This year's Ireland Under-18 Schools squad have recorded wins over Engand, Scotland, and Georgia ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Harry Waters and Alex Lautsou will make their debuts for the Ireland Under-18 Schools team (sponsored by PwC), having been selected to start Friday’s U-18 Men’s International Series opener against South Africa U-18 ‘A’ side.
Durbanville High School in Cape Town is the venue for the opening game (kick-off 11.30am local time/10.30am Irish time – live on the SuperSport Schools platform), as the Ireland U-18s compete in the six-team series for a second successive year.
Coached by Michael Hodge, the Ireland youngsters will play both the South Africa U-18 ‘A’ and U-18 teams, and their Georgian counterparts, across three match days between tomorrow and Saturday week (August 16).
Waters, Navan RFC’s Senior Men’s Young Player of the Year for last season, will line out on the right wing, with Castletroy College’s Alex Lautsou packing down at number 8. Replacement Daniel O’Connell from Ardscoil Rís is also set for his first appearance at this level.
Newbridge College’s Lee Fitzpatrick, a new addition to the Leinster Rugby Academy, will captain Ireland from the front row where he is joined by fellow Newbridge student, Jamie Bohan, and Blackrock College’s Ben Guerin.
Jonathon Ginnety and Jamie Walsh’s second row partnership is reformed, with the pair having started together during the U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival. Wallace High School’s Jon Rodgers will make his fourth start at openside flanker, with Geoff Wall on the blindside.
The Leinster half-back pairing of Paul Neary and Luke Coffey will lead a back-line which includes three members of Blackrock’s 2025 Leinster Schools Senior Cup winning team – Coffey at scrum half, James Browne on the left wing, and Bernard White in the centre.
Handed the reins at full-back is Andrew Henson, the scorer of two tries in Marist College’s memorable Connacht Schools Senior Cup final victory in March. Regent House School’s Tom Bell will combine with White in midfield.
Joe Christle from St. Mary’s College, who was not involved in April’s U-18 Six Nations Festival, returns as a replacement. Prior to that tournament, he had a cameo role in Ireland’s thrilling 22-17 triumph over England in a special 50th anniversary Schoolboys match.
The bench also includes RBAI’s Adam Boyd, younger brother of Ulster’s senior-capped Academy prop Jacob. There are no returning players from last August’s series when Ireland beat England (42-28) and Georgia (17-15) before losing to South Africa on a 38-26 scoreline.
Head coach Hodge commented: “We built some important connections across the Six Nations Festival earlier in the year, and we’re looking forward to this next challenge.
“The U-18 International Series offers a unique opportunity within the age-grade pathway. The chance to tour South Africa and compete against some of the best players at this level is an invaluable experience.”
15. Andrew Henson (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College/Connacht Rugby)
14. Harry Waters (Ratoath College/Navan RFC/Leinster Rugby)
13. Tom Bell (Ards RFC/Regent House School/Ulster Rugby)
12. Bernard White (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
11. James Browne (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
10. Paul Neary (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
9. Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
1. Ben Guerin (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
2. Lee Fitzpatrick (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby) (capt)
3. Jamie Bohan (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
4. Jonathon Ginnety (Castleknock College/Leinster Rugby)
5. Jamie Walsh (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster Rugby)
6. Geoff Wall (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
7. Jon Rodgers (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby)
8. Alex Lautsou (Castletroy College/Munster Rugby)
Replacements:
16. Joe Christle (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
17. James Gould (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby)
18. Harry Goslin (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby)
20. Frank Maher (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
21. Adam Boyd (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
22. Connor McVicker (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster Rugby)
23. Charlie O’Connor (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
24. Fionn Rowsome (Crescent College Comprehensive/Munster Rugby)
25. Geoff O’Sullivan (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
26. Daniel O’Connell (Ardscoil Rís/Munster Rugby)
IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS MANAGEMENT TEAM –
Michael Hodge – Head Coach
Brendan O’Connor – Assistant Coach
Morgan Codyre – Assistant Coach
Jamie Kirk – Assistant Coach
Stephen O’Hara – Team Manager
Prof. John Ryan – Team Doctor
David Lyons – Team Physio
James O’Leary – Athletic Development Coach
Alan Doonan – Team Analyst
Tom Nyham – Team Logistics
2025 UNDER-18 MEN’S INTERNATIONAL SERIES FIXTURES:
Friday, August 8 – Durbanville High School
11.30am local time/10.30am Irish time: South Africa U-18 ‘A’ v Ireland U-18 Schools – live on SuperSport Schools
1.30pm: Georgia U-18s v England U-18s
3.30pm: South Africa U-18s v France U-18s
Tuesday, August 12 – Boland Landbou High School
11.30am: South Africa U-18 ‘A’ v Georgia U-18s
1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time: South Africa U-18s v Ireland U-18 Schools
3.30pm: England U-18s v France U-18s
Saturday, August 16 –Paarl Gimnasium High School
11.30am: France U-18s v South Africa U-18 ‘A’
1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time: Ireland U-18 Schools v Georgia U-18s
3.30pm: South Africa U-18s v England U-18s
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