Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools Team Announced For Scotland Game
Cistercian College Roscrea and Galway Corinthians flanker Ruben Flynn will captain the Ireland Under-18 Clubs & Schools team (sponsored by PwC) against the Scotland U-18s at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 12.30pm).
Coached by Johne Murphy, the Ireland squad contains a mix of clubs and schools talent from all four provinces, as well as IQ Rugby pair Dylan Jenkins and Adam Brennan, who both start in the pack.
Seven of the players included got game-time during the Ireland U-18 Clubs side’s match away to Italy in November. Flynn and Kilkenny RFC’s Cillian McElwee are two of those, the latter switching to blindside flanker to accommodate RC Vannes forward Brennan at number 8.
Front rowers Calum Tutty and Jenkins also bring experience from that trip to Cozena, as do replacements Jack Power, JJ Phillips, and Sam Harper, the Omagh Accies scrum half who was vice-captain of the Ulster U-18 Clubs squad earlier this season.
There are starting places for Connor Patton and Dylan Gray from beaten Ulster Schools Senior Cup finalists RBAI, whose openside flanker Cian McClean, the scorer of two tries against Campbell College in last Tuesday’s final, is set for an impact role off the bench.
Harrison McMahon and Tommy Smyth from Leinster’s Under-18 Schools Interprovincial title-winning squad will link up together at half-back for Murphy’s young guns, while Dalriada School’s Archie Graham is another bright prospect in the second row.
Amongst the replacements, St. Munchin’s College hooker Michael Landers will wear the green jersey just a few days on from their Munster Schools Senior Cup final defeat. Munster U-18 Schools flyer Najim Jagana is one of the back-line options.
IRELAND UNDER-18 SCHOOLS & CLUBS Team & Replacements (v Scotland Under-18s, Uncapped Under-18 Men’s International Match, Hive Stadium, Edinburgh, Sunday, March 22, kick-off 12.30pm):
15. Johnny Martin (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
14. Brian A McCulloch (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby)
13. Connor Patton (Royal Belfast Academical Institution/Ulster Rugby)
12. Joshua Grant (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby)
11. Dylan Gray (Royal Belfast Academical Institution/Ulster Rugby)
10. Harrison McMahon (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
9. Tommy Smyth (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)
1. Dylan Jenkins (The Campion School/Saracens/IQ Rugby)
2. Calum Tutty (St. Augustine’s College/Dungarvan RFC/Munster Rugby)
3. Ryan Grant (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby)
4. Archie Graham (Dalriada School/Ulster Rugby)
5. Phil Lynch (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
6. Cillian McElwee (St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny/Kilkenny RFC/Leinster Rugby)
7. Ruben Flynn (Cistercian College Roscrea/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht Rugby) (capt)
8. Adam Brennan (Rugby Club Vannes/IQ Rugby)
Replacements:
IRELAND U-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS MANAGEMENT TEAM –
Johne Murphy – Head Coach
Ricky Andrew – Assistant Coach
Rhys Ruddock – Assistant Coach
Anthony McKibben – Team Manager
Dr. Padraig Sheeran – Team Doctor
Foster Horan – Team Physio
James O’Sullivan – Athletic Development Coach
Dylan Holmes – Team Analyst
Tom Nyhan – Team Logistics