IQ Rugby Overcome Ulster U-19s With Three-Try Second Half Display

IQ RUGBY PROVINCIAL TOUR MATCH:

Saturday. July 26 –

IQ RUGBY 28 ULSTER UNDER-19s 12, IRFU High Performance Centre
Scorers: IQ Rugby: Tries: Billy Cross, Harvey Leonard, Aiden Vetjens, Taine Bird; Cons: Billy Cross 4
Ulster U-19s: Tries: Angus Graham, Reuben Allen; Con: Reuben Allen
HT: IQ Rugby 7 Ulster U-19s 12

The 70-minute match at the IRFU High Performance Centre came just three days after the Provincial U-19 Triangular Festival in UL, during which two shortened games had seen IQ Rugby beat Munster 21-10 but lose narrowly to Connacht (22-21).

Out-half Reuben Allen‘s excellent 34th-minute try gave Ulster a 12-7 half-time lead on Saturday, after his opposite number Billy Cross had cancelled out Angus Graham’s earlier effort.

With Newbridge College number 10 Cross going on to score 13 points, Frank Taggart’s IQ Rugby team regained the lead through Harvey Leonard, before back-to-back tries from Aiden Vetjens and replacement Taine Bird wrapped up the result.

The week-long tour gave Taggart and his fellow coaches the chance to work with a group of talented Irish-qualified players, seeing how they fare both in camp and on match days where they were benchmarked against their peers in Ireland.

The IQ Rugby programme, an integral part of the IRFU High Performance pathway, was set up to identify and support Irish-qualified players with the ability, drive, and potential to progress within the Irish Rugby pathway.

Players qualify to be involved through either birth, their parents, or grandparents being born in Ireland.

Although the majority of the players are based in the United Kingdom, IQ Rugby is a global programme, and players can register their details and interest on www.iqrugby.com.

There was great physicality and pace to this game right from the off, with Rourke O’Sullivan bumping off James Kerr as IQ Rugby settled quickly. In response, Ulster’s Matthew Callaghan rampaged down the left wing in impressive fashion, evading two tackles.

It was a promising first visit to the opposition 22 for Ulster, with Callum Largey and tighthead Graham also carrying well, but O’Sullivan’s centre partner Rory Honey halted their progress with a penalty won at the breakdown.

A slaloming break from Allen had the Ulster side, who are preparing for the upcoming PwC U-19 Men’s Interprovincial Series, back on the front foot, and they duly profited from two penalties in quick succession.

Scrum half Danny Guy elected to tap the second one in the seventh minute, showing good awareness to set up the Graham who stormed his way over near the left corner.

IQ Rugby’s cohesive scrum was rewarded with a penalty in the 17th minute, allowing them to get back out of their own half. A subsequent turnover won by Charlies Shortall led to prop Hudson Nevin gaining ground out wide.

Paddy Woods stole a lineout to keep Taggart’s youngsters out of try-scoring range, but successive charge-downs from Isaac Reid and Shortall had Ulster retreating to their own line for more defensive work.

When IQ Rugby unleashed their backs off first phase, Thomas Campbell found Josh Kelly in space, only for the full-back’s pass to be deemed forward. Still, there were encouraging signs as their share of possession and territory continued to grow.

A fluid multi-phase attack finally paid dividends on the half-hour mark, as some nice footwork and hands from Alex Kerr led to Vetjens making inroads on the right wing. The forwards carried up close before Cross neatly stepped inside Guy to score from six metres out.

Despite Cross converting to give IQ Rugby a 7-5 lead, Ulster swiftly replied with their second try. James Kerr’s incisive run sparked a counter attack that ended with Allen accelerating through a gap, from 30 metres out, and fending off Campbell for a slick score which he converted himself.

IQ Rugby applied the early pressure on the resumption with O’Sullivan managing to block an attempted clearance kick from Allen, but Leonard was unfortunately in an offside position when collecting the loose ball.

Despite Callum Tyrrell competing hard at two Ulster lineouts, stealing one and forcing a knock-on at the other, some sturdy maul defence from Ricky Andrew’s charges maintained their slim advantage on the scoreboard.

That was until Leonard picked from a 50th-minute ruck to cross from close range, following up on a strong carry towards the line from O’Sullivan. The extras from Cross made it 14-12 to IQ Rugby.

The margin was soon widened to nine points when Vetjens raided over on the right. Good hands across the back-line released the Leinster Schools Senior Cup winner from 40 metres out, and he threaded a kick past James Murray before winning the race to touch the ball down.

After Cross had nailed his conversion from a tough position out on the right, three of IQ Rugby’s lively replacements combined to devastating effect with ball in hand.

Dylan Mortimer’s breaking ability saw him launch a pacy attack from 70 metres out, and the supporting Alistair Kennedy made it up to the edge of the Ulster 22 before sending Bird in behind the posts.

Suddenly 16 points in arrears, Ulster threatened from deep when James Kerr intercepted a pass. However, just a few moments later, Cross won a turnover penalty. Regent House winger Callaghan got more ball late on, but was twice crowded out near the left touchline.

A smart break saw second row Noah Bell stride past halfway, and a Guy kick over the top had speedy replacement Russell Alo Veikune racing after it. IQ Rugby’s Robert Hennessy was alive to the danger and covered it well, before Ulster failed to capitalise on a last-minute penalty.

IQ RUGBY: Thomas Campbell (Dauntsey’s School); Josh Kelly (St. Mary’s College), Rourke O’Sullivan (Michaelhouse, South Africa), Rory Honey (Radley College), Aiden Vetjens (Blackrock College); Billy Cross (Newbridge College), Harry Cromie (The Bishop Wand School); Hudson Nevin (Llandovery College/Scarlets), Taylor Coles (Filton College), Eric Cantillon (Finborough School), Callum Tyrrell (JESS, Dubai), Isaac Reid (Wesley College), Charles Shortall (Rugby Club Massy Essonne, France), Harvey Leonard (Ellesmere College), Alex Kerr (St. Anselm’s College, Birkenhead).

Replacements: Dylan Jenkins (The Campion School/Saracens), Henry Tanner (Exeter College/Exeter Chiefs), Luka Kelly (Blackrock College), Dylan Mortimer (Coventry College), Taine Bird (Epsom College), Freddie Lomas (Millfield School/Bath Rugby), Robert Hennessy (The King’s School, Ottery St Mary), Miles Pearce-Lynch (Clifton College/Bristol Bears), Alistair Kennedy (Truro College/Exeter Chiefs).

ULSTER U-19: James Kerr (Royal Belfast Academical Institution); Ryan McDowell (Larne Grammar School), Callum Largey (Methodist College Belfast), Jake Irwin (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School), Matthew Callaghan (Regent House Grammar School); Reuben Allen (Ballymena Academy), Danny Guy (Portadown College); Nathan Noble (Sullivan Upper School), Charlie Hargy (Ballymena Academy), Angus Graham (Dalriada School), Noah Bell (Banbridge Academy), Paddy Woods (Campbell College), Sam Clarke (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School), Harry McIlwaine (Omagh Academy), Sam Warwick (Wallace High School).

Replacements: Michael McCavery (Wallace High School), Luke Caskey (Rainey Endowed School), Matthew Wright (Ballymena Academy), Dylan Fox (Malone RFC), Harry Lamont (Ballymena Academy), Hamish Johnston (Sullivan Upper School), James Murray (Belfast Royal Academy), Russell Alo Veikune (Campbell College).

Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)

IQ RUGBY SQUAD (2025 Provincial Tour Of Ireland – Sunday, July 20-Saturday, July 26):

Alex Kerr (St. Anselm’s College, Birkenhead)
Callum Tyrrell (JESS, Dubai)
Charles Shortall (Rugby Club Massy Essonne, France)
Dylan Jenkins (The Campion School/Saracens)
Dylan Mortimer (Coventry College)
Eric Cantillon (Finborough School)
Finn Flook (Filton College)
Harvey Leonard (Ellesmere College)
Henry Tanner (Exeter College/Exeter Chiefs)
Hudson Nevin (Llandovery College/Scarlets)
Isaac Reid (Wesley College)
Luka Kelly (Blackrock College)
Taine Bird (Epsom College)
Taylor Coles (Filton College)
Aiden Vetjens (Blackrock College)
Alistair Kennedy (Truro College/Exeter Chiefs)
Billy Cross (Newbridge College)
Freddie Lomas (Millfield School/Bath Rugby)
Harry Cromie (The Bishop Wand School)
Josh Kelly (St. Mary’s College)
Miles Pearce-Lynch (Clifton College/Bristol Bears)
Robert Hennessy (The King’s School, Ottery St Mary)
Rory Honey (Radley College)
Rourke O’Sullivan (Michaelhouse, South Africa)
Thomas Campbell (Dauntsey’s School)

IQ RUGBY PROVINCIAL TOUR RESULTS –

Wednesday, July 23 – Provincial U-19 Triangular Festival, University of Limerick

MUNSTER UNDER-19s 10 IQ RUGBY 21
Scorers: Munster U-19s: Tries: Aaron Moloney, Zac Piper
IQ Rugby: Tries: Alex Kerr, Charles Shortall, Thomas Campbell; Cons: Billy Cross 3
HT: Munster U-19s 0 IQ Rugby 14

IQ RUGBY 21 CONNACHT UNDER-19s 22
Scorers: IQ Rugby: Tries: Harvey Leonard, Freddie Lomas, Rory Honey; Cons: Robert Hennessy 3
Connacht U-19s: Tries: Oisin Berthoz, Eoin O’Doherty, Ruben Flynn, Phillip Finnan; Con: Calum Elwood
HT: IQ Rugby 7 Connacht U-19s 5

Saturday, July 26 – IRFU High Performance Centre, Blanchardstown

IQ RUGBY 28 ULSTER UNDER-19s 12
Scorers: IQ Rugby: Tries: Billy Cross, Harvey Leonard, Aiden Vetjens, Taine Bird; Cons: Billy Cross 4
Ulster U-19s: Tries: Angus Graham, Reuben Allen; Con: Reuben Allen
HT: IQ Rugby 7 Ulster U-19s 12

IQ RUGBY MANAGEMENT TEAM:

Frank Taggart – Head Coach
John Clarke – Assistant Coach
Nathan Millett – Assistant Coach
Ross Finlay – Team Manager
Nathan Briganti – Team Physio
Tom Brady – Athletic Development Coach
Steve Tiernan – Team Logistics
Kevin Maggs – IQ Rugby Talent ID Coach
Steve McGinnis – IQ Rugby Talent ID Coach
Lindsey Wordley – IQ Rugby Administrator