18 SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL: PERHAPS, IT is just as well that Ireland will not have to play England and France in the oddly…

DES BERRY
Wed Mar 26 2008 - 00:00

UNDER-18 SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL:PERHAPS, IT is just as well that Ireland will not have to play England and France in the oddly programmed Under-18 Six Nations Festival which they will start against Wales at Musgrave Park this evening.

The Irish have been hampered by a remarkably short preparation - they met up last Friday - and the meagre benefit of a defeat to a French selection (15-12) at Christmas, from which they make five changes with the introduction of fullback Noel Reid, wings Craig O'Hanlon and Mark Atkinson, centre Michael Allen and blindside Dominic Ryan.

Since then, Wales have been able to chop, change and work themselves into a smooth operation on the back of four preparatory matches, losing to English Academies (25-7) and England (25-15) and beating French Academies (37-7) and, most recently, Scotland (24-0) over St Patrick's weekend.

The Welsh have also selected a side backboned by eight players from the Dragons, including five forwards and the entire backrow. They will be captained by the Cardiff Blues hooker, Rhys Williams, and directed from outhalf by the neat skills of Matthew Jarvis.

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Of course, St Patrick plays a central role in the Schools Cup finals that dominate the Irish landscape. The consistent conflict between these traditional campaigns and the modern-day demands of developing players for the professional game hurts Ireland's chances in this second season tournament.

Coach Peter Melia has retained seven of the eight forwards that held their own in December. A sturdy frontrow of Denis Buckley, Niall Annett and Jack O'Connell is backed up by an athletic back five designed to play the game at a quick tempo.

Centres Diarmuid McCarthy and Allen and captain Brian O'Hara are three players worth watching as Melia has had to revise his plans around the considerable loss of centre Nevin Spence and wing Ray Crotty. It is a double blow that could prove fatal tonight.

IRELAND UNDER-18:N Reid (St Michael's); C O'Hanlon (St Munchin's), M Allen (Methodist), D McCarthy (Castletroy), M Atkinson (Grosvenor Grammar); L Marshall (Ballymena Academy), D O'Driscoll (PBC Cork); D Buckley (Blackrock), N Annett (Methodist), J O'Connell (Clongowes Wood), B Hayes (CBC Cork), B Marshall (St Andrew's), D Ryan (Gonzaga), B O'Hara (PBC Cork, capt), D O'Callaghan (Midleton). Replacements: R Byrne (Terenure College), B Cagney (Presentation Brothers College Cork), M Moore (Castleknock College), P Butler (Rockwell College), M Kelleher (St Munchin's College), R Bent (St Mary's College), D McSharry (Templeogue College), P Pritchard (Ballymena Academy), G Nugent (Presentation Brothers College Cork), J Bloomfield (Coleraine Academical Institution), J McKinney (Campbell College).

WALES UNDER-18:J Loxton; A Hughes, B John, A Beck, I Coombes; M Jarvis, R Downes; D Watchurst, R Williams (capt), S Maguire, T Crandon, J Galley, D Francis, R Jenkins, J Thomas.

TODAY'S FIXTURES:England v Italy, Temple Hill (5.0); France v Scotland, CIT (5.0); Ireland v Wales, Musgrave Park (7.30).