Ireland Schools Team Named For European Opener
Head coach Noel McNamara has selected the Ireland Under-18 Schools team and replacements for the FIRA/AER U-18 European Championship opener against Georgia in Opalenica, Poland on Friday (kick-off 2pm local time/1pm Irish time).
The management team have stuck with a winning formula for the most part, with just two personnel changes to the Ireland Schools team that beat Scotland 26-6 in a recent warm-up game.
The Ireland-Georgia game will be streamed live here: http://www.eurorugby2014.pl/en/gallery/.
Calvin Nash, a try scorer that day, and Paul Kiernan come into the back-line on the right wing and at outside centre respectively.
Jordan Larmour and Alan McMahon drop to the replacements bench, with Jacob Stockdale, who touched down twice in the number 13 jersey against the Scots, moving to the left wing.
Matthew Gilsenan and Rowan Osborne continue their half-back partnership, while the starting pack is unchanged with James Ryan captaining the side from the second row.
An Irish win over Georgia would set up a clash with either France or Italy next Tuesday. Ireland’s final match of the tournament will take place on Saturday week.
The competing nations in the Elite Division of the FIRA/AER European Championship are Ireland, England, Wales, France, Scotland, Italy, Georgia and Portugal.
The Irish squad is coached by Noel McNamara (head coach), Mark Butler (backs coach), Brian Robinson (forwards coach) and Paul McCarthy (scrum coach).
Click here for the tournament fixtures/results.
IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS Team & Replacements (v Georgia, FIRA/AER Under-18 European Championship Quarter-Final, Opalenica, Poland, Friday, April 11, kick-off 2pm local time/1pm Irish time):
15. Jack Power (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14. Calvin Nash (Crescent College Comprehensive/Munster)
13. Paul Kiernan (Presentation Brothers Cork/Munster)
12. Colm Mulcahy (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Wallace High School/Ulster)
10. Matthew Gilsenan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
9. Rowan Osborne (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
1. Andrew Porter (St. Andrew’s College/Leinster)
2. John Molony (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
3. Conan O’Donnell (Summerhill College/Connacht)
4. James Ryan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster) (capt)
5. Peter Claffey (Garbally College/Connacht)
6. Will Connors (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
7. Charlie Cregan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
8. Max Deegan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Conor McIlmurray (Campbell College/Ulster)
17. Hugo Kean (Blackrock College/Leinster)
18. Conor Kenny (Garbally College/Connacht)
19. Sean O’Connor (Rockwell College/Munster)
20. Johnny Guy (St. Andrew’s College/Leinster)
21. Greg Jones (St. Andrew’s College/Leinster)
22. David Duggan (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (Newbridge College/Leinster)
24. Oisin O’Meara (St. Michael’s College/Leinster)
25. Jordan Larmour (St. Andrew’s College/Leinster)
26. Alan McMahon (Rockwell College/Munster)
Ireland Under-18 Schools Fixtures –
IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS v Georgia
Friday, April 11
Opalenica, 2pm local time/1pm Irish time
IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS v tbc
Tuesday, April 15
IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS v tbc
Saturday, April 19