Ireland Squad Selected For U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival

Head coach Michael Hodge has confirmed the Ireland Under-18 Schools squad (sponsored by PwC) which will take part in the U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival in Vichy, France over the Easter break.

Hodge’s youngsters will play three matches at the festival, kicking off on Friday against England, followed by clashes with Spain next Tuesday and tournament hosts France on Saturday week.

Of the 26-player group, half-backs Luke Coffey and Charlie O’Connor, who both featured in recent provincial Schools Cup finals for their respective schools, Blackrock College and RBAI, are the only returning players from last year.

Team captain Coffey is the younger brother of Oliver Coffey, the Leinster Academy scrum half, while there are a couple of other notable family links. Leinster and Ireland prop Jack Boyle’s teenage sibling, Herbie, is included in the forwards.

Coláiste Éinde lock Dara Walsh, who captained the Ireland U-18 Schools team to a 42-19 warm-up win over Wales, is following in the footsteps of his older brothers, Bryan and current Connacht Academy and Ireland U-20 centre Séan, who have both played age-grade international rugby.

Both Walsh and Harry Heagney, a PwC U-18 Clubs Interprovincial title winner with Leinster, have come through the U-18 Clubs pathway, playing against Italy in November. Phil Lynch and Joshua Grant were involved in the Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools team’s recent victory over Scotland.

Four members of PBC Cork’s Munster Schools Senior Cup-winning team are included, led by their captain Rian MacFarlane O’Shea, and the newly-crowned Leinster Schools Senior Cup champions, St. Mary’s College, are represented by forwards David Kenny and James Whitty.

The U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival is an important development platform for players, along with coaches, support staff, and match officials, to gain valuable experience in an international environment.

Just like last year, the three matchdays will be held at Stade Louis Darragon, the home of RC Vichy. Georgia and Spain have again joined the line-up to make it an eight-team competition. All of Ireland’s games will be live on irishrugby+ and the Six Nations U-20 YouTube channel.

IRELAND UNDER-18 MEN’S Squad (2026 Under-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival, Stade Louis Darragon, Vichy, France, Friday, April 3-Saturday, April 11, 2026):

Forwards (14) –

Herbie Boyle (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Lewis Robinson (Regent House School/Ulster Rugby)
Harry Heagney (Glenstal Abbey School/Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby)
Brion Donagh (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
David Kenny (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Alex Stinson (Royal School Armagh/Ulster Rugby)
Tom Murray (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby)
Phil Lynch (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Dara Walsh (Coláiste Éinde/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht Rugby)
James Whitty (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Rian MacFarlane O’Shea (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby)
Michael Smyth (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
Thibault Campbell (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby)
Xabi Scanlan (Castletroy College/Munster Rugby)

Backs (12) –

Johnny Woods (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby)
Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby) (capt)
Charlie O’Connor (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
Paddy Scally (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Ryan McCormack (Ardscoil Rís Limerick/Munster Rugby)
Joshua Grant (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby)
Luke Kelly (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
Matthew McCarthy (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
Rhys Keogh (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
Alex Moloney (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby)
Finn Brennan (Kilkenny College/Leinster Rugby)
Daniel Murphy (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby)

IRELAND UNDER-18 MEN’S Management Team –

Head Coach: Michael Hodge
Assistant Coach: Brendan O’Connor
Assistant Coach: Morgan Codyre
Scrum Coach: Seamus Toomey
Team Manager: Stephen O’Hara
Team Analyst: Alan Doonan
Athletic Development Coach: Mark Synott
Performance Nutritionist: Niall Brady
Team Physio: David Lyons
Team Doctor: Prof. John Ryan
Team Logistics: Lar Hogan

IRELAND UNDER-18 MEN’S Fixtures:

Friday, April 3 –

England v Ireland, Stade Louis Darragon, 4.15pm local time/3.15pm Irish time

Tuesday, April 7 –

Ireland v Spain, Stade Louis Darragon, 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time

Saturday, April 11 –

France v Ireland, Stade Louis Darragon, 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time