Houston To Captain Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools Team
The Ireland Under-18 Clubs & Schools team (sponsored by PwC) has been announced for today’s international clash with England U-18 Counties at Ashbourne RFC (kick-off 2pm).
The home side, coached by Mark Butler, will see London Irish duo Jack Walters and Callum Torpey combine in the front row with Rainey’s Jack McIntosh who has played in Ulster Bank League Division 2C recently.
Campbell College’s Oisin Kiernan and Paddy Kelly from St. Munchin’s make up the second row pairing, while Connacht U-18 Clubs captain Cian Huxford, Glenstal Abbey’s Mark Fleming and number 8 Colin Deane, who led Bandon Grammar to their first ever Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final appearance, are the back row trio.
Ballymena Academy’s Bruce Houston will captain Ireland from out-half, having kicked a conversion and three penalties in last year’s thrilling 21-17 victory over England at the same Co. Meath venue. He will be partnered at half-back by CBC Cork’s Colin Sisk.
Young Munster and Glenstal Abbey’s Luke Fitzgerald will have Sale Sharks’ Kieran Dunne for company in the centre, with Aaron O’Sullivan from Wasps, Galwegians’ Hugh Lane and Bangor Grammar School’s Aaron Sexton, who is an All-Ireland Schools 100 and 200 metres champion, selected together in an exciting back-three.
Twelve different clubs and schools are represented on the Irish bench, including Portmarnock Community School prop Darragh Bolger, second row Conor McMenamin from Letterkenny RFC and scrum half Caolan Englefield from Harlequins.
The first fixture of the two-match series with England will take place at 2pm today in Ashbourne, with the second game on Easter Saturday (kick-off 2pm).
IRELAND UNDER-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS Team & Replacements (v England Under-18 Counties, Under-18 International Match, Ashbourne RFC, Wednesday, April 12, kick-off 2pm):
15. Aaron O’Sullivan (Wasps/Henley College/Exiles)
14. Hugh Lane (Galwegians/Presentation College Athenry/Connacht)
13. Kieran Dunne (Sale Sharks/Exiles)
12. Luke Fitzgerald (Young Munster/Glenstal Abbey/Munster)
11. Aaron Sexton (Bangor Grammar School/Ulster)
10. Bruce Houston (Ballymena Academy/Ulster) (capt)
9. Colin Sisk (CBC Cork/Munster)
1. Jack Walters (London Irish/St. Paul’s CC Sunbury/Exiles)
2. Callum Torpey (London Irish/Epsom College/Exiles)
3. Jack McIntosh (St. Pius Xavier College/Rainey Old Boys/Ulster)
4. Oisin Kiernan (Campbell College/Ulster)
5. Paddy Kelly (St. Munchin’s College/Munster)
6. Cian Huxford (Galway Corinthians/Calasantius College/Connacht)
7. Mark Fleming (Glenstal Abbey/Munster)
8. Colin Deane (Bandon Grammar School/Munster)
Replacements:
16. Sean Molony (Blackrock College/Leinster)
17. Darragh Bolger (Clontarf FC/Portmarnock Community School/Leinster)
18. Ashley Deane (Bandon Grammar School/Munster)
19. Conor McMenamin (Letterkenny RFC/Colaiste Ailigh/Ulster)
20. Jamie Macartney (Campbell College/Ulster)
21. Caolan Englefield (Harlequins/St. Paul’s CC Sunbury/Exiles)
22. Conor Kelly (CC Roscrea/Leinster)
23. Tom Maher (Blackrock College/Leinster)
24. Oran McNulty (Bath/Millfield School/Exiles)
IRELAND U-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS MANAGEMENT –
Head Coach – Mark Butler
Team Manager – Michael Black
Assistant Coach – Colm Tucker
Scrum Coach – Adrian Flavin
S&C Coach – Ciaran Walsh
Baggage Master – John McDonald
Team Analyst – Brian Fitzgerald
Team Doctor – Padraig Sheehan
Team Physio – Patrick Hanley
Team Nutritionist – Nóra Ní Fhlannagáin
Team Services – Rory Wilson
IRELAND U-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS XV FIXTURES:
Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools v England U-18 Counties, Ashbourne RFC, Wednesday, April 12, kick-off 2pm
Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools v England U-18 Counties, Ashbourne RFC, Saturday April 15, kick-off 2pm