Ireland U-20 Squad, sponsored by PwC, named for World Rugby Under-20 Championship

Ireland U-20 Squad, sponsored by PwC, named for World Rugby Under-20 Championship

For immediate release: Monday 27 April 2015
Issue on behalf of Irish Rugby Football Union

The Ireland Under-20 Squad, sponsored by PwC, has been announced for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship. The tournament is taking place in Parma, Italy from the 2nd – 22nd of June.

Head Coach, Nigel Carolan, has named a squad of 28 with just two players who were not involved in the 2015 RBS 6 Nations U20 Championship added to the squad, Sean McNulty and Charlie Rock. McNulty, who featured in the 2014 RBS 6 Nations, comes back into the panel having recovered from injury and is joined by the uncapped Rock.

Eight of the squad have previous Under-20 Championship experience (previously known as the Junior World Championship) having played in last year’s tournament in New Zealand, where the Irish side finished in forth position – Ross Byrne, Billy Dardis, Ciaran Gaffney, Oisin Heffernan, Nick McCarthy, Rory Moloney, Josh Murphy and Gary Ringrose.

Ireland share pool C with Argentina, Scotland and New Zealand and open their tournament against Argentina on Tuesday, 2nd June in Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma.

Ireland U-20 Squad (World Rugby, Under-20 Championship Squad 2015)
Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster)
Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster)
Lorcan Dow (QUB/Ulster)
Jack Dwan (UCD/Leinster)
Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster)
Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht)
Oisin Heffernan (Terenure/Leinster)
Jeremy Loughman (UCD/Leinster)
Zack McCall (QUB/Ulster)
Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)
Sean McNulty (UCD/Munster)
Stephen McVeigh (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster)
Conán O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht)
David O’Connor (St.Mary’s/Leinster)
Conor Oliver (St.Mary’s/Leinster)
Jack Owens (Queens University/Ulster)
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
Charlie Rock (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Cian Romaine (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Jacob Stockdale (QUB/Ulster)
Alex Thompson (Queens University/Ulster)
Nick Timoney (St. Mary’s/Leinster)

* Denotes uncapped player at International Under-20 level.

World Rugby Under-20 Championship 2015
POOL A – England, France, Wales, Japan
POOL B – South Africa, Australia, Samoa, Italy
POOL C – New Zealand, Ireland, Argentina, Scotland

Ireland Fixtures –

Ireland Under-20s v Argentina Under-20s, Parma, Tuesday, June 2, kick-off 4.30pm local time/3.30pm Irish time
Ireland Under-20s v Scotland Under-20s, Calvisano, Saturday, June 6, kick-off 4.30pm local time/3.30pm Irish time
New Zealand Under-20s v Ireland Under-20s, Viadana, Wednesday, June 10, kick-off 8.30pm local time/7.30pm Irish time

Match Day 4: Play-offs and semi-finals, Monday, June 15
Match Day 5: Play-offs and final, Saturday, June 20