Ireland U-18 Schools Team Close Out Festival With Strong Performance Against France

UNDER-18 MEN’S SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL – ROUND 3:

Saturday, April 11 –

FRANCE UNDER-18s 43 IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS 29, Stade Louis Darragon, Vichy
Scorers: France U-18s: Tries: Bixintxo Daguerre, Christian Mendes Tani 2, Tom Delalain, Valentin Bouju 2; Cons: Tom Delalain 5; Pen: Tom Delalain
Ireland U-18 Schools: Tries: Luke Coffey, Matthew McCarthy 2, Finn Brennan; Cons: Luke Coffey 3; Pen: Luke Coffey
HT: France Under-18s 21 Ireland Under-18 Schools 10

Although Ireland were competitive throughout, pouncing for three second-half tries, including a brace from St. Michael’s College winger Matthew McCarthy, France had too much firepower on the day, and a telling 18-point contribution from impressive full-back Tom Delalain.

While disappointed to finish the festival on a losing note, Michael Hodge’s charges achieved a lot in their first international tournament together, posting wins over England (36-31) and Spain (38-17), scoring 15 tries in all, and giving 24 players their first experience of U-18 Six Nations rugby.

McCarthy finished as Ireland’s top try scorer with three, closely followed by Luke Kelly, Dara Walsh, Alex Moloney, and Rian MacFarlane O’Shea with two each. McCarthy and PBC Cork duo Moloney and Tom Murray were the only players to start all three matches.

Captain Luke Coffey, one of just two returning players from last year, did all of the scoring for Ireland in the first half, grabbing an 18th-minute try and slotting over a late penalty. However, France scored directly from a couple of tap penalties, proving clinical from close range.

Converted efforts from Bixintxo Daguerre, Christian Mendes Tani, and Delalain gave them a 21-10 half-time lead, and even with Cléo Bard yellow carded, second row Mendes Tani was able to complete his brace soon after the restart.

It was tit-for-tat thereafter, with McCarthy’s two tries sandwiching a Valentin Bouju score while Daguerre was in the sin bin. Replacement Finn Brennan reached over in the 62nd minute, yet France had tagged on a Delalain penalty, and Bouju’s second try came in the final play.

There were 10 personnel changes to Ireland’s starting XV from Tuesday evening’s 38-17 victory over Spain. Hodge and his fellow coaches picked the same side that lined out against England, apart from the selection of James Whitty and MacFarlane O’Shea in the flanker positions.

Roared on by a vocal home crowd at Stade Louis Darragan, France were quickest to settle. They threatened off a scrum free-kick until Philip Lynch snapped up a textbook turnover. His lock partner Murray followed up with an early lineout steal, albeit that the breaking ball fell the hosts’ way.

A first-phase move from a scrum had McCarthy darting up into the French 22 for the first time, yet possession was proving difficult to retain. Despite Murray pinching a second lineout, and a scrum penalty won on David Kenny’s tighthead side, it was France who opened the scoring, 14 minutes in.

Ilian Sonko Basin’s 50:22 kick gave his side the platform, their maul gaining a close-in penalty which Timéo Gillouin Lemaire took quickly, linking with Marius Audemar Ghion who drew a tackle and offloaded for Daguerre to touch down. Delalain converted from the right.

St. Mary’s College prop Kenny soon turned a loose Irish lineout into an eye-catching break past halfway. Daniel Murphy’s perfectly-weighted kick through forced Louis Favrau to play the ball, and the chasing Rhys Keogh and McCarthy duly won a five-metre scrum.

Ireland attacked infield from the set-piece with carries from Joshua Grant, Xabi Scanlan, Harry Heagney, and Kenny chipping away at the defence, before Coffey used a penalty advantage to squeeze over beside the posts. The Blackrock College scrum half made it seven-all from the tee.

France got their offloading game going in response, setting up a tap penalty opportunity just five metres out. Their forwards made sure they came away with points, as Mendes Tani burrowed over just a few phases later. Delalain’s conversion restored the seven-point gap at 14-7.

Some solid scramble defence prevented the home side from adding to their lead, as the rain came down to make conditions increasingly greasy. There was frustration for Ireland when Herbie Boyle’s scrummaging went unrewarded despite Giovanny Tafili having a knee on the ground.

Once les Bleuets were able to play at the high tempo, they made inroads. Mattéo Bakis’ lineout steal, coupled with a subsequent penalty for a high tackle by Moloney, saw Delalain ground the ball from another quick tap. His straightforward conversion made it 21-7.

It was a soft score for Hodge’s youngsters to concede just before the interval, but they did get into double figures before returning to the dressing room. Bard saw yellow for a tip tackle on Lynch, and Coffey took the points on offer with a well-struck central penalty.

A series of penalties had Ireland on a warning, just minutes into the second half. The pressure led to Mendes Tani crashing over in the 39th minute via replacement scrum half Bouju’s inviting pass. Delalain added the extras again.

Following up on a cracking touchfinder from Chris O’Connor, Murray stole another French lineout. Luke Kelly also brought plenty of pace off the bench, his piercing counter-attacking run sparking some of Ireland’s best phases with ball in hand, and a yellow for Daguerre’s deliberate knock-on.

The Irish forwards looked to take advantage from a maul and some close-in carries, before O’Connor offloaded out of a tackle for McCarthy to step his way over just beside the posts. Coffey’s conversion reduced the arrears to 28-17, with over 20 minutes still to play.

Nonetheless, France hit back swiftly with an opportunist fifth try. Moloney led an attack from inside the Irish 22, the contest at the ruck saw McCarthy suddenly fall backwards, a stray leg causing Coffey to knock on. Jules Said used the loose ball to accelerate into space and feed Bouju to finish off.

Rallying in superb fashion, Ireland cancelled out that seven-pointer off the back of Michael Smyth winning the scraps from a high ball. Boyle went the direct route to take play deep inside the French 22, and McCarthy used an O’Connor kick to cut inside Elija Elder Lozano for a slick finish out wide.

After Coffey’s curling conversion left the scoreboard showing 35-24, Murphy’s choke tackle on Delalain led to a scrum. France were clinical when next on the attack, though, as Delalain mopped up with an important three points following a fine break down the right from centre Favrau.

Kelly and Smyth were able to cover a dangerous French kick, the former soon popping up on a defence-slashing sprint through the middle. Replacement scrum half Johnny Woods’ clever kick out to the right had Elder Lozano under pressure, the ball squirting free for Brennan to dive over in the corner.

Full-back Murphy narrowly missed the conversion from the right, leaving nine points in it (38-29). It was his grubber kick, following a speedy Moloney break, which almost set up a late score for Woods. Having tangled slightly with Daniel Lam, he knocked the loose ball on just before the try-line.

There was still time for France to sweep through for their sixth try of the evening, giving the final scoreline a flattering gloss. Bouju reacted quickest to tap a penalty, awarded at scrum time, and barge his way over from a few metres out.

TIME LINE: 14 minutes – France Under-18s try: Bixintxo Daguerre – 5-0; conversion: Tom Delalain – 7-0; 18 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Luke Coffey – 7-5; conversion: Luke Coffey – 7-7; 20 mins – France Under-18s try: Christian Mendes Tani – 12-7; conversion: Tom Delalain – 14-7; 34 mins – France Under-18s try: Tom Delalain – 19-7; conversion: Tom Delalain – 21-7; 35 mins – France Under-18s yellow card: Cléo Bard; 35+1 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools penalty: Luke Coffey – 21-10; Half-time – France Under-18s 21 Ireland Under-18 Schools 10; 39 mins – France Under-18s try: Christian Mendes Tani – 26-10; conversion: Tom Delalain – 28-10; 46 mins – France Under-18s yellow card: Bixintxo Daguerre; 47 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Matthew McCarthy – 28-15; conversion: Luke Coffey – 28-17; 49 mins – France Under-18s try: Valentin Bouju – 33-17; conversion: Tom Delalain – 35-17; 51 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Matthew McCarthy – 35-22; conversion: Luke Coffey – 35-24; 58 mins – France Under-18s penalty: Tom Delalain – 38-24; 62 mins – Ireland Under-18 Schools try: Finn Brennan – 38-29; conversion: missed by Daniel Murphy – 38-29; 70+1 mins – France Under-18s try: Valentin Bouju – 43-29; conversion: missed by Tom Delalain – 43-29; Full-time – France Under-18s 43 Ireland Under-18 Schools 29

FRANCE U-18: Tom Delalain (SU Agen/Agen); Ilian Sonko Basin (Stade Rochelais), Louis Favrau (CA Bègles Bordeaux Gironde/Talence), Jules Said (CA Bègles Bordeaux Gironde/Talence), Lorenzo Laouna (FC Grenoble Rugby/Grenoble); Bixintxo Daguerre (Aviron Bayonnais/Bayonne), Timéo Gillouin Lemaire (Castres Olympique/Castres); Prince Emmanuel Tambo Fantcho (CA Bègles Bordeaux Gironde/Talence), Jules Freynet (CA Bègles Bordeaux Gironde/Talence), Giovanny Tafili (CA Brive Corrèze Limousin/Brive), Gaston Anatole Lagneau (Racing Club de France/Lakanal) (capt), Christian Mendes Tani (RC Toulon/Toulon), Mattéo Bakis (Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne), Cléo Bard (Lyon OU Rugby/Lyon), Marius Audemar Ghion (Castres Olympique/Castres).

Replacements: Damien Lam (US Colomiers/Jolimont), Wesley Masima (Provence Rugby/Aix-en-Provence), Petit Jean Iposo (RC Vannes/Vannes), Jules Bonnard Martin (Aviron Bayonnais), Bambo Sambou (Stade Toulousain), Valentin Bouju (Stade Rochelais/La Rochelle), Raphael Oliveira (RC Massy Essonne/Lakanal), Aubin Geffray (Lyon OU Rugby/Lyon), Elouen Faure (Lyon OU Rugby/Lyon), Elija Elder Lozano (Oyonnax Rugby/Oyonnax), Noah Traini (ASM Clermont Auvergne/Clermont Ferrand).

IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS: Daniel Murphy (Presentation Brothers College/Munster Rugby); Matthew McCarthy (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Alex Moloney (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster Rugby), Joshua Grant (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby), Rhys Keogh (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby); Charlie O’Connor (RBAI/Ulster), Luke Coffey (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby) (capt); Herbie Boyle (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Harry Heagney (Glenstal Abbey School/Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), David Kenny (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Tom Murray (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster), Philip Lynch (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), James Whitty (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby), Rian MacFarlane O’Shea (Presentation Brothers College, Cork/Munster), Xabi Scanlan (Castletroy College Comprehensive/Munster Rugby).

Replacements: Brion Donagh (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby), Lewis Robinson (Regent House School/Ulster Rugby), Alex Stinson (Royal School Armagh/Ulster Rugby), Dara Walsh (Coláiste Éinde/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht Rugby), Michael Smyth (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby), Johnny Woods (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby), Paddy Scally (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby), Ryan McCormack (Ardscoil Rís Limerick/Munster Rugby), Luke Kelly (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby), Thibault Campbell (Wesley College/Leinster Rugby), Finn Brennan (Kilkenny College/Leinster Rugby).