Another green crop begins to flourish

IRB JUNIOR WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL:

Declan Kidney coached an Ireland side that featured Donncha O’Callaghan and Adrian Flavin in the pack, plus Paddy Wallace and Kieran Campbell in the backs, as they saw off the USA, South Africa — after some penalty shoot-out controversy — and Argentina before beating hosts France 18-0 in the final.

A certain Brian O’Driscoll lined out in the centre; little more than a year later he was featuring for the Ireland senior team in the 1999 World Cup, the start of one of world rugby’s most decorated careers.