Top young 2nd rows in Ireland

bayern

23 and under

1. Ryan Baird(21/Leinster)
2. Tom Ahern(20/Munster)
3. Jack Dunne(22/Leinster)
4. Niall Murray(21/Connacht)
5. Cormac Izuchukwu(21/Ulster)

Paul Smeenus

It's mental that Baird is 21. Next year might well be his year.

Also - thank you for just posting their ages. I don't know what the value of this contrived "U24" or whatever imaginary age bands adds - just tell us how old they are. They're not in age grade any more.

arsebiscuits1

Fair list I think.

Izzy could be set for a very good rise. I heard from the U20 camp at the start of the year they weren't really impressed by him. Tremendous athlete but lacking the fundamentals and focus they needed from him. He was looking like missing out.

His performance for Ulster A was excellent. Great carrying and handling. Looking forward to seeing more from him.

I think Jack Dunne could have himself a very solid professional career. He's an absolute giant and is displaying some real aptitude at the grunt work side of the game. There's definitely scope for success in that area as Quinn Roux can attest.

I find myself frequently wondering what will become of Charlie Ryan

bayern

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Fair list I think.

Izzy could be set for a very good rise. I heard from the U20 camp at the start of the year they weren't really impressed by him. Tremendous athlete but lacking the fundamentals and focus they needed from him. He was looking like missing out.

His performance for Ulster A was excellent. Great carrying and handling. Looking forward to seeing more from him.

I think Jack Dunne could have himself a very solid professional career. He's an absolute giant and is displaying some real aptitude at the grunt work side of the game. There's definitely scope for success in that area as Quinn Roux can attest.

I find myself frequently wondering what will become of Charlie Ryan

Yeah Izzy has all the flashy stuff, has improved massively up in Ulster and could rise quickly if he keeps it up.

Ryan could have a long career, injury allowing but his lack of athleticism means his potential isn't the highest.

realhorrorshow

Has anyone actually seen much of Izuchukwu playing 15s other than the recent A game?

Paul Smeenus

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Has anyone actually seen much of Izuchukwu playing 15s other than the recent A game?

There's a showreel of him playing second row in Scotland but it's highlights, just.

I am excited, but not getting carried away. His speed and skills match how Ulster want to play, but it was an A game. A glorious festival of rugby in which the good guys won, but just an A game, nonetheless.

bilston

Izzy was the standout second row in that A match, but I was impressed by Dunne...that said I didn't realise he was 22. Not old at all, but if you're going to be a test player you'd usually have a few caps for your province at that age.

Has he played for the senior Leinster team.

Baird is obviously a terrific prospect and Ahern was outstanding for the 20s last year...I think we're well set here given Ryan is still only 24 and Henderson has a good 4 or 5 years left .

bayern

bilston wrote: »

Izzy was the standout second row in that A match, but I was impressed by Dunne...that said I didn't realise he was 22. Not old at all, but if you're going to be a test player you'd usually have a few caps for your province at that age.

Has he played for the senior Leinster team.

Baird is obviously a terrific prospect and Ahern was outstanding for the 20s last year...I think we're well set here given Ryan is still only 24 and Henderson has a good 4 or 5 years left .

Dunne has played 10 times for Leinster.

bilston

bayern wrote: »

Dunne has played 10 times for Leinster.

More than I had realised then

bayern

bilston wrote: »

More than I had realised then

on the bench this weekend too.. He has had to deal with Baird's rise and Leinster having a deep depth chart at his position that hasn't suffered many injuries to give him more opportunities. And he'd have picked up more caps if the pro 14 last season had not been cut short.

arsebiscuits1

bilston wrote: »

Izzy was the standout second row in that A match, but I was impressed by Dunne...that said I didn't realise he was 22. Not old at all, but if you're going to be a test player you'd usually have a few caps for your province at that age.

Has he played for the senior Leinster team.

Baird is obviously a terrific prospect and Ahern was outstanding for the 20s last year...I think we're well set here given Ryan is still only 24 and Henderson has a good 4 or 5 years left .

I'd be shocked if Dunne ended up playing international rugby. But given his size and the nature of his position he could develop later. Roux was only capped at 26. Dev only started being a regular on the international scene at around the same time.

We're only starting to see the best of Ross Molony and he's 26 too - but I can't see Molony ever getting capped either.

Dunne in the limited senior time he's had has shown a notable appetite for work. Happy to take the one out contacts for little gain. Made over 20 tackles off the bench against Benneton too.

Dubinusa

Brian Deeny would be a good prospect too! Then there's Kelly at Munster. McCarty will be in his second panel of u30's. He's just turning 20. Some very good prospects.

Dubinusa

I meant 20's. Fat fingers boyos!

Dave_The_Sheep

There's an edit button, you know.

bayern

I'd say Baird and Ahern are in a tier to themselves..

then Dunne/Murray who have gotten senior game time and then the rest all of whom have a lot to prove.

Paul Smeenus

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

There's an edit button, you know.

Never edit, never correct, just double down.

Looking forward to Dub ranking Ireland' U30 second rows.

Dubinusa

Me glasses were fogged up! I've got fat fingers and yes....I am doubling down.

Izzy has the highest ceiling.

arsebiscuits1

Deleted User wrote: »

Izzy has the highest ceiling.

I mean they're all over 6'6" so I'd hope they all have pretty high ceilings... or at least door frames.

But on a more serious note I think Baird clearly has the most potential out of not only this crop of second rows, but any young player in the country

budhabob

Fineen W. Is just 23 I think and has alot of game time already ( 50+). I think he's a fantastic prospect.

bayern

budhabob wrote: »

Fineen W. Is just 23 I think and has alot of game time already ( 50+). I think he's a fantastic prospect.

too small to be a top international lock at 6'4.

would like to see him play more 6.

accensi0n

Is Baird's performance in that A game something to be seriously concerned by?

I didn't see it myself but there have been a few posts recently indicating that he was atrocious?

salmocab

accensi0n wrote: »

Is Baird's performance in that A game something to be seriously concerned by?

I didn't see it myself but there have been a few posts recently indicating that he was atrocious?

One bad performance in an A game compared with some great performances in full matches, no it’s nothing to worry about at all.

Paul Smeenus

accensi0n wrote: »

Is Baird's performance in that A game something to be seriously concerned by?

I didn't see it myself but there have been a few posts recently indicating that he was atrocious?

Baird is an outstanding prospect.

The response wasn't really about Baird's anonymous performance. There were Leinster supporters on before the game licking their lips, saying they couldn't wait to see what Baird (and Dunne, if I recall correctly) would do to the Ulster A pack. As it happened, he made them look like world-beaters. A bit of hubris got met with a gleeful, deserved mocking when it didn't play out the way some fans assumed it would. Baird is still an incredible 21 year old.

bayern

accensi0n wrote: »

Is Baird's performance in that A game something to be seriously concerned by?

I didn't see it myself but there have been a few posts recently indicating that he was atrocious?

nah he was playing at 6 and was part of total team under performance..

personally I want them to forget about playing him 6 and get him focused on being 1st choice 4 next to Ryan as soon as possible.