Ireland Schools Team Announced For Wales Clash

The Ireland Under-18 Schools team (sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers) to face Wales in their Five Nations Festival opener at Llandovery RFC on Friday (kick-off 2pm) has been named.

PBC Cork prop Niall Scannell, who captained the Ireland Schools team to a 60-3 win over Italy in December, will again lead the side as they look to get the tournament off to a winning start.

Scannell was a member of the Irish squad that secured wins over Wales (22-15) and Italy (29-3) in last year’s U-18 Festival in Parma.

Fellow front rower Rory Harrison, winger Sam Coghlan Murray, scrum half Harry Doyle and lock Shane Buckley are also back from twelve months ago.

Encouragingly, out of last year’s Irish Schools panel, Andrew Conway, Tiernan O’Halloran, Brendan Macken, Jamies McKinney, Gareth Quinn McDonogh, Niall Annett, David Doyle and Jordi Murphy have all gone on to be part of Ireland’s recent Six Nations Championship-winning Under-20 squad.

The 2010 Schools squad boasts representatives from all four of the recently-crowned provincial Schools Cup champions – Clongowes Wood, Presentation Brothers College, Cork, Ballymena Academy and Colaiste Iognaid.

Head coach Terry McMaster has opted to stick with the same back-line that impressed against Italy in Donnybrook four months ago, with Peter Nelson and JJ Hanrahan combining in the centre and Paddy Jackson and Luke McGrath teamed together at half-back.

The all-Munster second row partnership of Yasin Browne and Shane Buckley has been retained, as well as the exciting back row trio of Adam Clarkin, Aaron Conneely and Daniel Qualter.

IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS Team & Replacements (v Wales Under-18s, U-18 Five Nations Festival, Llandovery RFC, Wales, Friday, April 2, kick-off 2pm):

15. Charlie Simpson (Ballymena Academy)
14. Stephen Macauley (Clongowes Wood College)
13. Peter Nelson (Royal School Dungannon)
12. JJ Hanrahan (Rockwell College)
11. Sam Coghlan Murray (Newbridge College)
10. Paddy Jackson (Methodist College)
9. Luke McGrath (St. Michael’s College)
1. Rory Harrison (Methodist College)
2. James Rael (Castletroy Community College)
3. Niall Scannell (Presentation Brothers College, Cork) (capt)
4. Yasin Browne (Christian Brothers College, Cork)
5. Shane Buckley (Rockwell College)
6. Adam Clarkin (Terenure College)
7. Aaron Conneely (Colaiste Iognaid)
8. Daniel Qualter (Sligo Grammar School)

Replacements (from): Eoghan Cross (Crescent Community College), Conor Gilsenan (Clongowes Wood College), Jack Conan (St. Gerard’s School), Kyle McCall (Wallace High School), Des Merrey (The King’s Hospital), Peter Reilly (Castleknock College), Harry Doyle (Royal School Armagh), Mark Corballis (St. Michael’s College), Aaron Thomas (Castleknock College), Cathal Marsh (St. Michael’s College), Ritchie McMaster (Coleraine Academical Institution), Garret O’Suilleabhain (Clongowes Wood College).

Ireland Under-18 Schools Management:

Terry McMaster – Coach
Kenneth Hooks – Assistant Coach
Gabriel Fulcher – Assistant Coach
Lorcan Balfe – Manager
Ozzie Fogarty – Doctor
David Lyons – Physio
Chris Shields – Fitness Advisor
Matthew Maguire – Team Assistant

Under-18 Five Nations Festival Fixtures:

Friday, April 2 –

Ireland v Wales, 2pm
Scotland v England, 4pm

Tuesday, April 6 –

England v Ireland, 2pm
Scotland v Italy, 4pm

Saturday, April 10 –

Wales v Italy, 2pm
Scotland v Ireland, 4pm

Click here for directions to Llandovery RFC, the venue for the tournament.

Related Links –

Nine-Try Win For Ireland Under-18 Schools Side