Ireland U-18 Schools Team See Off Spain For Second Festival Victory

Dara Walsh and captain Rian MacFarlane O’Shea scored two tries each as the Ireland Under-18 Schools team (sponsored by PwC) used their set-piece strengths to beat Spain 38-17 in Vichy. Watch the full match back on irishrugby+.

UNDER-18 MEN’S SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL – ROUND 2:

Tuesday, April 7 –

SPAIN UNDER-18s 17 IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS 38, Stade Louis Darragon, Vichy
Scorers: Spain U-18s: Tries: Lucas Álvarez, Darío Ruiz; Cons: Malakai Hafoka, Gonzalo Losada; Pen: Malakai Hafoka
Ireland U-18s: Tries: James Whitty, Dara Walsh 2, Alex Moloney, Rian MacFarlane O’Shea 2; Cons: Paddy Scally 4
HT: Spain Under-18s 10 Ireland Under-18 Schools 21

Following up on their thrilling win over England, Michael Hodge’s much-changed side outscored Spain by six tries to two ahead of their final U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival clash with hosts France on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm – live on irishrugby+).

James Whitty and Walsh both drove over from close range, cancelling out Lucas Álvarez’s fifth-minute opener, before Alex Moloney twisted his way over the whitewash on the half-hour mark to capitalise on a yellow card for Adrián Fernández.

Ireland’s 21-10 half-time lead was extended by 10 more points thanks to a couple of maul efforts from MacFarlane O’Shea after 38 and 43 minutes. Walsh and Darío Ruiz then traded tries in the final burst of scoring.

With a key aim of the festival to provide starting opportunities for as many players as possible, there were 11 personnel changes to the Ireland team that started against England on the opening day. MacFarlane O’Shea also took over the captaincy from Luke Coffey.

Full report to follow…

TIME LINE: 5 minutes – Spain Under-18s try: Lucas Álvarez – 5-0; conversion: Malakai Hafoka – 7-0; 15 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: James Whitty – 7-5; conversion: Paddy Scally – 7-7; 21 mins – Spain Under-18s penalty: Malakai Hafoka – 10-7; 24 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Dara Walsh – 10-12; conversion: Paddy Scally – 10-14; 32 mins – Spain Under-18s yellow card: Adrián Fernández; 32 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Alex Moloney – 10-19; conversion: Paddy Scally – 10-21; Half-time – Spain Under-18s 10 Ireland Under-18 Schools 21; 38 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Rian MacFarlane O’Shea – 10-26; conversion: missed by Paddy Scally – 10-26; 43 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Rian MacFarlane O’Shea – 10-31; conversion: missed by Paddy Scally – 10-31; 48 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Dara Walsh – 10-36; conversion: Paddy Scally – 10-38; 55 mins – Spain Under-18s try: Darío Ruiz – 15-38; conversion: Gonzalo Losada – 17-38; 63 mins – Spain Under-18s yellow card: César Triviño; Full-time – Spain Under-18s 17 Ireland Under-18 Schools 38

SPAIN U-18: Gonzalo Losada (Cajasol Real Ciencias Sevilla); Lucas Álvarez (Cavidel El Salvador), Darío Ruiz (Cajasol Real Ciencias Sevilla), Gorka Cagigal (Gernika R.T.), Rodrigo Rivas (Societé Generale Liceo Francés); Malakai Hafoka (LOU Rugby), Bernat Fernández (U.E. Santboiana) (capt); Eneko Sánchez (Aviron Bayonnais), Martín Homar (Barça Rugbi), Giorgi Shuvasvili (Societé Generale Liceo Francés), Oriol Jorba (U.E. Santboiana), Rocklyn Kennelly (Blackrock College), Adrián Fernández (C.R.C. Pozuelo), Bixente Lahitete (Aviron Bayonnais), Diego Ariza (Aproperties Alcobendas Rugby).

Replacements: César Triviño (Stade Niçois), Jesús Villalobos (C.D. San Roque), Fernando Larios (Montpellier), Álvaro Martínez (R.C. Ponent), José Ignacio Soriano (C.R.C. Pozuelo), Darío d’Elia (Fibra Valencia Les Abelles), Pau Viches (U.E. Santboiana), Manuel Méndez (Aproperties Alcobendas Rugby), Guzmán Vinuesa (Complutense Cisneros), Arnau Urpinas (U.E. Santboiana), Pablo Montero (Stade Toulousain).

IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS: Finn Brennan (Kilkenny College/Leinster Rugby); Matthew McCarthy (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Alex Moloney (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby), Ryan McCormack (Ardscoil Rís Limerick/Munster Rugby), Luke Kelly (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby); Paddy Scally (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Johnny Woods (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby); Lewis Robinson (Regent House School/Ulster Rugby), Brion Donagh (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby), Alex Stinson (Royal School Armagh/Ulster Rugby), Tom Murray (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster), 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) (capt), Thibault Campbell (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby).

Replacements: Harry Heagney (Glenstal Abbey School/Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), Herbie Boyle (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), David Kenny (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Philip Lynch (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Michael Smyth (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Charlie O’Connor (RBAI/Ulster), Joshua Grant (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby), Rhys Keogh (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Xabi Scanlan (Castletroy College Comprehensive/Munster Rugby), Daniel Murphy (Presentation Brothers College/Munster Rugby).