Ireland U20 v Scotland U20 19/3/10 7.35pm

gavkm27

For Friday's clash with Scotland in Athlone, Ireland Under-20 coach Allen Clarke has made two changes to the side which defeated Wales.
Cork Constitution clubman Simon Zebo returns to the starting line-up, replacing the injured Darren Hudson on the left wing, and Corinthians starlet Eoin Griffin, a try scorer as a replacement in the win over Wales, comes in for Brendan Macken at outside centre.

The Irish Under-20s currently sit top of the table with three wins from their opening four games. They are level on six Championship points with second-placed England, but boast a 17-point lead over the English side in terms of scoring difference.

As his charges gun for a Championship and Triple Crown double, Clarke said: "The players are aware of the consequences of Friday's game and the opportunity as a result of the performances to date.

"However, the approach is to focus on the things which we can control. In simple terms respecting the opposition in preparing for 'another Test match' with the same diligence, concentration and desire to improve individually and collectively, while ensuring rest and enjoyment at the appropriate times.

"The mood in the camp is good and there is a real sense of desire to deliver the required performance in what will be another tough encounter against Scotland."

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v Scotland U-20, RBS U-20 6 Nations Championship, Dubarry Park, Friday, March 19, kick-off 7.35pm):

15 - Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14 - Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht)
13 - Eoin Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht)
12 - Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
11 - Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
10 - James McKinney (Queen's University/Ulster)
9 - John Cooney (UCD/Leinster)
1 - Jack O'Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2 - Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
3 - Stewart Maguire (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4 - David O'Callaghan (UCC/Munster)
5 - Ben Marshall (UCD/Leinster)
6 - Rhys Ruddock (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
7 - Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
8 - Patrick Butler (Shannon/Munster)

Replacements:

16 - Risteard Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
17 - Bryan Cagney (UCC/Munster)
18 - Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 - Robin O'Sullivan (Bective Rangers/Leinster)
20 - Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
21 - Gareth Quinn McDonogh (Shannon/Munster)
22 - Brendan Macken (Blackrock/Leinster)

Soctland Team-

15 Tom Brown (Edinburgh Accies)

14 Oliver Grove (Worcester Warriors)
13 James Johnstone (Currie)
12 Alex Dunbar (Selkirk)
11 Dougie Fife (Currie)

10 Alex Blair (Edinburgh Accies)
9 Alex Black (Leeds Carnegie)

1 Nicky Little (Hawick)
2 Alun Walker (Currie)
3 Colin Phillips (Stewart's-Melville)
4 Matthew Reid (Heriot's)
5 Robert Harley (West of Scotland)
6 Michael Maltman (Heriot's)
8 Stuart McInally (Watsonians)
7 David Denton (Edinburgh Accies)

Replacements
16 Lindsey Gibson (Melrose)
17 George Hunter (Glasgow Hawks)
18 Aaron Hall (Newcastle Falcons)
19 Callum Stidston-Nott (London Scottish)
20 Kris Hamilton (Caithness)
21 Matthew Scott (Currie)
22 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Hawks)

This is the game for the Championship and we see young Eoin Griffin from Knocknacarragh get a start,look forward to this game and see how the pack fairs again after last week,hope they can make a good start and keep it going for 80mins,coverage on RTE 2 1930

thebaz

good to see Zebo back, surprised he was dropped - changes were needed in midfield - Spence is lucky

siltirocker

thebaz wrote: »

good to see Zebo back, surprised he was dropped - changes were needed in midfield - Spence is lucky

I agree. I think the reason we didn't get to see Macken was because Spence simply wouldn't pass to him (or anyone else for that matter).

Griffin is a fellow Corinthians man like myself and lives up the road in Knocknacarra. I wish him the best.

anonymous_joe

I wonder why all the Scots are listed with their clubs only, and not with a regional side.

funky penguin

Really looking forward to this one now. Scotland beat us......was it 35-20 last year? Should be an interesting match, but Scotland played pretty bad against England last week.

Our points difference is 17 now, so a win by about 7-10 should do it for us, unless England hockey France.

Cosmo Kramer

Good start. Griffin putting himself about well early on.

3-0

funky penguin

Indeed, excellent start, lots of pressure, but now conceeded the penalty....


3-3.

funky penguin

3-6 now.

McKinney, just hit the post.

irishbucsfan

Zebo made a nice break there. Looks like a great player

funky penguin

Try Spense. great off load from McKinney!

10-6

irishbucsfan

Great score there. McKinney did well to put Spence in, but Spence had to show great acceleration to break the Scottish tackles. 10-6 now.

Cosmo Kramer

Good offload to put Spence in for the try. Irish backs look like they can do damage here, it was a great break by Zebo before as well.

10-6

funky penguin

Jaysus! The acceleration on O'Callaghan! :eek: Very impressive for a second row.

funky penguin

Christ what a run from Spense!

irishbucsfan

Spence looked fantastic there

Edit: Makes it interesting now if he can develop into an option for Ulster, because they'll have to pick from Wallace, Cave, Whitten, Trimble and him in the centers. (Even with Wallace at 10 and Trimble on the wing they'll have three excellent centers to pick from)

Cosmo Kramer

That was a great break - Griffin really justifying his selection here.

funky penguin

funky penguin wrote: »

Jaysus! The acceleration on O'Callaghan! :eek: Very impressive for a second row.

he has definitely impressed me over the course of the competition. Great hands, and a good thinker.

Cosmo Kramer

Forwards really on top here as well. If they can keep this level up they will win quite easily.

16-6 now.

Cosmo Kramer

Some confidence there attacking from practically their own line in that weather!

funky penguin

Spense is playing brilliantly, another excellent try!

Converted, 23-6

irishbucsfan

Spence is having an absolute stormer! Scores another try. 21-6 waiting for the conversion

Cosmo Kramer

Outstanding from Spence - probably MOM already, Scottish scrum destroyed again.

23-6.

playing so confidently. Its excellent to watch them always look for the space, look for the gap and exploit things.

A very well drilled/clever team.

O'Halloran is doing great on the wing too. Chasing kicks so well, and his switch to Spense and break from our own 22 was brave.

Has to be said, the referee has been excellent. The game is being played at a great pace, we haven't had any stoppages, problems with scrums etc.

funky penguin

BRILLIANT!

Excellent offload from Griffin, well taken by Conway!

30-9 HT

I know its been said before, but to be a winner, you have to think like a winner.

So much of the game these days is negative, percentages rugby.

Its fantastic to see the lads really believe that everything they try will come off, and not be afraid of having a go at the "danger" play.

We're stretching the Scots from one side of the pitch to the other, chasing every kick with dedication, and hitting rucks hard.

They really look like a great team.

AAA - All About Attitude

accensi0n

Great game.

Cosmo Kramer

11-15 all outstanding for Ireland.

Conway, Zebo, Griffen, O'Halloran and Spence all have genuine potential...and then Ruddock and O'Callaghan in the forwards as well, they probably won't all make the grade, but some will and theres some amount of quality in there.

30-9 at Half time - great stuff.

irishbucsfan

Such a shame that this team breaks up after this game. They're starting to really get to grips with each other. I think that was one of the most confident halves of attacking rugby I've seen all year.

They're using their centres properly finally, Eoin Griffin has been fantastic and Nevin Spence has been even better. The two wingers are brilliant and Conway got himself a try (think he's still a little small, I'm so excited to see what he's like in a couple of years)

The scrum is dominant and the Scottish scrum are scared. Annett, Ryan and O'Callaghan look like great prospects

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Such a shame that this team breaks up after this game.

are you sure of this? Mark McDermott mentioned the WC at the break there. Is there definitely no more for this team after?

funky penguin

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Such a shame that this team breaks up after this game. They're starting to really get to grips with each other. I think that was one of the most confident halves of attacking rugby I've seen all year.

They're using their centres properly finally, Eoin Griffin has been fantastic and Nevin Spence has been even better. The two wingers are brilliant and Conway got himself a try (think he's still a little small, I'm so excited to see what he's like in a couple of years)

The scrum is dominant and the Scottish scrum are scared. Annett, Ryan and O'Callaghan look like great prospects

Indeed, he's only 18, isn't he? Held his own quite well in that Leinster game he started couple of weeks back. Another couple of years and.......well the possibilities!

funky penguin

Picking up where they left off with a brilliant try from Conway!

37-12.

O'Halloran has shown so much magic tonight.

Conway is only 18, let him grow at his own pace, we're not in any rush to get him playing senior rugby!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

are you sure of this? Mark McDermott mentioned the WC at the break there. Is there definitely no more for this team after?

Well there will be the WC, but the team will be out of touch between now and then. Hopefully by the time that comes around they'll be just as sharp, but I think they'll probably take a few games to get back into this form again, and by then it might be too late.

gavkm27

OMG these offloads are sublime!

Cosmo Kramer

Another great try. Whenever we run the ball we look sensational, great offloads time after time - the Scots look like they've never seen anything like it before...

37-12 now.

yimrsg

Wonderful stuff for conway's second try there. So many players running supporting lines waiting for an offload.

gavkm27

Deleted User wrote: »

are you sure of this? Mark McDermott mentioned the WC at the break there. Is there definitely no more for this team after?

Yeah they off to WC in Argentina
http://www.irb.com/jwc/index.html

Risteard

Looking like a very bad injury for the Scottish player. Hope he's alright.

Cosmo Kramer

That's really not nice to see at all - looked very serious.

thomond2006

I hope he's alright, the commentary suggested he may have twisted his neck.

Let's hope for a speedy recovery.

Cosmo Kramer

gavkm27 wrote: »

Yeah they off to WC in Argentina
http://www.irb.com/jwc/index.html

A chance for revenge against the French too, a tough group but one they could win on this form.

gavkm27

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

A chance for revenge against the French too, a tough group but one they could win on this form.

Yeah they way they look tonight they can win that group,i really hope they get a chance against the All Blacks after last years Haka challenge and 17-0 loss

The Scottish captain looks a bit like Martin Johnson. Teh same furrowed brow

O'Halloran again pretty excellent. Maybe should've passed after the initial dummy, but backed himself and got there, have to be happy with that!

funky penguin

Wow, 44 -15.

Cosmo Kramer

Running the bench now, but they've surely built up enough of a points difference to win the title. Pity that they won't know for sure tonight.

irishbucsfan

According to the commentators they have a few camps planned between now and the JWC. Hopefully they'll be well prepared for it because they have a tough group. (France will be a seriously tough opening game)

Aidric

Three subs with a minute left on the clock. That makes a whole pile of sense. :rolleyes:

Judgement Day

Great performance, hope the seniors can equal it tomorrow!

Cosmo Kramer

Great performance, the last 20 was a mess with all the changes, but up to that was exceptional. Quite looking forward to the under 20 world cup after that!