Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

Paul Smeenus · 26-03-2025 12:53PM

An extended Ireland U18 Men’s Squad (sponsored by PwC) has been named for the upcoming Six Nations U18s Festival which takes place in France.

Before that a special Schools International against England will form part of the IRFU 150 celebrations and mark the 50th anniversary of the first schools international between the two countries in 1975.

Ireland U18 Men’s Squad

Leo Anic (Creggs RFC/CBS Roscommon/Connacht Rugby)
Tom Bell (Ards RFC/Regent House/Ulster Rugby)
Adam Boyd (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
James Browne (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC/ St Mary’s CBS Portlaoise/Leinster Rugby)
Alex Carter (Navan RFC/Leinster Rugby)
Joe Christle (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Bobby Colbert (Gonzaga College/Leinster Rugby)
Lee Fitzpatrick (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
Ollie Fitzsimmons (Wallace HS/Ulster Rugby)
Jonathon Ginnety (Castleknock College/Leinster Rugby)
Harry Goslin (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby)
James Gould (Wallace HS/Ulster Rugby)
Ben Guerin (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Andrew Henson (Buccaneers RFC/ Marist College/Connacht Rugby)
Ronan Kelly (St. Gerard’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Frank Maher (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
Connor McVicker (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster Rugby)
Ben Moore (Wallace HS/Ulster Rugby)
Paul Neary (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Nathan Noble (Sullivan Upper HS/Ulster Rugby)
Charlie O’Connor (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
Owen O’Kane (Rainey Endowed School/Ulster Rugby)
Harry O’Neill (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Geoff O’Sullivan (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
Jon Rodgers (Wallace HS/Ulster Rugby)
Fionn Rowsome (Crescent College Comprehensive/Munster Rugby)
Geoff Wall (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Jamie Walsh (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster Rugby)
Tom Walsh (Clongowes Wood College/Connacht Rugby)
Bernard White (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)

Fixtures

Schools International

Ireland v England, The Mardyke, Saturday, March 29th, 5.30 pm

Six Nations Men’s U18s Festival

Ireland v Wales, Vichy, April 10th
Ireland v Scotland, Vichy, April 14th
Ireland v Georgia, Vichy, April 18th

Quite a few Ulster lads there - particularly Wallace kids, unsurprisingly.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3 · 26-03-2025 12:55PM

2 props, a hooker, 3 backrows, a scrumhalf, a Outhalf and 2 centres.

CatFromHue · 26-03-2025 04:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123293671#Comment_123293671

Dunno how much they're paying for it but a NI based, family owned company, and not a bank, is great to see on the jersey.

bilston · 26-03-2025 05:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299945#Comment_123299945

Well done to all selected, of course our U18s won the Inter Pros back in Aug/Sept beating Leinster both home and away as well beating Munster and Connacht so Ulster were always likely to be well represented. If anything I'd have thought there'd have been more Ulster players involved.

Paul Smeenus · 26-03-2025 06:05PM

I thought there might be a couple of Armagh players - one of their centres was pretty good, as I recall.

Lost Ormond · 26-03-2025 06:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301077#Comment_123301077

There is some clubs players involved as well so that has to be taken into account

bilston · 26-03-2025 07:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301124#Comment_123301124

They may be U19s, presumably big Rio McDonough is U19 as well as I'd be shocked if he wasn't Ireland level.

Locke_Lamora · 26-03-2025 10:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301310#Comment_123301310

Came away very impressed by him after watching the schools cup semi final and the final.

He's been in the extended Ireland training squads before but I was surprised when he didn't travel to SA last year and another Ulster TH did. No idea if it was injury enforced but I believe Leinster (as usual) have a highly rated TH and Munster have one or two prospects at prop as well, so there will be plenty of competition there. Anyway, I read on another forum, or maybe another thread here, that McDonough is with the u19s.

Paul Smeenus · 27-03-2025 12:22PM

Ulster Rugby v DHL Stormers, Friday 28th March, BKT United Rugby Championship, Round 14, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (Live on BBC NI, Premier Sports, TG4, URC.tv)

1. Andrew Warwick (206)

2. Rob Herring (248)

3. Tom O’Toole (118)

4. Alan O’Connor (Capt) (207)

5. Kieran Treadwell (174)

6. Matty Rea (108)

7. Nick Timoney (161)

8. David McCann (62)

9. John Cooney (151)

10. Jack Murphy (7)

11. Jacob Stockdale (128)

12. Stuart McCloskey (199)

13. James Hume (98)

14. Rob Baloucoune (69)

15. Michael Lowry (119)

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart (49)

17. Callum Reid (24)

18. Scott Wilson (29)

19. Harry Sheridan (39)

20. James McNabney (14)

21. Nathan Doak (83)

22. Ben Carson (11)

23. Zac Ward (5)

Pretty happy with that team.

bilston · 27-03-2025 01:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123303217#Comment_123303217

Backline is probably our first choice (McIlroy would start at 15 for me if fit), obviously still no Henderson or Izzy (will either be back this season?), and Rea over McNabney at 6 is a mystery to me, but I suppose with Stewart, McNabney, Sheridan, Wilson and even Reid we have a bit of punch of the bench.

Pete_Cavan · 28-03-2025 06:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123303217#Comment_123303217

Bar McCann, it feels like 1 - 9 could be a squad named in 2018.

Paul Smeenus · 28-03-2025 09:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305503#Comment_123305503

Mmmm. While that's true, and a bit dispiriting, I wouldn't say that our best 1-8 are starting, which does make the picture a bit different. Leaving aside Izzy, McNabney, Sheridan and, certainly arguably on current form, Wilson are all better players than the starters, but kept back to come on in the last 20/15.

bigmac86 · 28-03-2025 11:25AM

Starting pack looks designed to absorb a strong start from stormers and if we're still in it by 2nd half our bench could be a real weapon. But the worry is that if stormers just blitz us from the start the bench won't make a difference and we might regret not starting the arguably stronger options.