PwC Under-18 Boys Schools Interpros – Round 3: Leinster v Ulster Preview

PWC UNDER-18 BOYS SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3:

Wednesday, August 27 –

LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS (1st) v ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS (2nd), Energia Park, 2.30pm

Fresh from last Saturday’s 35-23 bonus point victory over Munster, Kieran Campbell’s Ulster side need another big result, this time at home to the table toppers, if they are to stay in the hunt for back-to-back crowns at this level.

Last weekend’s result at Newforge moved the defending champions onto seven points in the standings, putting them two behind Sean Skehan’s Leinster who have played a game less.

Munster, who trail Ulster by a point, still have an outside chance ahead of hosting the Blues in Cork on Sunday. It all makes for a fascinating final two matches in a competition that has delivered plenty of thrills and spills over the last three weeks.

For their penultimate game, Leinster head coach Skehan has made five personnel changes to the team that started their most recent outing, a well-judged 32-20 bonus point success against Ulster at Affidea Stadium.

Phillip Lynch and Hugh Keaney are both back to full fitness and return to the starting pack, having missed the opening two Interprovincial encounters. Clongowes Wood’s Keaney fills the blindside flanker berth, with Eoin Farrell switching to the second row alongside Lynch.

Dan McKenna and David Kenny are rewarded with starts in the front row after impressing off the bench in Belfast. Newbridge College hooker Brion Donagh, Leinster’s top try scorer with two tries so far, will have an impact role today.

Newbridge have two starters in the back-line as Michael Kenny has been handed the reins at out-half, partnering Wesley College’s Johnny Woods at half-back. The versatile Tom Martin also comes in at inside centre.

Meanwhile, Campbell College’s Harry Wells returns to the right wing in the only personnel change made for Ulster’s must-win trip to Donnybrook. He was a try scorer when they lost narrowly away to Munster in the opening round.

With three tries, Ulster hooker Charlie Reaney is the Championship’s leading try scorer, while full-back James McMillan (29 points) is the second top points scorer, just behind his Munster counterpart Daniel Murphy (30).

Reaney’s Royal School Armagh team-mate, Alex Stinson, has switched positions in the front row, reverting to the tighthead side with Regent House School’s Lewis Robinson now back in the loosehead role.

Cian McClean captains Campbell’s charges from the back row, and Adam Millar takes the number of RBAI players to five in the matchday squad. He has been added to the replacements bench, stepping in for Ollie Taylor as one of the back-line options.

LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: Finn Brennan (Kilkenny College); Chris Maguire (St. Mary’s College), Niall Fallon (Terenure College), Tom Martin (Newbridge College), Tommy Smyth (Terenure College); Michael Kenny (Newbridge College), Johnny Woods (Wesley College); Tom Quigley (St. Mary’s College), Dan McKenna (Terenure College), David Kenny (St. Mary’s College), Eoin Farrell (St. Mary’s College), Phillip Lynch (St. Michael’s College), Hugh Keaney (Clongowes Wood College), Michael Smyth (Terenure College) (capt), Herbie Boyle (St. Michael’s College).

Replacements: Brion Donagh (Newbridge College), Dan O’Donohoe (St. Michael’s College), Rory O’Brien (Terenure College), James Whitty (St. Mary’s College), Senan Gavin (Terenure College), James McMahon (St. Michael’s College), Harrison McMahon (St. Michael’s College), Nic Sheehan (St. Mary’s College).

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS: James McMillan (Coleraine Grammar School); Harry Wells (Campbell College), Nathan Hamilton (Royal School Armagh), Connor Patton (RBAI), Dylan Gray (RBAI); Josh McCaughey (Down High School), James Wells (Campbell College); Lewis Robinson (Regent House School), Charlie Reaney (Royal School Armagh), Alex Stinson (Royal School Armagh), Archie Graham (Dalriada School), Jayden Irwin (Belfast Royal Academy), James Reid (Methodist College Belfast), Cian McClean (RBAI) (capt), George Gamble (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School).

Replacements: David Nelson (Campbell College), Reuben McIlwrath (RBAI), Jonah Woolley (Antrim Grammar School), Harry Doherty (Methodist College Belfast), Oliver Gartley (Methodist College Belfast), Jack Best (Campbell College), Adam Millar (RBAI), Isaac Hatch (Campbell College).

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Points
LEINSTER	2	2	0	0	56	40	+16	8	4	1	0	9
ULSTER	3	1	0	2	84	88	-4	12	13	2	1	7
MUNSTER	3	1	0	2	76	88	-12	10	13	1	1	6

PWC UNDER-18 BOYS SCHOOLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS/FIXTURES –

Saturday, August 9 –

Munster 33 Ulster 29, Virgin Media Park

Wednesday, August 13 –

Leinster 24 Munster 20, Energia Park

Sunday, August 17 –

Ulster 20 Leinster 32, Affidea Stadium

Saturday, August 23 –

Ulster 35 Munster 23, Newforge

Wednesday, August 27 –

Leinster v Ulster, Energia Park, 2.30pm

Sunday, August 31 –

Munster v Leinster, Virgin Media Park, 12pm