Ireland U20s v Wales U20s - match thread.

[Cari]

First topic message reminder :

Venue: Dubarry Park, Athlone, Ireland.
Kick off: 7:05pm
Live on BBC 2 Wales and RTÉ Two from 7pm.
Referee: James Matthew (Scotland)

http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/match_centre_u20.php?section=overview&fixid=169258

Ireland:

15 - Shane Layden
14 - Barry Daly
13 - Foster Horan
12 - JJ Hanrahan
11 - Sam Coghlan-Murray
10 - Patrick Jackson
9 - Kieran Marmion
1 - Kyle McCall
2 - Niall Scannell
3 - Peter Reilly
4 - Iain Henderson
5 - Daniel Qualter
6 - Conor Gilsenan
7 - Aaron Conneely
8 - Jack Conan

Replacements:
16 - Des Merrey
17 - James Rael
18 - Jake Cawley
19 - Tadgh Beirne
20 - Jordan Coghlan
21 - Luke McGrath
22 - Cathal Marsh
23 - Christopher Farrell

Errrm, I can't find who Wales are putting out, but here's the squad:
http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/squads_wales_u20.php

[Cari]

Final minute, and Wales take the penalty kick to the corner. Lineout won, but they don't get the drive. Welsh scrum. Iolo Evans is telegraphed and McGrath kicks it out.

Well done Ireland. FT 11 - 6.

[HammerofThunor]

Another try for England (a different London Irish player, Watson)

[Rava]

I only saw the second half but there are a couple of handy looking guys in the Ireland squad.
Wales made too many handling mistakes to be able to make any judgement but the left wing looked like he could be dangerous.

[Notch]

Well, Ireland deserved the win but they certainly made very hard work for themselves!

Jackson showed he is the man who deserves gametime at 10 but if we want to win many more games he needs to be more accurate from the tee. McGrath is class and needs to start at 9. Hanrahan looks the best player in the squad. Henderson and Conan looking good.

It's encouraging, but we can't make mistakes like that in France

[eirebilly]

Happy that Ireland won . Just hope the seniors can now as well

[eirebilly]

Thanks for all the updates as well guys, it was much appreciated.

[Cari]

Happy that Ireland won . Just hope the seniors can now as well

They won't!!

[Rava]

Actually great to see Farrell on at the end. He looks like he will progress to a higher level.

[GunsGerms]

Wow Leinsterb, that's a change - from cricket to rugby!

natural sportsman- should have gone for football instead

Maybe he felt football was a little too girly for him.

[rodders]

A wins a win. Not convinced with Ruddock as coach. The set piece was pants and the breakdown play very sloppy. Its all very well playing attractive rugby but you need to do the basics well.

Pretty much the same as the WC, too much style and not enough substance.

On a positive note some exciting talent there especially Hanaran. Jackson is classy but I'm not convinced hes a 10, maybe a playmaking 12 is a better position for him.

[HammerofThunor]

Another two tries for England

3-52

I really hope this is an accurate representation of tomorrow's game (not going to happen I know)

[Cari]

Flippin' heck that is a cricket score...poor Scotland. Hope their seniors do a better job.

[Morgannwg]

Our captain was interviewed at the end of the game and said the boys had gave a 100 per cent and it was a massive effort. I could not believe my ears! This just further re-enforces my view that is the worst U20s team for some time.

Ireland weren't much better and should have put the game to bed a lot sooner. Paddy Jackson is very over-hyped.

[HammerofThunor]

And another try (9)

3-59

59 unanswered points

[HammerofThunor]

Got to say that the ref seems to be being more lax on Scotland at the breakdown (might well be my bias)

[Standulstermen]

Ireland got mullered at the breakdown. Conan is a decent carrier but missing in defence.

Positives for me were in order

Hanrahan - forget Downey, he should be fast tracked.
Henderson- our best forward and given our paucity of locks emerging could be a future international
Leyden- electric pace and a good kicking game
Jackson- ran the backs well but kicking of the deck was really poor.
McGrath- added impetus. Marmion has never impressed me.

Other than that I thought we were a bit

[WelshinEdinburgh]

Not a great game but some good Irish backs for our Irish friends to look forward to. The Welsh lads seemed too bulked up and lacked a bit of skill, i wouldnt want to tell them that to thier face however. Myhill looked good, are there many Irish u20's not released for the squad? Thanks

[Morgannwg]

Thunor, how are they "un-answered" if Scotland have 3 points.

[HammerofThunor]

Scotland got the first score with a penalty. England then got 59 unanswered points.

[Standulstermen]

Thunor, how are they "un-answered" if Scotland have 3 points.

If Scotland scored first

[Notch]

Not a great game but some good Irish backs for our Irish friends to look forward to. The Welsh lads seemed too bulked up and lacked a bit of skill, i wouldnt want to tell them that to thier face however. Myhill looked good, are there many Irish u20's not released for the squad? Thanks

Not this week but as there is Pro12 next week a few might be withdrawn.

[Morgannwg]

Thanks for making me look more of a pillock than usual - lol.

[Don Alfonso]

Some cajones on Jacko. Four missed kicks and he nails the DG.

I suspect he over-thinks his kicking. Poor from the tee (very poor really), but every restart was contestable (two we regathered), two lovely cross-field kicks that just didn't go to hand, some great positional kicking. But give him a minute and he freezes.

He's not the Second Coming, Stag, but I think you're way over the top in your criticism of him. Pretty churlish. He did some lovely stuff in that game.

I thought he, Hanrahan, Layden, Magrath and Hendersen did very well. There was some nice stuff from the backrow, but they need to focus less on the Sean O'Brien model, and more on the Alan Quinlan. Although in fairness, that have may have been the game plan.

[HammerofThunor]

Ended 3-59. Scotland had a good period in the second half but couldn't score a try even against 14 men. Had several kickable penalties that they turned down due to the 30 point lead for England.

[WelshinEdinburgh]

Not a great game but some good Irish backs for our Irish friends to look forward to. The Welsh lads seemed too bulked up and lacked a bit of skill, i wouldnt want to tell them that to thier face however. Myhill looked good, are there many Irish u20's not released for the squad? Thanks

Not this week but as there is Pro12 next week a few might be withdrawn.

I can never understand why some of the younger regoinal welsh lads were not involved?

[Notch]

Ended 3-59. Scotland had a good period in the second half but couldn't score a try even against 14 men. Had several kickable penalties that they turned down due to the 30 point lead for England.

Scotland A beat the Saxons 35-0 so I guess its honours even!

[Rava]

Thanks for making me look a pillock as usual - lol.

Just fixed that for you Morg

[red_stag]

Rodders drop goal or not Jackson is over rated. His potential and his ability both.

[Morgannwg]

I bet I still got my teeth though Rava.

[Notch]

Rodders drop goal or not Jackson is over rated. His potential and his ability both.

To be honest, I've rarely seen other Irish outhalves who aren't RoG kick so well from hand. He's already better than Humphreys in this regard.

[Golden]

We really made a meal out of that, we should have comfortably beaten that Welsh team some of those lads couldnt catch a cold.

Hanrahan was comfortably the best player on the pitch. Henderson and Layden were good as well. Thought the scrum was decent against a very big welsh front row.

McGrath showed his class when he came on and should start the next match.

Jackson had a few nice touch finders but other than that he wasnt up to much.

[rodders]

Rodders drop goal or not Jackson is over rated. His potential and his ability both.

I don't know Stag he can be mercurial in attack at times. I think he comes from the Gregor Townsend school of fly halves. Clearly his place kicking is not up to scratch. I think he looks more like a 12 but I haven't watched him enough to judge him. Hes a young guy and deserves a bit of time to prove himself.

[Rava]

Rodders drop goal or not Jackson is over rated. His potential and his ability both.

Why is it I just know when you are Wumming

At least I hope you are cause if you can't see the class in Jackson then I have seriously over estimated your knowledge of the game.

[Morgannwg]

I'm with my buddy Red_Stag on Jackson. Some of you Ulstermen need to take off your red fists!

[Notch]

Place kicking aside, I'm honestly baffled as to what more jackson could have done tonight to show his ability.

[TycroesOsprey]

Other than our left winger who looked decent our back play was dissapointing. honestly the amount of wayward passing, charged down kicks and knock ons was ridiculous. First time Ive seen the welsh no10 so Im not going to make a judgement on his as a player but he had an off day today. Hopeully thats what it was and hes much better normally.

[Rava]

I only saw the second half but he (Jackson) attacked well with ball in hand. Provided a few good passes to outside attackers and put in some lovely and well placed kicks.
There were a couple of very clever off loads in there as well. And very importantly he was very sound in defence, something we are very critical of in some of our 10's

[Shifty]

At least Wales didnt play Sampson the Llanelli prop in the Ireland game, heavan forbid the Irish realise he has Irish roots...

Still well done to Ireland, maybe now you know your young players are better they will leave ours alone

[Notch]

What the hell are you on about now Alyn?

[Taffineastbourne]

poor from both sides.Any rising stars on show tonight?Not in my telescope.Irish 15 looked like a Gaelic Footballer.If he gets some coaching he may turn into a Rugby player.

[geoff999rugby]

For his age Jackson is a very good 10 and has great hands.
His place kicking was poor but the rest of his game was good.
He is a touch player and needs game time - he has had very little in the last 3 months as he has been on standby for Ulster and McKinney has played the Ravens games

Some people need to look back at the likes of Sexton and D. Humphreys at the same age (I never say ROG at that age) they were no better and argueable worse.

I thought Henderson was outstanding - that gives me a lot of hope, as incidently does Joyce (who wasn't playing). At last a few forwards coming through the Ulster ranks who are not from the front row.

I thought Wales were awful and will take a big beating from England
on that performance

[geoff999rugby]

Should have said McGrath was a huge improvement at 9

No coincidence our backline improve with the quicker ball.

[Taffineastbourne]

I thought Wales were awful and will take a big beating from England
on that performance

And what gives you great hope against England since you struggled to put away an abject Welsh side?Get real,mun.

[Rava]

I thought Wales were awful and will take a big beating from England
on that performance

And what gives you great hope against England since you struggled to put away an abject Welsh side?Get real,mun.

Didn't see where he said we would beat England. Actually if the Welsh could hold on to the ball we might be able to assess their capabilities.

"Irish 15 looked like a Gaelic Footballer.If he gets some coaching he may turn into a Rugby player." I'm sure you haven't a clue what a Gaelic Footballer looks like in comparison to anyone else but I would remind you that some of Ireland's best were brought up in Gaelic Football. Most recently Shane Horgan and Tomas O'Leary.

[rodders]

I would remind you that some of Ireland's best were brought up in Gaelic Football. Most recently Shane Horgan and Tomas O'Leary Tommy Bowe.

Fixed it for you Rava

[Notch]

Nobody said anything about Ireland vs England apart from you Taff.

[Rava]

I would remind you that some of Ireland's best were brought up in Gaelic Football. Most recently Shane Horgan and Tomas O'Leary Tommy Bowe.

Fixed it for you Rava

Cheers Mate

[Cymroglan]

But he did suggest that Wales would take a awful beating to me that would suggest that he believes Ireland would not.
Let's get real here Wales were very poor tonight and if Ireland thinks theirs was a good performance then they need to think again.

[Rava]

But he did suggest that Wales would take a awful beating to me that would suggest that he believes Ireland would not.
Let's get real here Wales were very poor tonight and if Ireland thinks theirs was a good performance then they need to think again.

I don't think anyone said Ireland's was a great performance. All the comments were on individual performances.

[Cymroglan]

So we agree then that England are just as likely to put 50 points past Ireland as they are against Wales.

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