Munster’s New Academy Intake Includes Five Ireland U-20 Players

A total of eleven new recruits will enter the Greencore-sponsored Munster Rugby Academy ahead of the 2017/18 season.

With five Munster Academy players already confirmed for senior promotion this summer – Stephen Fitzgerald, Dan Goggin, Bill Johnston, Conor Oliver and Brian Scott, the latest intake brings the number of players to 20 in the province’s Academy.

Among the new recruits are five youngsters who played for the Ireland Under-20s at this month’s World Rugby U-20 Championship in Georgia – Liam Coombes (Garryowen), Joey Conway (UL Bohemians), Stephen’s younger brother Conor Fitzgerald (Shannon), Jack Stafford (Shannon) and Alan Tynan (Young Munster).

Joining the Ireland U-20 representatives are Ardscoil Ris scrum half Craig Casey (pictured below), who captained the Ireland U-18 Schools team this Easter, Daniel Hurley (Garryowen), Cork Constitution’s Alex McHenry, who made his Ireland U-20 debut during the Six Nations, and Jack O’Sullivan (PBC Cork), advancing from the province’s development pathway.

Meanwhile, Clontarf’s Jack Power and fellow full-back James McCarthy have also joined the Munster Academy from the Leinster Academy and Welsh underage system respectively.

MUNSTER RUGBY 2017/18 GREENCORE ACADEMY PANEL:

Year 3 –

Liam O’Connor (Prop/Cork Constitution)
JP Phelan (Prop/Garryowen)

Year 2 –

Gavin Coombes (Back rower/Young Munster)
Shane Daly (Centre/Cork Constitution)
John Foley (Back rower/Shannon)
Calvin Nash (Centre/Winger/Young Munster)
Vincent O’Brien (Hooker/Cork Constitution)
Sean O’Connor (Lock/Garryowen)
Fineen Wycherley (Lock/Young Munster)

Year 1 –

Craig Casey (Scrum half/Ardscoil Rís)
Joey Conway (Prop/UL Bohemians)
Liam Coombes (Back-three/Garryowen)
Conor Fitzgerald (Out-half/Shannon)
Daniel Hurley (Back-three/Garryowen)
James McCarthy (Full-back)
Alex McHenry (Centre/Cork Constitution)
Jack O’Sullivan (Back rower/PBC)
Jack Power (Full-back)
Jack Stafford (Scrum half/Shannon)
Alan Tynan (Out-half/Young Munster)