Clarke names unchanged team as U-20s close in on Slam

JUST like their senior counterparts, ‘Grand Slam’ is not a term being used loosely around Allen Clarke’s Ireland U-20 camp.

Three wins from three — a feat matched by the senior side — have raised hopes that this year’s crop can follow the 2007 vintage, who achieved the elusive Grand Slam under Eric Elwood’s tutelage.

Clarke has named an unchanged team for the first time this season for the clash with Scotland at McDiarmuid Park in Perth tonight (7.30pm).

However he has thus far preferred to focus on improvement rather than title talk. Ireland U20 have also mirrored the senior team with their power and precision up front, led by skipper Peter O’Mahony of Cork Constitution, who withdrew early against the English but resumes his role at the base of the scrum.

However, their ability to convert try-scoring chances remains unproven. They have crossed the whitewash just three times in as many games, though their goal-kickers have played their part to make up for that deficiency.

Blackrock College’s Ian Madigan has proven to be particularly adept in pressure situations. He knocked over the winning penalty deep into injury-time against France, before landing a stunning 45-metre drop-goal similarly late in the day to end England’s hopes of a second consecutive Grand Slam.

Ireland must now prove they can turn it on away from their Dubarry Park fortress — where an Ireland U20 or U21 side has lost just once — as they take on a Scottish team buoyed by their recent comeback win over Italy.

Stirling Country’s Robbie McGowan was instrumental in that fightback, creating a try and landing two high-pressure penalties having come off the bench, and has been rewarded with a starting berth at full-back.

Scotland U20 coach John Jeffrey insists he’s undaunted by locking horns with an unbeaten Irish outfit: “Ireland are a very good side, they’re very confident and well coached but we don’t worry too much about the opposition. We’ve won two out of three games so there’s a lot of confidence and a lot of belief in the squad — the players thoroughly enjoyed playing in front of the vociferous home crowd at McDiarmid Park and they’re all looking forward to running out in front of them again.”

Meanwhile, Brian Walsh has kept faith with same Ireland Club side who salvaged a 13-13 draw with England Counties, as they take on their Scottish counterparts at Watsonians RFC in Edinburgh tonight (7.30pm).

On the bench, Old Belvedere’s Richie Leyden is included in place of Ron Boucher and UCD’s Killian Lett comes in for Niall O’Brien, as the Irish look to repeat last season’s 20-15 win in Donnybrook.

“All our games against Scotland have been close affairs, so the game against England two weeks ago was good preparation for what we expect this Friday,” Walsh said.

“While England really tested us in all areas and we were relieved not to have lost, I think we still left opportunities behind us to win the game outright, so there was a fair bit of disappointment among the players and management.

IRELAND U20: D Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); R O’Mahony (Garryowen/Munster), I McKinley (UCD/Leinster), E Sheridan (Lansdowne/Leinster), M Keating (Clontarf/Leinster); I Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), M Healy (Lansdowne/Leinster); P McAllister (Ballynahinch/Ulster), T Sexton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), J McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster); C Ruddock (Neath/Exiles), J Sandford (Queens University/Ulster); R Ruddock (Millfield School/ Exiles), D Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster), P O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster, capt).

Replacements: D McGregor (Ballynahinch/Ulster), A Macklin (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), M Flanagan (UCD/Leinster), M Noone (Seapoint/Leinster), C Murray (Garryowen/Munster), A Burke (Garryowen/Munster), S Gahan (Lansdowne/Leinster).

SCOTLAND U20: R McGowan (Stirling County); P Loudon (Durham University and Edinburgh Academicals, capt), A McCulloch (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), R Johnston (Leeds University and Leeds Carnegie), G Anderson (Ayr); A White (Glasgow Hawks), H Pyrgos (Loughborough University); G Cameron (Boroughmuir), F Gilles (Heriot’s), D Morton (Bridgwater); N Campbell (Glasgow Hawks), R Gray (Glasgow Warriors); S Dewar (Heriot’s), C Fusaro (Heriot’s), S McInally (Watsonians).

Replacements: R McConnell (Peebles), D Orr (Haddington), J Taylor (Loughborough University and Dundee HSFP) T Drennan (Edinburgh Academicals), P Jericevich (Glasgow Hawks), P Horne (West of Scotland), A McKenzie (Northumbria University).

IRELAND CLUBS: E Torrie (UL Bohs); C Healy (Cork Con), D Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College), P Brophy (St Mary’s College), D Corcoran (Young Munster); B Keeshan (Dolphin), R Cushion (Old Belvedere); M Gately (Highfield), B McNamee (Dungannon), K Moran (Buccaneers), A Maher (Lansdowne), M Warburton (Old Wesley); K Croke (UCD), B O’Mahony (Dolphin), H Hogan (St Mary’s College, capt).

Replacements: R Quinn (Lansdowne), C Murphy (Lansdowne), A Dunlop (Terenure College), R Leyden (Old Belvedere), S Cronin (UCC), K Lett (UCD), T Bennett (Shannon).

IRELAND Women (v Scotland): N Briggs (Clonmel/Munster), J Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster), L Cantwell (UL Bohemians/Munster), S Houston (Blackrock Leinster), A Davis (Blackrock/Ulster), J O’Sullivan (Richmond/Ulster), T Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), F Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster), Y Nolan (Blackrock/Leinster), G Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), C Mahon (UL Bohemians/Leinster), O Brennan (Blackrock/Leinster), L Austin (Blackrock/Leinster), S Ryan (Navan/Leinster), J Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster) (C).

Replacements: J Limbert (Lichfield/Ulster), L Day (Cooke/Ulster), K O’Loughlin(Clonmel/Munster), D Clarke (Blackrock/Leinster), L Beamish (UL Bohemians/Munster), L Nicholl (Cooke/Ulster), H Brosnan (Highfield/Munster).