Meet the Ireland U-20 players on the verge of a Grand Slam win

Richie Murphy and his assistant coaches Mark Sexton and Willie Faloon stand on the threshold of history.

Victory over England in the final match of the Under-20 Six Nations Championship at a sold-out Musgrave Park on Sunday (5.0) will give the coaching team a second successive Grand Slam.

Jimmy Duffy coached the forwards last year, Aaron Dundon has taken that role this season, four of a group of 14 backroom staff involved during the tournament.

Murphy said: “I think anyone that comes in and out of camp will see that the whole management group get on very well, it is a tight-knit group which makes it very easy to go in and do your work.

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“Mark and Willie have come on massively in the last 18 months that we have been together. Aaron has come in and fitted in seamlessly, taken over the scrum and the breakdown. He’s done an incredible job with it.”

Murphy has loved every minute of his time, having taken a punt on moving from a coaching role with the senior team to the 20s.

“It was a challenge to take it on at the time and coming away from the senior stuff I wasn’t really quite sure how that was going to go, but one that I have really enjoyed.

“Musgrave Park is incredible, a great place to play rugby. Crowds are in early, kids are massively invested in the team, the whole buzz around the 20s this year has gone to a new level. We are hoping to finish off with a really great performance.

“Musgrave is a special place; I can’t believe what that place means to me over the past couple of years.”

Ireland will be without Evan O’Connell, cruelly denied his opportunity following a head clash that saw Scotland’s Jake Parkinson sent off. As an 18-year-old he can’t do the return to play protocols and must stand down for a specified period. It’s likely that Ulster’s Joe Hopes will be drafted into the match-day 23.

Henry McErlean

Age: 20

School: St Michael’s College

Club: Terenure College

Province: Leinster

Position: Fullback

Hurling may have been his first love, but he quickly mastered rugby. A knee injury kept him out for his final year at school, but it hasn’t compromised his innate ability. His ability to create and exploit space, his vision, lines of running and balance give the team a cutting edge out wide.

Pathway: National Talent squad

James Nicholson

Age: 19

School: St Michael’s College

Club: UCD

Province: Leinster

Position: Wing

A fullback by inclination, his footballing ability means that he copes easily with the demands of switching to the right wing. He scored two tries in the opening match against Wales and started the wins against France and Italy before a training accident saw him miss the win over Scotland.

Pathway: Provincial Talent Squad

Hugh Cooney

Age: 19

School: Blackrock College

Club: Clontarf

Province: Leinster

Position: Centre

A top prospect, he’s got all the attributes to excel, not least the way that he reads the game. His footwork and strength in contact make him difficult to defend against while after an uncomfortable half an hour in the opening game against Wales when there was a system failure/pilot error, his defence has been assured.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

John Devine

Age: 19

School: Garbally College

Club: Corinthians

Province: Connacht

Position: Centre

He’s grown into the campaign impressively after a tough opening in the Welsh match when the Irish midfield defence was cut asunder. He’s aggressive in his carrying and his timing onto the ball and running lines have seen him make several breaks. Younger brother of last year’s scrumhalf, Matthew.

Pathway: Academy

Hugh Gavin

Age: 19

School: Coláiste Iognáid

Club: Galwegians

Province: Connacht

Position: Wing

Ostensibly a centre, he’s coped admirable with playing on the left wing where he has been a real handful physically for opponents. A try scorer in the win over France, it’ll be interesting to see if Ireland look to use him more off his wing around the outhalf channel against England, where he could be very effective.

Pathway: Academy

Sam Prendergast

Age: 19

School: Newbridge College

Club: Lansdowne

Province: Leinster

Position: Outhalf

The younger brother of senior international Cian is an outstanding player that wears the mantle with a light touch. Impervious to expectation or pressure, his all-round game has been superb, whether kicking (59 points), running, passing, offloading, tackling or managing Ireland’s attacking playbook. There is no ceiling if he continues to improve.

Pathway: Academy

Fintan Gunne

Age: 19

School: St Michael’s College

Club: Terenure College

Province: Leinster

Position: Scrumhalf

Strong, quick with a superb pass, he has ensured that Ireland play with a high tempo in attack while also demonstrating his appreciation for gaps in the fringe defence and running intelligent trail lines. He scored tries in the wins over Italy and Scotland.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

George Hadden

Age: 20

School: Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew

Club: Clontarf

Province: Leinster

Position: Prop

He relished the ball carrying scope he got against Scotland and proved how adept he was in that facet of the game. Grew up in Tinahely but he started playing rugby in Gorey as an 11-year-old and hasn’t looked back since. Ireland have ironed out one or two scrum issues earlier in the tournament.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Gus McCarthy (capt)

Age: 19

School: Blackrock College

Club: UCD

Province: Leinster

Position: Hooker

He’s led the team by example, his energy and dynamism very much to the fore in open play, where his speed and handling skills shine. The Irish lineout has functioned well throughout the campaign to date. A try scorer against Scotland.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Paddy McCarthy

Age: 19

School: Blackrock College

Club: Dublin University

Province: Leinster

Position: Prop

When properly focused – he occasionally gets sidetracked into throwing the 30/70 offload or conceding a few penalties – he is a brilliant rugby player, powerful on both sides of the ball and with a good eye for where he can make maximum impact. Two tries in three starts.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Diarmuid Mangan

Age: 20

School: Newbridge College

Club: UCD

Province: Leinster

Position: Second row

One of three players from last year’s Grand Slam-winning side, he is a superb athlete, as he showed for his try against Scotland, who is equally at home in the second row or blindside flanker. He gets through a great deal of quality work in attack and defence.

Pathway: Academy

Conor O’Tighearnaigh

Age: 19

School: St Michael’s College

Club: UCD

Province: Leinster

Position: Second row

The second member of last season’s Grand Slam-winning team, he has taken responsibility for calling Ireland’s lineout. The try he scored in the game against Wales highlights his qualities as a player, not least of which is his speed of movement for such a big young man.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

James McNabney

Age: 20

School: Cambridge House Grammar School

Club: Ballymena

Province: Ulster

Position: Back row

The third member of last season’s Grand Slam winners, the 6ft5in flanker started the campaign relatively quietly but has enjoyed a more prominent influence in the last couple of matches – he crossed for tries against Italy and Scotland respectively – that better represents his ability.

Pathway: Academy

Ruadhán Quinn

Age: 19

School: Crescent College Comprehensive

Club: Old Crescent

Province: Munster

Position: Back row

This time last year he was at school, so he’s compiled quite the résumé since then, three senior caps for Munster and carried expectation easily on his broad shoulders, the team’s leading try scorer with four, including a hat-trick last time out. Ireland has several players of huge potential and he is one.

Pathway: Academy

Brian Gleeson

Age: 19

School: Rockwell College

Club: Garryowen

Province: Munster

Position: Number eight

If Ireland were picking their player of the campaign to date, then the former Loughmore Castleiney clubman would be at the centre of any conversation. He’s been a colossus for the team and it’s hard to credit that he only turned 19 last month and will be eligible again for this team next year. A brilliant contribution.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Danny Sheahan

Age: 18

School: PBC Cork

Club: UCC

Province: Munster

Position: Hooker

Another who will be eligible for this age-grade next season, he’s had to bide his time in playing behind the captain but when he did get a reasonable opportunity against Scotland, he certainly took it with the way that he played. A nephew of former Ireland hooker, Frankie.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

George Morris

Age: 19

School: Gonzaga College

Club: Lansdowne

Province: Leinster

Position: Prop

He’s had limited opportunity to showcase the ball carrying prowess that he displayed in last year’s Leinster Schools Senior Cup final for the Irish 20s but despite getting limited minutes he’s managed to offer the odd cameo in the loose.

Pathway: Provincial Talent Squad

Fiachna Barrett

Age: 20

School: St Brendan’s College, Belmullet

Club: Corinthians

Province: Connacht

Position: Prop

He got his first start in the game against Scotland and took the chance with both hands, scoring a try, playing a pivotal role, literally, in another tap penalty move that led to another and basically caught the eye in everything he did.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Evan O’Connell

Age: 18

School: Castletroy College

Club: UL Bohemian

Province: Munster

Position: Second row

Justin’s son and Paul’s nephew, the pedigree was there but he very much stood on his own two feet in terms of what he has contributed to the team. He’s a very promising young player. Started the game against Scotland and turned in a big performance before departing for a HIA. He is eligible again next year.

Pathway: Academy

Jacob Sheahan

Age: 19

School: PBC Cork

Club: UCC

Province: Munster

Position: Back row

Another nephew of former Ireland hooker Frankie, another player who will be available again next year, he came off the bench in the first three matches before missing the Scotland match.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Oscar Cawley

Age: 19

School: Naas CBS

Club: Naas

Province: Leinster

Position: Scrumhalf

He’s featured regularly for Naas in the All Ireland League and has come off the bench in all of Ireland’s games to date in the campaign, capping his last appearance with the 12th and final try against the Scots. He has ensured that the tempo of the team’s patterns never drops.

Pathway: Provincial Talent Squad

Harry West

Age: 19

School: King’s Hospital

Club: Buccaneers

Province: Connacht

Position: Outhalf

A product of Ballina rugby club from minis up and the winner of Connacht’s Under-19 player of the year last season, the outhalf was a part of the matchday 23 for the first three wins before a training ground injury ruled him out of the Scotland game.

Pathway: Academy

Rory Telfer

Age: 19

School: Coleraine Grammar

Club: QUB

Province: Ulster

Position: Fullback

The fullback-cum-wing was one of five players taken into the Ulster academy last year alongside 2022 Under-20 Six Nations Grand Slam winners Scott Wilson and Lorcan McLoughlin, his current Irish teammates James McNabney and Joe Hopes. A try scorer in the last two matches off the bench, he possesses a sharp attacking threat.

Pathway: Academy

Ike Anagu

Age: 20

School: John’s College, Johannesburg

Club: La Rochelle

Province: N/A

Position: Wing

The Waterford-born player, who grew up in South Africa but now plays at Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle club with the Espoirs, started the game against Wales but hasn’t played since. He requires a little bit of work in all aspects of his game but may come into the reckoning for the Junior World Cup in the summer.

Pathway: Irish Qualified (IQ) programme

Andrew Osborne

Age: 19

School: Naas CBS

Club: Naas

Province: Leinster

Position: Wing

A younger brother of Leinster’s Jamie, he recovered from a hand injury that kept him sidelined at the start of the tournament to take his place against Scotland – James Nicholson was ruled out with a quad strain – and marked the occasion with a try on his debut.

Pathway: National Talent squad

Liam Molony

Age: 19

School: Blackrock College

Club: Dublin University

Province: Leinster

Position: Back row

Another who missed the start of the campaign through injury but he underlined his quality with a high-profile cameo off the bench in the win over Scotland. The flanker was a standout player in Blackrock’s schools cup win last season.

Pathway: National Talent Squad

Matthew Lynch

Age: 20

School: Terenure College

Club: Dublin University

Province: Leinster

Position: Outhalf

He was drafted into the matchday squad for the win over Scotland following an injury to Harry West and came onto kick beautifully (four conversions) and maintained the pace and tempo to Ireland’s attack in the final quarter. He’s also an accomplished Gaelic footballer with the Ballinteer St Johns club and played for the Dublin minors.

Pathway: Provincial Talent Squad

Six Nations Results

Wales 27 Ireland 44 (J Nicholson 2 tries, R Quinn, C O’Tighearnaigh, P McCarthy, H McErlean tries, S Prendergast 2 pens, 3 cons, H West con).

Ireland 33 France 31 (P McCarthy, B Gleeson, H Gavin try each, S Prendergast 4 pens, 3 cons)

Italy 27 Ireland 44 (J McNabney, B Gleeson, R Telfer, F Gunne, H Cooney try each, S Prendergast 3 pens, 5 cons)

Scotland 7 Ireland 82 (R Quinn (3), J McNabney, D Mangan, D Sheahan, G McCarthy, F Barrett, O Cawley, F Gunne, A Osborne, R Telfer try each, S Prendergast 7 cons, M Lynch 4 cons)