Ireland Under-18 Schools Team to Play France

Posted on Apr 2, 2012 in Ireland, Ireland U18, Irish Rugby

The Ireland U-18 Schools side to play France in the semi finals of the FIRA/AER U-18 European Championship has been named.

There are a number of changes to the side that defeated Portugal 34- 24 in the quarter finals last Friday.

Squad captain Dan Leavy starts this game in a much changed pack. He is joined in the back-row by Rory Maloney and Peader Timmins who both featured in the first game.

There is a new front row with Charlie Slowey, Max Abbott and Eoghan McKeever while Ross Moloney and Sean O’Brien make up the second row.

In the back line Bobby Holland and Conor McKeon are unchanged in the half backs while Harrison Brewer is joined in the centre by Rory O’Loughlin.

David Johnston switches to the right wing with Greg O’Shea coming in on the left. William Dardis completes the back three.

IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS Team & Replacements (v France Under-18s, FIRA/AER U-18 European Championship Elite Group, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Tuesday, April 3rd, kick-off 17:30 local time/16:30 Irish time):

15 – William Dardis (Terenure College/ Leinster)
14 – David Johnston (Rockwell College/ Munster)
13 – Rory O’Loughlin (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)
12 – Harrison Brewer (Terenure College/ Leinster
11 – Gregory O’Shea (Crescent College/ Munster)
10 – Conor McKeon (Gonzaga/ Leinster)
9 – Bobby Holland (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)
1 – Charlie Slowey (CBC Cork/ Munster)
2 – Max Abbott (PBC Cork/ Munster)
3 – Eoghan McKeever (CBC Monkstown/ Leinster)
4 – Ross Molony (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)
5 – Sean O’Brien (CC Roscrea/ Connacht)
6 – Rory Maloney (CC Roscrea/ Leinster)
7 – Daniel Leavy (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)captain
8 – Peadar Timmins (Clongowes Wood College/ Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Dylan Donnellan (Clongowes Wood College/ Leinster
17 – Adain Slattery (PBC Cork/ Munster)
18 – Shane Delahunt (Kilkenny College/ Leinster)
19 – Shane Boyle (Sligo GS/ Connacht)
20 – Darragh Moloney (CBC Cork/ Munster)
21 – Josh Fullerton (CCB/ Ulster)
22 – Gearoid Lyons (Crescent College/ Munster)
23 – Stephen O’Neill (Terenure College/ Leinster)
24 – Cian Kelleher (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)
25 – Cormac O’Donnell (St Munchins/ Munster)
26 – Jack O’Neill (Castleknock College/ Leinster)

Ireland Fixtures:

Friday 30th March 2012 
Ireland 34 Portugal 24

Tuesday 3rd April 2012
M5: KO: 17.30hrs Ireland v France
aturday 7th April 2012
M9: KO: 16.45hrs Winner M5 v Winner M6
M10: KO: 15.00hrs Loser M5 v Loser M6
M11: KO: 12.45hrs Winner M7 v Winner M8
M12: KO: 11.00hrs Loser M7 v Loser M8

All matches will be played at Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid.

Ireland Schools Squad Announced For European Championship

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 in Ireland, Ireland Schools, Irish Rugby

The Ireland U-18 Schools Squad, sponsored by PWC, has been named for the upcoming European U-18 Championship in Spain (March 29th to April 8th)

The Ireland U-18 Schools will warm up for their defence of the FIRA/AER European title with a pre tournament friendly against Scotland in Coolmine RFC on Sunday, March 25th, k.o. 12 noon.

This year’s Justin Bridou U-18 European Championship takes place in Spain with Ireland drawn in the Elite group alongside England, Wales, France, Scotland, Italy, Georgia and Portugal.

Ireland won the tournament in France last year for the first time having previously reached two finals with the U-18 Club team.

The U-18 Schools, who beat a fancied England team by 17 – 8 to take the title in 2011, will play Portugal in Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid in their opening game on March 30th. The winner will progress to a semi final where they will face either France or Scotland.

Terry McMaster will coach the 26 man squad with the assistance of Paul Barr and Kenny Hooks.

Ireland U-18 Schools Squad (FIRA/AER U-18 European Championship, Madrid, March 29- April 8th)

Max  Abbott (PBC Cork/ Munster)

Benjamin Alexander (RBAI/ Ulster)

Shane  Boyle (Sligo GS/ Connacht)

Harrison Brewer (Terenure College/ Leinster)

William Dardis (Terenure College/ Leinster)

Shane Delahunt (Kilkenny College/ Leinster)

Dylan  Donnellan (Clongowes Wood College/ Leinster)

Josh Fullerton (CCB/ Ulster)

Bobby Holland (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)

David  Johnston (Rockwell College/ Munster)

Cian Kellerher (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)

Daniel Leavy (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)

Gearoid  Lyons (Crescent College/ Munster)

Rory Maloney (CC Roscrea/ Connacht)

Eoghan McKeever (CBC Monkstown/ Leinster)

Conor  McKeon (Gonzaga/ Leinster)

Saba  Meunargia (Marist College/ Connacht)

Ross Molony (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)

Sean  O’Brien (CC Roscrea/ Connacht)

Cormac  O’Donnell (St Munchins/ Munster)

Ruairi O’Farrell (Blackrock College/ Leinster)

Jack  O’Neill (Castleknock College/ Leinster)

Gregory O’Shea (Crescent College/ Munster)

Rory O’Loughlin (St. Michaels College/ Leinster)

Charlie  Slowey (CBC Cork/ Munster)

Peadar Timmins (Clongowes Wood College/ Leinster)

Ireland U-18 Schools Management

Terry McMaster – Head Coach

Paul Barr – Assistant Coach

Kenny Hooks – Assistant Coach

John McKinney – Team Manager

Chris Shield – Fitness Coach

Ozzie Fogarty – Team Doctor

David Lyons – Team Physio

Vinny Hammond – Team Analyst

Nicola Lyons – Team Co-ordinator

John Moran – Team Assistant

England Students name side for Wales game

Posted on Feb 23, 2012 in Age Grade Rugby, England, English Rugby

England Students Head Coach Steve Colwell has named his starting XV for Friday evening’s match against Wales Students at the Twickenham Stoop (KO 5pm).

On the back of their 31-28 defeat against Portugal in Lisbon last month, Colwell feels that the squad is moving in the right direction with Wales next on the agenda.

He said: "We are looking to move forward from our defeat against Portugal – we are very proud of the way the team played and it gives us confidence moving into the fixture against Wales. We’ve worked extremely hard all week and can’t wait until Friday evening.”

Full back Tom O’Toole, who started the game against Portugal, but will be looking to make an impact from the bench against Wales, added: “We played a good brand of rugby against Portugal, we scored four tries to two, but in the end the penalty count against us cost us.

“The good thing is that the coaches say ‘if you see a hole, go for it’. There is a structure, but when you think it’s on, it’s on. There’s a lot of pace and skill in this side, Tom Shiel and Daniel Bibby have both played Sevens, and they love to throw the ball around. So we’ll try and go around the Welsh when we can, but I’m sure they’ll be up for it too and I can’t wait to get onto the pitch.”

England Students side to face Wales

1) Richard Barrington (UWE Hartpury)
2) Richard Townsend (UWE Hartpury)
3) Jordan Saunder (UWIC)
4) Phil Hoy (UWE Hartpury)
5) Jamie Collins (Bath)
6) Josh Beaumont (Durham)
7) Tom Sargeant (C) (Exeter)
8) Graeme Lawler (UWE Hartpury)

9) Andrew McCulla (Durham)
10) Mike Ward (VC) (Durham)
11) Sam Miller (Bath)
12) Louis Messer (UWIC)
13) Tom Shiel (Durham)
14) Ryan Edwards (UWE)
15) Daniel Bibby (UWIC)

Replacements:

16) Tom Meatyard (Bath)
17) Mungo Strachan (Newcastle)
18) Anthony Maka (Bishop Burton)
19) Liam Wilkinson (UWE)
20) Donald Blake (Cambridge)
21) Zak Winnicombe (Bath)
22) Tom O’Toole (Cambridge)

England win four out of five in sevens warm ups

Posted on Nov 2, 2011 in England, English Rugby, Sevens

England Sevens prepared for the HSBC Sevens World Series by winning four of their five games in the warm-up tournament in Elche yesterday.

Head coach Ben Ryan took a 14-man squad to Spain for a useful work-out that saw them beat Scotland 24-14, France 29-14, Wales 26-19 and Spain 46-5. The only reverse came in the day’s penultimate game when they went down 24-21 against Portugal.

After mixing up his side throughout the day to maximise the amount of game time for the players, Ryan was in a positive mood ahead of the start of the series in the Gold Coast on November 25-26.

"We mixed things up, tried a few things out so I’m not too worried about the final score in that game against Portugal and we finished off the day playing against Spain in the last game and really put them to the sword.

"We’ve got one or two things to tighten up and a few more players in the end stage of rehabilitation to come back so overall I’m pleased with where we are. We’ll have 20 to choose a 12 from for Australia and that’s going to be a tough job."

Last season’s leading scorer Dan Norton underlined his form with eight tries, including a hat-trick against Portugal and braces against France and Spain.

The draw for the first leg of the series in Australia takes place later this week and Ryan is due to name his squad on November 10.

England Sevens squad in Elche: Greg Barden, Dan Bibby (UWIC), John Brake, Chris Brightwell, Chris Cracknell, Sam Edgerley (Esher), Simon Hunt, Dan Norton, Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Nick Royle, Mat Turner, Rob Vickerman, Marcus Watson (Saracens).

Scores and scorers:
England 24 Scotland 14. Tries: Bibby, Royle, Hunt, Brake
England 29 France 14. Tries: Norton 2, Edgerley, Turner, Watson
England 26 Wales 19. Tries: Royle 2, Rodwell, Norton, Brake
England 21 Portugal 24. Tries: Norton 3
England 46 Spain 5. Tries: Norton 2, Turner 2, Royle, Edgerley

England into sevens QFs despite being beaten by Wales

Posted on May 28, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

England will face champions New Zealand in tomorrow’s quarter finals of the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens after being beaten 19-12 by Wales in their final pool match at Murrayfield today.

Comfortable Pool B wins over Portugal (24-5) and Spain (22-12) set up the group decider against Wales at the final event of this season’s HSBC Sevens World Series.

But despite Dan Norton’s 31^st try of the campaign and Ben Gollings’s converted effort, England made too many errors in defence and attack – missing key tackles and losing the ball in contact – with Adam Thomas scoring twice and Alex Cuthbert once to earn Wales a date with France in the knockout stages.

England had gone into the final event of the series looking to bounce back from a disappointing London leg and hang on to second place in the overall table where the hold a five-point lead on their nearest rivals.

They were forced to make two changes to the squad with England flanker Steffon Armitage unavailable and Tom Powell needing surgery to a skull fracture.

Saracens flanker Don Barrell appeared from the start against Portugal and England Students number eight Richard de Carpentier made his debut off the bench in the second half.

They started the day with a 24-5 win against Portugal with Norton, John Brake, James Rodwell and Oliver Lindsay-Hague all touching down.

Spain pushed hard with tries from Juan Cano and Matias Tudela but Norton’s second of the day, two tries from Dan Caprice and one for Gollings completed the 22-12 win.