Highlights: Ireland U-20 Men’s World Championship Campaign

The Ireland Under-20 Men’s team (sponsored by PwC) secured a top four finish at the World Rugby U-20 Championship for only the fourth time, following an eventful few weeks in South Africa.

Ireland’s tournament started and finished at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium where a Sam Berman hat-trick of tries inspired an impressive opening 55-15 win over Italy.

A last-gasp Finn Treacy score rescued a 22-16 victory over Georgia in round two, as Willie Faloon’s young guns went on to top Pool B. A unplayable pitch forced the cancellation of their final pool game against Australia, with the sides both awarded two points.

Into the last-four for the second year running, Ireland’s unbeaten run in 2024 was ended by eventual champions England at the semi-final stage. Despite first half tries from Oliver Coffey and Bryn Ward, they fell to a 31-20 defeat.

Injuries disrupted the coaching team’s plans for the knockout rounds, with captain Evan O’Connell a big loss. Ireland and New Zealand scored 10 tries between them in yesterday’s 3rd place play-off, with Faloon’s side losing out 38-24 in the end.

32 players got game-time across the four matches, including four Ireland U-20 debutants (Ruben Moloney, Max Flynn, Alex Mullan, and Mikey Yarr), and there were 27 World Rugby U-20 Championship newcomers among the squad.

Out-halves Jack Murphy and Sean Naughton led the scoring with 27 and 24 points respectively, while centre Berman was the leading Irish try scorer with three, closely followed by Treacy, Coffey, and Naughton with two each.

Full-back Ben O’Connor and scrum half Coffey were ever-present in the starting XV, and with an eye to next year’s World Rugby U-20 Championship, five of the forwards that faced New Zealand are eligible again in 2025.

2024 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP:

POOL B:

IRELAND UNDER-20s 55 ITALY UNDER-20s 15, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Danny Sheahan, Luke Murphy, Evan O’Connell, Sam Berman 3, Finn Treacy, Sean Naughton; Cons: Jack Murphy 3, Sean Naughton 3; Pen: Sean Naughton
Italy: Tries: Lorenzo Elettri, Luca Bellucci; Cons: Martino Pucciariello; Pen: Martino Pucciariello
HT: Ireland 31 Italy 10

IRELAND U-20: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Davy Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (capt), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for J Murphy (42 mins), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for Berman, James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Ward (both 53), Jake O’Riordan (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Coffey (55), Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Bell (56), Emmet Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster) for Colbert (58-68), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Spicer (58), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for O’Connell (63), Calvey for Boyd (68).

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IRELAND UNDER-20s 22 GEORGIA UNDER-20s 16, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Hugh Gavin, Stephen Smyth, Finn Treacy; Cons: Sean Naughton, Jack Murphy; Pen: Sean Naughton
Georgia: Try: Nika Lomidze; Con: Luka Tsirekidze; Pens: Luka Tsirekidze 3
HT: Ireland 12 Georgia 6

IRELAND U-20: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Davy Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Ruben Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster); Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Jacob Boyd (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Andrew Sparrow UCD RFC/Leinster), James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (capt), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster), Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) for Boyd (half-time), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster) for L Murphy (46 mins), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Sparrow (50), Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Naughton (56), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster) for McKillop, Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for Moloney (both 64), Mikey Yarr (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Flynn (77). Not used: Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster).

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IRELAND UNDER-20s v AUSTRALIA UNDER-20s, Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town

Due to adverse weather conditions, and in the interest of player safety, this match was cancelled by World Rugby. Both teams were awarded two points.

SEMI-FINAL:

ENGLAND UNDER-20s 31 IRELAND UNDER-20s 20, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Scorers: England: Tries: Craig Wright, Ollie Allan, Sean Kerr; Cons: Sean Kerr 2; Pens: Sean Kerr 4
Ireland: Tries: Oliver Coffey, Bryn Ward; Cons: Jack Murphy 2; Pens: Jack Murphy 2
HT: England 22 Ireland 20

IRELAND U-20: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Finn Treacy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Wilhelm de Klerk (UCD RFC/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Patreece Bell (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster) (capt).

Replacements used: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Sheahan, Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Bell (both 49 mins), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster) for Spicer (54), Emmet Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster) for Howard (58), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Edogbo, Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC/Leinster) for Coffey, Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for J Murphy, Sam Berman (Terenure College RFC/Leinster) for Gavin (all 69).

3RD PLACE PLAY-OFF:

IRELAND UNDER-20s 24 NEW ZEALAND UNDER-20s 38, DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Oliver Coffey, Jack Murphy, Ethan Graham, Sean Naughton; Cons: Jack Murphy 2
New Zealand: Tries: Vernon Bason 2, Xavier Taele, Jeremiah Avei-Collins, Frank Vaenuku 2; Cons: Rico Simpson 4
HT: Ireland 12 New Zealand 5

IRELAND U-20: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster); Davy Colbert (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Sean Naughton (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Emmet Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Alan Spicer (UCD RFC/Leinster), Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster), James McKillop (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Bryn Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster) (capt).

Replacements used: Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) for Spicer (half-time), Mikey Yarr (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Smyth (44 mins), Ben Howard (Terenure College RFC/Leinster) for Calvey, Max Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for Ward (both 48), Andrew Sparrow (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Mullan (49), Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster) for Gleeson (60), Ethan Graham (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Colbert (62), Jake O’Riordan (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Coffey (69).

All of the 2024 World Rugby U-20 Championship matches are available to watch back in full on RugbyPass TV’s catch-up service.