The Ireland under-20 Squad, sponsored by PwC, for the Junior World Championship in South Africa has been named. The 28 man squad named today by Head Coach Mike Ruddock is drawn in Pool B alongside England, Italy and the hosts South Africa.
The core of the squad featured in the recent under-20 Six Nations Championship which saw Ireland lose out to England in a Grand Slam decider in March.
Seven of the squad featured in the 2011 Junior World Championship. Flankers Shane Buckley and Aaron Conneely, second row Iain Henderson and prop Tadhg Furlong will add experience up front.
In the back line, Ruddock can call upon the experience of Paddy Jackson, who recently starred in Ulster’s Heineken Cup Semi Final win, JJ Hanrahan and scrum-half Kieran Marmion who all featured in 2011.
Ireland under-20 Head Coach Mike Ruddock said, “We are coming into the IRB Junior World Championship on the back of a relatively successful Six Nations having won four out of five of our matches. This gives us some confidence going into the tournament. However, we are in an extremely physical group. We have hosts South Africa up first, followed by the 6 Nations champions England and then the ever improving Italians. It will require a massive effort from our part to overcome such physical size and power but we intend to give it our best shot.”
*Details of a media opportunity with Head Coach Mike Ruddock and selected players in advance of their departure to the tournament will be announced shortly.
Ireland U-20 Squad (IRB Junior World Championship, South Africa 2012)
Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne /Leinster)
Shane Buckley (Garryowen/Munster)*
Jake Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Jordon Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster)
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht)*
Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar /Leinster)
J.J. Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Iain Henderson (Queens University /Ulster)*
Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)*
Shane Layden (Buccaneers /Connacht)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)*
Cathal Marsh (Trinity College /Leinster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
Des Merry (Clontarf/Leinster)
Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Alan O’Connor (UCD/Leinster)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Niall Scannell (Dolphin RFC/Munster)
Mikey Sherlock (Clontarf/Leinster)
Josh Van Der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
*Featured in 2011 Junior World Championship
IRFB Junior World Championship Fixtures:
Pool B (all times are local)
4th June, England v Italy, K.O. 16:45 (University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town)
4th June, South Africa v Ireland, K.O. 18:45 (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch)
8th June, South Africa v Italy, K.O. 18:45 (University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town)
8th June, England v Ireland, K.O. 18:45 (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch)
12th June, Ireland v Italy, K.O.14:45 (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch)
12th June, South Africa v England, K.O. 18:45 (Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch)
