[profitius]

Originally Posted by Hagz

Maybe the more established young players who are on course to get game-time with their province don't need the exposure of an u-20s tournament, whereas players who missed out on an academy contract or are less established could do with the opportunity to showcase themselves.

Thats my thoughts too.

I'm not in favour of playing 18 year olds in the U20s IF there are other, older options for the same position. These days theres loads of centers coming through.

Farrell looks like he'll have a good career ahead of him. It should be interesting in Ulster with himself and Luke Marshall fighting for the 12 jersey.

[ormond lad]

Originally Posted by profitius

Thats my thoughts too.

I'm not in favour of playing 18 year olds in the U20s IF there are other, older options for the same position. These days theres loads of centers coming through.

Farrell looks like he'll have a good career ahead of him. It should be interesting in Ulster with himself and Luke Marshall fighting for the 12 jersey.

If they are good enough to play they play, so what if there is older players(who may not be a better player) ahead of them. if someone is barely 18 and they are better than someone who is a day under the u20 age group, play the better option.

[profitius]

Originally Posted by ormond lad

If they are good enough to play they play, so what if there is older players(who may not be a better player) ahead of them. if someone is barely 18 and they are better than someone who is a day under the u20 age group, play the better option.

And stop another player getting that experience.

U20 rugby should be about player development mainly.

[ormond lad]

Originally Posted by profitius

And stop another player getting that experience.

U20 rugby should be about player development mainly.

If a player is good enough they start, even if they are a day u/age for u18 and the guy fighting for the same position is a day u/age for 20s.
Whats the point of leaving the better player off if he's better than the player on the pitch. The only time your best xv is not on the field is if players are called up to the provincial squads for games during the 6 nations.
Would new zealand or australia leave the older lad and leave the younger player who is better on the sideline because they are concerned about player development.
If someone is good enough to start they start

[CIARAN_BOYLE]

Originally Posted by ormond lad

If someone is good enough to start they start

Also if someone isn't good enough to make the team on merits they probably won't make it as a professional rugby rugby player and are holding up the development of a younger option

[shuffol]

You should put your best XV out in the u-20s and try to wn the tournament, look at the players on the GS winning side in 07, how good was winning the GS for their development? We've a relatively small pool of players at u-20 level who look capable of playing pro rugby, if we send out understrength teams against the likes of France and England they'll be stuffed, thats hardly ideal for them.

[profitius]

Originally Posted by ormond lad

If a player is good enough they start, even if they are a day u/age for u18 and the guy fighting for the same position is a day u/age for 20s.
Whats the point of leaving the better player off if he's better than the player on the pitch. The only time your best xv is not on the field is if players are called up to the provincial squads for games during the 6 nations.
Would new zealand or australia leave the older lad and leave the younger player who is better on the sideline because they are concerned about player development.
If someone is good enough to start they start

We'll have to agree to disagree with this one, OL.

I think underage rugby should be about development firstly. I've heard a few people talk about the schools having a win at all costs mentality instead of being interested in the development of players.

[ormond lad]

Originally Posted by profitius

We'll have to agree to disagree with this one, OL.

I think underage rugby should be about development firstly. I've heard a few people talk about the schools having a win at all costs mentality instead of being interested in the development of players.

But at u20s level, there is plenty of players in pro academys, on pro contracts and they are their to win. If you want to do well you need your u/age teams doing well and for that to happen you put your best 15 on the pitch
U20s internationals are on an entirely different level to senior schools cups

[shuffol]

Reported from the Irish Times website, was on in Donnybrook yesterday.


Ireland Under-20s 24 Ulster Ravens 23:

IF ONE is to nitpick, and surely Ireland Under-20s coach Mike Ruddock will be doing just that, then the last quarter of this performance against an Ulster selection will come in for serious scrutiny.

What is clear from the warm-up games over the past 10 days is Ireland will be competitive at this age grade level come the Six Nations. There is quality at both scrumhalf and outhalf in recent St Michael’s College rugby nursery graduates Cathal Marsh and Luke McGrath, while the backrow is teeming with muscular, classy operators.

There were plenty of positives to glean from yesterday’s outing at a chilly Donnbyrook. Up to about the hour mark that is. Thereafter the Ulster pack upped the physical stakes and the Irish eight visibly struggled.

They conceded a try off a lineout driving maul, which is just the type of assault the French (Grenoble on February 11th) and English (Adams Park on March 16th) will undoubtedly unleash. It was prop Conor Carey who flopped over the line.

Then Conor Gaston profited from sloppy handling in midfield to kick on and be first to the bobbling ball. Stuart Olding’s conversion brought matters back to the minimum but time was up.

The quality of Marsh and Sam Coghlan Murray was evident in their combination for the game’s opening try on 28 minutes. A solid scrum saw clean ball go to Marsh, who swerved to attack the openside only to put his blindside winger though a gaping hole with a reverse pass.

Marsh also slotted that conversion as he shared place-kicking duties throughout with JJ Hanrahan.

The next try ensured Ireland had enough breathing space despite Olding punishing most infringements (the Irish defensive line went offside every time Ulster entered their 22). Again, it came off a solid scrum. When Ulster flanker Dom Gallagher was sin-binned by referee Eanna O’Dowd, Irish hooker and captain Niall Scannell signalled for a scrum.

With impressive number eight Jordan Coghlan in the blood-bin, former St Gerard’s College backrower Jack Conan switched to number eight. Conan attacked blind, took contact and sent Shane Buckley over with a neat offload.

Ireland continued to pile on the pressure early in the second half and when they went wide at pace Carthy claimed the third try. The fourth belonged to the rugby brain of McGrath. The scrumhalf’s quick tap and acceleration was enough to get him over before any defenders could stop him.

IRELAND UNDER-20S: J Carthy (Connacht); C Finn (Connacht), B Daly (Leinster), JJ Hanrahan (Munster), S Coghlan Murray (Leinster); C Marsh (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht); K McCall (Ulster), N Scannell (Munster), P Reilly (Leinster); T Beirne (Leinster), D Qualter (Connacht); J Conan (Leinster), A Conneely (Connacht), J Coghlan (Leinster). Replacements used: C Gilsenan, S Buckley, C Kindregan, D Higgins, C O’Connell, D Merrey, L McGrath, C Farrell, F Horan.

ULSTER RAVENS: R Andrew; R Scholes, M Irwin, C Gaston, T Acheson; S Olding, J Creighton; R Jablonski, J Burns, C Carey; D O’Mahony, J Simpson; A Duhig, D Gallagher, D McGuigan. Replacements used: J Andrew, C Taylor, N McComb, P Farrell, M McAuley.

Referee: E O’Dowd.

[Hagz]

Nice to hear that Marsh and McGrath are impressing from a Leinster point of view.

[rugby1992]

Why dose jack conan continue to be placed at 6 when his superior quality to jordan coughlan was shown when replaced him at 8 as a blood sub in a match against ulster A. Coughlan appears to show no control and the back of the scrum and is lazy throughout many of the performances I have seen him play. It is very easy to look good in a senior cup with continues go forward ball but when it get tough coughlan dose not have the vision on the pitch to lead at 8 and conan should be the right option

[irishbucsfan]

Getting excited about this now!

Just need to find out how I can watch the U20 6N games from England now.

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by rugby1992

Why dose jack conan continue to be placed at 6 when his superior quality to jordan coughlan was shown when replaced him at 8 as a blood sub in a match against ulster A. Coughlan appears to show no control and the back of the scrum and is lazy throughout many of the performances I have seen him play. It is very easy to look good in a senior cup with continues go forward ball but when it get tough coughlan dose not have the vision on the pitch to lead at 8 and conan should be the right option

You should let Mike Ruddock know that. He probably knows nothing about playing 8.

[PhatPiggins]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

Getting excited about this now!

Just need to find out how I can watch the U20 6N games from England now.

Are you saying how to watch games played in England or you're based in England? It's late so the brain us slow.

If its the former I can help you with the bbc site

[rugby1992]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

You should let Mike Ruddock know that. He probably knows nothing about playing 8.

You will see in no time that there will be a shift in the team