Ireland U-19 Men Use Fast Start To Win Series Opener Against France

A strong spring campaign for Irish Rugby’s age-grade pathways continued when the Ireland Under-19 Men (sponsored by PwC) stole a march on their French counterparts to claim a 39-29 win at Creggs RFC.

UNDER-19 MEN’S INTERNATIONAL EASTER SERIES:

Wednesday, April 8 –

IRELAND UNDER-19s 39 FRANCE U-20 DEVELOPMENT XV 29, Creggs RFC
Scorers: Ireland U-19s: Tries: Geoff O’Sullivan 2, James Gould, Jon Rodgers, Alex Lautsou, Adam Boyd; Cons: Connor McVicker 2, Paul Neary; Pen: Connor McVicker
France U-20 Development XV: Tries: Tyreese Robin, Mathis Capus, Kyllian Taukolo, Hugo Avogadro 2; Cons: Maël Navizet, Valentin Hutteau
HT: Ireland U-19s 27 France U-20 Development XV 12

Match 2: Ireland U19s v France U20 Development Tickets On Sale Here

Aiden McNulty’s well-balanced side took control of the scoreboard early on, and ran out impressive six-try winners on the all-weather surface. France rallied with two late consolation scores, setting up an intriguing second clash at Mullingar RFC on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 2.30pm).

An early brace from Terenure College flyer Geoff O’Sullivan, coupled with converted efforts from James Gould and Jon Rodgers, had a fast-starting Ireland leading 24-0 midway through the first half.

Having coughed up tries from an interception and a charge-down, France, who had beaten England 57-33 last Saturday, regrouped to close the gap to 27-12 by half-time. Tyreese Robin and Mathis Capus both crossed, either side of a Connor McVicker penalty.

Captained by Belvedere College prop Harry Goslin, Ireland stunned their opponents with a second intercept try just after the restart – run in by Shannon number 8 Alex Lautsou, who was part of the extended Ireland Under-20 squad for the recent U-20 Six Nations.

Adam Boyd came off the bench to put his name to the last Irish try on the hour mark. That cancelled out a Kyllian Taukolo five-pointer, and a closing double from Hugo Avogadro saw France make it a 10-point margin by the final whistle.

It took just 13 seconds for Ireland to take the lead, as Owen O’Kane’s high, hanging kick-off caused problems for France. Ballynahinch clubman Rogers ripped the ball away from Matis Julien, and had O’Sullivan on his outside to score from just outside the visitors’ 22.

Ulster Academy lock Paddy Woods was prominent early on, making some post-contact metres and also combining with Jonathan Ginnety in a double tackle to force a knock-on. Ireland kept the pressure on through a couple of penalties, sandwiching a powerful maul.

From a lineout platform just five metres out, the hosts duly struck in the ninth minute. The initial drive was stopped, but solid carries from Goslin and Woods set up loosehead prop Gould, an early replacement for Ben Guerin, to burrow his way over to make it 10-0.

French winger Robin lost his grip on the ball just as he broke forward, and his team fell further behind soon after. O’Sullivan picked off Maël Navizet’s pass just inside halfway, and outpaced the chasing Lukas Amati for the try-line. McVicker’s right boot was bang on target with the difficult conversion.

When the ball broke away from a French lineout in the 18th minute, Joe Christle made sure he was first to it. Les Bleuets tried to regain lost ground from a well-placed McVicker kick, only for the inrushing Rodgers to block Capus’ attempted clearance and dive in just beside the posts.

Despite Goslin thwarting France’s initial response with a turnover penalty, there was no stopping Robin in the 23rd minute. He made it over in the right corner, finishing off a crisp first-phase move, via a scrum, with fellow winger Avogadro providing the assist.

As Ireland upped the tempo approaching the half-hour mark, Avogadro fumbled a McVicker kick to give the home side some iniviting field position. Hooker Christle got a chance to stretch his legs on the right wing, before a close-range McVicker penalty had the scoreboard showing 27-5.

However, a late Irish attack petered out with the concession of a penalty, and France displayed their broken-field threat. Régis Omby and captain Rémi Couty both gained ground, generating quick ball and it was full-back Capus whose elusive run took him over the whitewash for Navizet to convert.

McNulty’s charges snatched back the momentum with an opportunist try inside the opening minute of the second half. Lautsou rushed up to intercept Mathis Galeazzi’s pass, and he had the pace and power to shrug off centre Noham Valeu on a fine run-in from halfway.

Some robust maul defence denied France a quick-fire reply, albeit that a subsequent break by Raphaël Audebert, and two close-in penalties, had Ireland under further pressure. The visitors got the ball out wide for Omby to send Taukolo over in the left corner.

With their lead now standing at 32-17, the Goslin-led outfit had more defending to do when the French bench provided some penetration in attack. Portlaoise’s Cian Butler came up with a crucial turnover penalty right under the Irish posts, allowing O’Kane to find touch with a 40-metre clearance.

When France fired up their attack again, replacement Daniel O’Connell lifted his team-mates with a brilliant try-saving tackle on Avogadro, and while a tightly-contested scrum battle was going one way and then the other, Ireland managed to advance downfield again through a variety of penalties.

Christle was held up short from a lineout drive, and the French defenders also got their hands under the ball when Gould and Goslin went for the line on separate occasions. Nonetheless, when Galeazzi’s goalline drop-out went out on the full, France were unable to hold out.

The Irish pack, flooded with fresh legs, used a scrum penalty to batter away before RBAI back rower Boyd muscled his way over beside the posts, backed up by Josh Mooney. Paul Neary’s conversion put 22 points between the teams.

Although French lock Omby saw yellow for taking out Harry Waters in the air, at the restart, Ireland could not capitalise on a Frankie Og Sheahan turnover, and a try-scoring opportunity created by Connacht Academy centre Rourke O’Sullivan and the tireless Waters, close to the right touchline.

Indeed, it was France who clawed back 12 points during the dying minutes. Galeazzi’s kick over the top produced a bobbling ball, which allowed Valentin Hutteau to dart towards the Irish 22 and release Avogadro to finish out wide. Hutteau converted the winger’s second score in the final play, which was set up an Omby break.

TIME LINE: 1 minute – Ireland Under-19s try: Geoff O’Sullivan – 5-0; conversion: missed by Connor McVicker – 5-0; 9 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: James Gould – 10-0; conversion: missed by Connor McVicker – 10-0; 14 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Geoff O’Sullivan – 15-0; conversion: Connor McVicker – 17-0; 17 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Jon Rodgers – 22-0; conversion: Connor McVicker – 24-0; 23 mins – France Under-20 Development XV try: Tyreese Robin – 24-5; conversion: missed by Maël Navizet – 24-5; 28 mins – Ireland Under-19s penalty: Connor McVicker – 27-5; 35 mins – France Under-20 Development XV try: Mathis Capus – 27-10; conversion: Maël Navizet – 27-12; Half-time – Ireland Under-19s 27 France Under-20 Development XV 12; 36 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Alex Lautsou – 32-12; conversion: missed by Connor McVicker – 32-12; 43 mins – France Under-20 Development XV try: Kyllian Taukolo – 32-17; conversion: missed by Mathis Galeazzi – 32-17; 58 mins – Ireland Under-19s try: Adam Boyd – 37-17; conversion: Paul Neary – 39-17; 60 mins – France Under-20 Development XV yellow card: Régis Omby; 68 mins – France Under-20 Development XV try: Hugo Avogadro – 39-22; conversion: missed by Mathis Galeazzi – 39-22; 70+2 mins – France Under-20 Development XV try: Hugo Avogadro – 39-27; conversion: Valentin Hutteau – 39-29; Full-time – Ireland Under-19s 39 France Under-20 Development XV 29

IRELAND U-19: Fionn Rowsome (Garryowen FC/Munster Rugby); Geoff O’Sullivan (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby), Tom Bell (Regent House School/Ards RFC/Ulster Rugby), Bernard White (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Harry Waters (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster Rugby); Owen O’Kane (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster Rugby), Connor McVicker (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster Rugby); Ben Guerin (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Joe Christle (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Harry Goslin (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby) (capt), Jamie Walsh (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster Rugby), Paddy Woods (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster Rugby), Jonathan Ginnety (Castleknock College/Leinster Rugby), Jon Rodgers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster Rugby), Alex Lautsou (Shannon RFC/Munster Rugby).

Replacements: Harry O’Neill (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), James Gould (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby), Ollie Fitzsimmons (Wallace High School/Ulster Rugby), Cian Butler (Portlaoise RFC/St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise/Leinster Rugby), Adam Boyd (Royal Belfast Academical Institution/Ulster Rugby), Frankie Og Sheahan (PBC Cork/Munster Rugby), Paul Neary (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Rourke O’Sullivan (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht Rugby), Leo Anic (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht Rugby), Josh Mooney (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby), Daniel O’Connell (Garryowen FC/Munster Rugby).

FRANCE U-20 DEVELOPMENT: Mathis Capus (Stade Toulousain/RC Narbonne); Hugo Avogadro (FC Grenoble/US Deux Ponts), Noham Valeu (Racing 92/M Laffitte St Germain Poissy), Lukas Amati (Stade Toulousain/Bidart Union Club), Tyreese Robin (FC Grenoble/US Renage Rives); Maël Navizet (FC Grenoble/RC Charteuse Néron), Ange Giroud (Lyon OU/CS Vienne Rugby); Gabin Issaly (Castres Olympique/SO Millavois), Antonio Ratavo (Montpellier HR/Biarritz Olympique), Zak Price (Stade Rochelais/SA Parthenaisien), Régis Omby (CA Brive/CO Couronnais), Mathis Locatelli (Oyonnax Rugby/RC Plateau 25), Raphaël Audebert (Montpellier HR/AS Chateaugay Rugby), Rémi Couty (Stade Aurillac/RC Blaisois) (capt), Matis Julien (Racing 92/USO Nevers).

Replacements: Louis Bedeau (Oyonnax Rugby/RC Pays Fayence), Yon Caperaa (Section Paloise/AM SP Cult Aureilhan), Noa Tinnirello (Stade Toulousain/US Kercorb Bastide Peyrat), Anthony Rico (Lyon OU/RC Aubenas Vals), Auguste Albuisson (Racing 92/RC Courbevoie), Kyllian Taukolo (RC Toulon/CA Saint Raphaël Fréjus), Lilian Baret (Lyon OU/CS Bourgoin Jallieu), Valentin Hutteau (Union Bordeaux Bègles/US Pithivérienne), Mathis Galeazzi (Lyon OU/Union Cazères Le Fousseret XV), Petti Arrossagaray (SA Mauléonais/Barcus-Menditte Xiberoa), Paco Scheibel (Stade Rochelais/Bourges XV).

Referee: Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Johnny Quinn, Cathal Roddy (both IRFU)

– Photos supplied by Steve Fahey and Bernie O’Farrell

IRELAND UNDER-19 MEN’S MANAGEMENT TEAM –

Aiden McNulty – Head Coach
Jonathon Graham – Assistant Coach
Tommy O’Donnell – Assistant Coach
Niall Annett – Assistant Coach
Noel McKenna – Team Manager
Dr. Billy Twomey – Team Doctor
Nick Lalor – Team Physio
Rob Cassidy – Athletic Development Coach
Eoin Smyth – Team Analyst
Maxi McDonald – Team Logistics

IRELAND UNDER-19 MEN’S 2026 SCHEDULE:

Sunday, March 29: Wales Under-19s 24 Ireland Under-19s 20, Cardiff Arms Park

Wednesday, April 8: Ireland Under-19s 39 France U-20 Development XV 29, Creggs RFC

Sunday, April 12: Ireland Under-19s v France U-20 Development XV, Mullingar RFC, 2.30pm – Tickets Here