Ruddock in Ireland U-20 squad
Clarke has included 14 forwards and 12 backs with seven players with experience of this level, including Ruddock. Ireland open their campaign against Italy on Friday, February 5 and will play their home games at Dubarry Park, Athlone. Clarke has been hugely impressed by the workrate of his charges
“The attitude of the players has been excellent, both in their individual attention and motivation, while developing with their provincial rugby and fitness coaches and while playing for their clubs.
“The warm-up games against the provincial development sides have provided the opportunity to develop our game and identify the areas we need to improve.
“We recognise the potential of the squad while respecting the challenges ahead, the first of which has to start the Six Nations campaign against Italy at home with a good performance. Being the first game of the championship means we have little knowledge of the opposition – and Italy have proved to be very difficult in the past – so we have to be accurate with and without the ball.”
IRELAND U20: Backs: A Conway (Blackrock/Leinster), J Cooney (UCD/Leinster), E Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht), M Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), D Hudson (St. Mary’s/Leinster), B Kingston (Blackrock/Leinster), B Macken (Blackrock/Leinster), J McKinney (Queens/Ulster), D McSharry (UCD/Leinster), T O’Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht), N Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster), S Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster).
Forwards: N Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), D Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht), P Butler (Shannon/Munster), B Cagney (UCC/Munster), D Doyle (UCD/Leinster), B Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster), S Maguire (Old Belvedere/Leinster), B Marshall (UCD/Leinster), J Murphy (Blackrock/Leinster), R O’Sullivan (Bective/Leinster), D O’Callaghan (UCC/Munster), J O’Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster), R Ruddock (UCD/Leinster), D Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster).
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