Fit-Again Kenny Rewarded With Interpro Start For Ulster ‘A’
Lukas Kenny gathers a high ball during the Ulster 'A' team's defeat to Connacht Eagles at Kingspan Stadium last week ©John Dickson/Dickson Digital
Academy winger Lukas Kenny is back in the Ulster ‘A’ starting line-up for their IRFU 150 Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship trip to Nenagh to play Munster ‘A’ on Friday afternoon (kick-off 3pm – live on Access Munster). Admission is free.
Kenny is looking to put an injury-ruined 2023/24 season behind him, and following a cameo off the bench against Connacht Eagles, he comes in on the right wing as one of a dozen personnel changes made by Academy Manager and ‘A’ team head coach Gavin Hogg.
Jack Murphy and Michael McDonald, who have been pairing up for Queen’s University in the Energia All-Ireland League, will start at half-back for Ulster ‘A’, with centres Wilhelm de Klerk and Cal Florence forming another all-Queen’s combination.
Banbridge’s Joshua Gibson, who impressed for RBAI’s Danske Bank Ulster Schools Senior Cup-winning side earlier this year, gets an opportunity on the left wing. Kenny and Ben McFarlane complete the province’s back-three.
Former Ireland Under-20 captain Reuben Crothers skippers Ulster ‘A’ in a back row which also includes Tom Brigg, and Lorcan McLoughlin who switches to number 8 with James McNabney on senior duty this week.
Jacob Boyd, who recently returned from injury, Zac Solomon, and Cameron Doak make up a youthful front row with the trio all aged 20. Charlie Irvine is joined in the second row by his former Ireland U-20 team-mate, Joe Hopes.
Opting for a 6-4 split on an extended bench, Hogg has brought in former Ulster Academy forward Matthew Dalton who is currently training with the province on a trial basis.
Queen’s regulars Henry Walker, Jack Boal, Flynn Longstaff, and James McKillop make up the other forward options, along with Ballynahinch’s Bryn Ward, whose older brother Zac is sidelined after sustaining a concussion during the 40-14 loss to Connacht Eagles last Friday.
Ulster senior scrum half Dave Shanahan leads the reserve backs, alongside IQ Rugby recruit Dan Green, and Ireland Under-19 internationals Clarke Logan and Jonny Scott.
Speaking ahead of their second outing of the competition, Hogg said: “We were disappointed with the final score (against Connacht Eagles), but you try and find some of the positives in the game too.
“We felt certainly in the first half we had a lot of possession, a lot of territory, and we maybe didn’t quite take our opportunities with the amount of time we spent in the Connacht 22. In their entries they scored from.
“The first twenty minutes of the second half, it felt like the game got away from us. We were a bit disjointed and we didn’t manage the game as well as we would have wanted.
“We finished reasonably well with a nice score (from Ben Moxham), but the positives of these games are we had a chance to review the performance and build towards Munster ‘A’.”
He added: “We talked about how the breakdown was an area we can improve on and our work both on and off the ball. We’ve used the week to target those areas we want to improve in.
“Munster ‘A’ are always competitive so it’s been an opportunity for us to target things, and also that excitement of preparing alongside the senior squad as they get ready for Leinster this Friday has been a great focus.”
ULSTER ‘A’ (v Munster ‘A’): Ben McFarlane; Lukas Kenny, Wilhelm de Klerk, Cal Florence, Joshua Gibson; Jack Murphy, Michael McDonald; Jacob Boyd, Zac Solomon, Cameron Doak, Joe Hopes, Charlie Irvine, Tom Brigg, Reuben Crothers (capt), Lorcan McLoughlin.
Replacements: Henry Walker, Jack Boal, Flynn Longstaff, James McKillop, Matthew Dalton, Bryn Ward, Dave Shanahan, Dan Green, Clarke Logan, Jonny Scott.