U21s prepare for tough French tie

THEIR senior colleagues may have struggled in Lansdowne Road and Murrayfield last weekend but neither the Irish nor the French U21s had much difficulty in recording wins over Italy and Scotland respectively.

Mark McDermott’s side had braced themselves for a typically physical encounter with the Azzurri and, though they got exactly that, that didn’t prevent an ultimately comfortable 34-9 victory for the home side at Athlone’s Dubarry Park.

While Eddie O’Sullivan is struggling to provide a platform for his all-singing, all-dancing back line, McDermott will have been encouraged by the five tries in their opening fixture.