[vinny chase]

There really is a lot of Connacht players in that side; great to see!

Also very interested to see how guys like Cathal Marsh, Luke McGrath and Conor Gilsenan do.

[gally74]

Future bright for Connacht, follow on from the numbers last year

[CIARAN_BOYLE]

Originally Posted by ormond lad

Three Munster Players Named In Ireland U20 Squad
21 December 2011, 4:53 pm
By The Editor

The Ireland Under 20 team to take on a Leinster development side tomorrow, 22nd December at 2.00pm in Donnybrook has been named.

Two Munster players will feature on the first XV with James Rael, Garryowen F.C., named in the hooker position and fellow club player Shane Buckley starting in the back row. Dolphin’s Niall Scannell has been named in the replacements.

The now traditional training game against Leinster is part of their preparations for the 2012 Under 20 Six Nations Championship, which begins against Wales in Dubarry Park, Athlone of Friday, 3rd February.
Ireland U20:
Shane Layden (Buccaneers/Connacht)
14 - Conor Finn (Buccaneers/Connacht)
13 - Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
12 - Tadgh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht)
11 - Callum Boland (Buccaneers/Connacht)
10 - Cathal Marsh (Dublin University/Leinster)
9 - Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
1 - Des Merrey (CLontarf/Leinster)
2 - James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
3 - Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
4 - Conor Kindregan (UL Bohemians/Connacht)
5 - Daniel Qualter (Buccaneers/Connacht)
6 - Shane Buckley (Garryowen/Munster)
7 - Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Leinster) Captain
8 - Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht)
Replacements:
16 - Stephen Macaulley (Exiles)
17 - Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
18 - Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19 - Paddy Lavelle (Dublin University/Leinster)
20 - Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster)
21 - Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
22 - Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
23 - Kyle McCall (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
24 - Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
25 - Diarmuid Higgins (Buccaneers/Connacht)
26 - Alan O’Connor (UCD/Leinster)
27 - Jack Conan (old Belvedere/Leinster)
28 - Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/domestic/news/9871.php

Leinster side, I believe a few of them are still eligible for the U20s and would be there if they weren't on provincial duty.

15: Darren Hudson (St. Mary’s College)
14: Mark Corballis (Old Belvedere)
13: Alex Kelly (UCD)
12: Collie O’Shea (Clontarf)
11: Andrew Boyle (UCD)
10: Noel Reid (Clontarf)
9: Patrick O’Driscoll (Lansdowne)

1: Jack O’Connell (Lansdowne)
2: Tom Sexton (Lansdowne)
3: Martin Moore (Lansdowne)
4: Neilus Keogh (Lansdowne)
5: Jerry Sexton (St. Mary’s College)
6: Ciaran Ruddock (St. Mary’s College) CAPTAIN
7: Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne)
8: Eoghan Masterson (Clontarf)

REPLACEMENTS:

16: David Doyle (UCD)
17: Adam Clarkin (UCD)
18: James Tracy (UCD)
19: Conor Owende (Old Belvedere)
20: Michael Oyuga (Old Belvedere)
21: Brian du Toit (Dublin University)
22: Aaron Sheehan (Old Belvedere)
23: Craig Ronaldson (Lansdowne)
24: Stephen Murphy (UCD)
25: Daniel Ruddock (Seapoint)

[GerM]

Delighted to see Gilsenan get the nod and handed the captaincy especially with 4 or 5 lads in the side that are on their second year with the U20 team. Can't rate him highly enough for someone that only recently turned 19. Awesome engine on him and should make his debut for the full Leinster side at some point in the next year I would hope if he can stay fit. McGrath is the other obvious one from a Leinster perspective. I'm equally surprised and pleased to see such a crop of Connacht players involved.

With that said, there are players like Tadhg Furlong, Michael Sherlock, Paddy Jackson and JJ Hanrahan who aren't there that will almost certainly be involved in the starting side so I expect significant change come the 6N.

[Hagz]

Originally Posted by GerM

With that said, there are players like Tadhg Furlong, Michael Sherlock, Paddy Jackson and JJ Hanrahan who aren't there that will almost certainly be involved in the starting side so I expect significant change come the 6N.

I wonder will Jackson be involved much. He's getting a lot of game-time for the senior side so it would kind of be a step backwards wouldn't it?

[porterbelly]

Originally Posted by Hagz

I wonder will Jackson be involved much. He's getting a lot of game-time for the senior side so it would kind of be a step backwards wouldn't it?

Is he though?

On the bench a good bit but very little gametime. I'd say Ulster will want him covering the bench though so he mightn't be involved

[irishbucsfan]

It's very much a trial U20s team. Don't think the starting team in Feb will look much like that.

[Hagz]

Originally Posted by porterbelly

Is he though?

Well....a lot for a 19yr old.

[vinny chase]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

It's very much a trial U20s team. Don't think the starting team in Feb will look much like that.

Are you involved with Buccaneers as your username would suggest?

Do you know much about all their young players in the side?

They have the entire back three, and another smattering of players throughout the remainder of the squad.

Been really impressed with the little bits I've seen of Shane Layden.

[porterbelly]

Originally Posted by vinny chase

Are you involved with Buccaneers as your username would suggest?

Do you know much about all their young players in the side?

They have the entire back three, and another smattering of players throughout the remainder of the squad.

Been really impressed with the little bits I've seen of Shane Layden.

He's supposed to be a great prospect, came on for the seniors in the RDS a couple of months ago.

Boland, Layden, Qualter, Kindregan, Conneely, Marmion and Carty are all regulars at AIL level

Finn is only back after 8 weeks out so not sure about him

[irishbucsfan]

Not involved with Buccaeers I'm afraid. Living in England at the moment, so possibly the worst qualified person to comment on these chaps. But I know some of the Connacht fans on here have definitely spoken about Layden, Leader and the lads playing lovely rugby with them this season.

[irishbucsfan]

Is Coneely regularly an 8?

[porterbelly]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

Is Coneely regularly an 8?

Mainly a 7, but played 6 for Connacht during the interpros

He's a big lad, 6'2 over 100kg so I'd say his future lies at 6 or 8

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by porterbelly

Mainly a 7, but played 6 for Connacht during the interpros

He's a big lad, 6'2 over 100kg so I'd say his future lies at 6 or 8

I was very impressed with him as a 7 which is why I asked. I know there is another brother so I thought I might be getting confused. I suppose having Gilsenan means Conneely and himself will be fighting for that 7 jersey tooth and nail.

Darn us Irish and our absolute boatload of natural opensides! :/

I think a backrow of Connely, Gilsenan, Butler could potentially control possession in the 6 Nations. Qualter is a class act (Is Kearney overage? What about McKeon?) and will bring great energy to the row. Not sure about the front rowers at all this year, I was quite clued in there last year. Losing guys like Annett and Tracy will be tough. Don't know if we have many good young props at this age level... we'll have to avoid the scrum I guess! Tadgh Furlong will hold up the tighthead side at least, top prospect that he is.

McGrath has a lot of hype to live up to. If he does and Jackson comes in alongside him then we'll have two top half backs. Outside them we could see Hanrahan and someone like Coughlan-Murray or Alex Kelly. Not as good as in the recent past but still quite good IMO.

I don't know if this team will be as good as it has been in recent years. Heres to hoping there are a few surprise packages waiting in the wings of the Irish provincial system.

[Hype710]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

I was very impressed with him as a 7 which is why I asked. I know there is another brother so I thought I might be getting confused. I suppose having Gilsenan means Conneely and himself will be fighting for that 7 jersey tooth and nail.

Darn us Irish and our absolute boatload of natural opensides! :/

I think a backrow of Connely, Gilsenan, Butler could potentially control possession in the 6 Nations. Qualter is a class act (Is Kearney overage? What about McKeon?) and will bring great energy to the row. Not sure about the front rowers at all this year, I was quite clued in there last year. Losing guys like Annett and Tracy will be tough. Don't know if we have many good young props at this age level... we'll have to avoid the scrum I guess! Tadgh Furlong will hold up the tighthead side at least, top prospect that he is.

McGrath has a lot of hype to live up to. If he does and Jackson comes in alongside him then we'll have two top half backs. Outside them we could see Hanrahan and someone like Coughlan-Murray or Alex Kelly. Not as good as in the recent past but still quite good IMO.

I don't know if this team will be as good as it has been in recent years. Heres to hoping there are a few surprise packages waiting in the wings of the Irish provincial system.

Butler, Kelly, Kearney and McKeown all overage. I would imagine we will see Ulster's Henderson, Nelson and Farrell come into the mix come Six Nations. So maybe a side of:

15 Nelson
14 Layden
13 Farrell
12 Hanrahan
11 Coughlan Murray
10 Jackson/Marsh
9 McGrath
8 Conneely
7 Gilsenan
6 Buckley
5 Henderson
4 Qualter
3 Furlong
2 Rael
1 Merrey