Final preparations are being put in place for the 2008 Under-18 Six Nations Festival, sponsored by The Bowen Group, which kicks off next Wednesday in Cork.

The Festival will see Under-18 teams from England, Ireland, France, Italy, Scotland and Wales play a series of matches at Musgrave Park, Cork Constitution FC, the Mardyke (UCC) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) from March 26 until April 1.  

Tournament Director Diarmuid Kelly said planning for the competition had been underway for well over a year.

“Shortly following last year’s inaugural and very successful event in Glasgow, the Six Nations Committee agreed that this season’s Festival should be hosted by the IRFU and we have been putting in place the plans to make it happen since then,” he explained.

He praised the help of local clubs in Cork, who have made their facilities available throughout the tournament.

An independent training facility has been assigned to each team throughout the next week. Scotland will be based at Crosshaven RFC, Italy at Ballincollig RFC, Wales at UCC RFC, England at Highfield RFC, France at CBC and Ireland at PBC.

Kelly added that all Cork rugby fans should try and get to the venues to watch the games which are free of charge. 

“The support of the people of Cork and Munster for quality sporting events is long established and internationally recognised. The rugby people of Munster have for many decades supported Munster and Ireland in large numbers and appreciate good football,” he added.

“In more recent times the support enjoyed by Munster both at home and abroad has been phenomenal. I am confident that these people will turn up in large numbers to see the stars of the future in competition.”

The Ireland Under-18 Schools squad, which will take part in the tournament, was announced on Thursday. You can view it and the other nations’ squad lists below.

France

David Tarroque, Baptiste Gay, Adrien Alazard, Teddy Iribaren, (all Toulouse), Anthony Maury (Montferrand), Mickael Ivaldi, Sonny Falconetti (both Toulon). Kevin Legeun, Adrein Gach, Amaury Geneste (all Begles). Paul Oliver (Beziers), Victor Muret, Julien Petrod (both Bourgoin), Sullivan Guyon (Orleans), Joris Archimbeau (Montpellier), Florent Brunet, Gilles Arnaudies, Joran Salgues (all Perpignan), Antoine Erbano (Agen), Julien Cabannes (Mont de Marsan), Clement Baldy (La Reunion), Raphael Eymond, Lucas DuPoint (Grenoble), Adrien Domec (Biarritz), Camille Canivet (La Rochelle), Valentin Tourenne (Brive).

Wales

Jamie Loxton, Rys Downes (both Blues), Adam Hughes, Ieuan Coombes, (both Dragons),  Liam Powell, Ashley Beck, Kristian Phillips, Ben John, Matthhew Jarvis (all Ospreys). Chris Lewis Pratt (Exiles), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Daniel Watchurst, Stewart Maguire, Tom Crandon, James Thomas, Morgan Allan, Dave Francis, Rhys Williams (capt) (all Dragons), Gareth Jenkins, Ceri Davies, Lloyd Peers, Ben Howe (all Ospreys), Rys Williams (Blues), James King, Joel Galley, James Davies (all Scarlets).

Scotland

Nicky Little (Hawick), Craig Owenson (Musselburgh), Andrew Fraser (York), Luke Pettie (Gala Wanderers), Mungo Strachan (Fettes College), Alun Walker (Musselburgh), Robert Harley (West of Scotland), Grant Gilchrist (Stirling County), Michael Maltman (Musselburgh), Michael Fedo (Bell Baxter / Howe of Fife), Stuart McInally (George Watsons College), Ross Sutherland (Sandbach), Jason Hill (Stirling County) Alex Black (Prince Henrys School), Russell Weir (Merchiston Castle School), Alex Blair (Edinburgh Academy), Ross Aitken (Bell Baxter / Howe of Fife), Sam Hughes (Merchiston Castle School), Alec Dunbar (Annan), Michael Tait (Kelso Quins), Max Learmonth (Berwick), Jamie Harris (Merchiston Castle School), Rory Drummond (Bell Baxter / Howe of Fife), Seamus McKenzie (Murrayfield Wanderers), Tom Brown (Edinburgh Academy).

England

Joe Barker (Leeds Carnegie), David Blackwell (Gloucester), James Currie (Bath), James Gaskell (Sale Sharks), Jamie George (Saracens), Alex Gray (Newcastle Falcons), Tom Holmes (Sale Sharks), Lee Imiolek (Sale Sharks), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Rob Milligan (Northampton Saints), Jacob Rowan (Leeds Carnegie), Joe Trayfoot (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Bristol Rugby), Freddie Burns (Bath), Tom Casson (Sale Sharks), Tom Catterick (Newcastle Falcons), Rory Clegg (Newcastle Falcons), Andrew Forsyth (Leicester Tigers), Sam Harrison (Leicester Tigers), Tom Homer (London Irish). Will Hurrell (Leicester Tigers), Jordi Pasqualin (Gloucester), Sam Smith (Harlequins), Christian Wade (LondonWasps), Jack Wallace (London Wasps), Joe Quinn (Leeds Carnegie).

Ireland

Michael Allen, Niall Annett (both Methodist College), Marl Atkinson (Grosvenor G.S), Richard Bent, Ray Crotty (St. Mary’s College), Jason Bloomfield (Coleraine Academical Institution), Denis Buckley (Blackrock College), Patrick Butler (Rockwell College), Risteard Byrne (Terenure College), Brian Cagney, David O’Driscoll, Brian O’Hara (PBC Cork), Diarmuid McCarthy (Castletroy College), Brian Hayes (CBC Cork), Michael Kelleher (St. Munchin’s College), Ben Marshall (St. Andrew’s College), Luke Marshall (Ballymena Academy), James McKinney (Campbell College), David McSharry (Templeogue College), Martin Moore (Castleknock College), David O’Callaghan (Midleton College), Luke O’Connell (Clongowes Wood College), Paul Pritchard (Ballymena Academy), Noel Reid (St. Michael’s College), Dominic Ryan (Gonzaga College), Gavin Nugent (PBC Cork).

Italy

Edoardo Carugi, Tommaso Benvenuti, Antonio Denti (all Viadana), Nicole Corbanese, Tommaso Benvenuti (Bennetton Treviso), Zamparo Matteo (Amatori San Dona), Enrico Lioineri (Ruggers Tarvisum), Andrea Manici, Michele Mortali (Gran Parma), Filippo Cazzola (Montebelluna), Daniele Fratalochhi (Sambendettese), Paolo Stinchello, Gabriele Cicchinelli, Giovanbattista Venditti (both SSD Unione Capitolina),Tomaso , Enrico Michelini (both Modena), Fillppo Ferrarini (Noceto FC), Lorenza Santelli (ASD Universita Cosenza), Alberto Chillon, Marco Barbini, Alberto Bennettin, Costantino Ricciardi (all Petrarca), Edoardo Gori, Francesco Lenzi (Cavalieri), Giovanno Frapporti (Valpolicella), Sebastian Rodwell (Firenze), Alberto Zorzi.